New 49ers regime comes out a winner in debut class
Lynch and Shanahan get rebuild in full gear with 11 new players
SANTA CLARA — Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch won their draft debut as the 49ers’ new power brokers, enhancing their rebuilding effort through a tradehappy, need-filling weekend.
Their harmonious haul: 10 drafted players, a running back via one of their six trades, and two valuable picks in next year’s draft that could help position them for a franchise quarterback, if needed.
“I had no idea I was going to trade that much,” Lynch, a first-time general manager, said Saturday. “I thought I was a fairly conservative guy and we’d have a calm draft.
“The only reason that transpired like that was the opportunity that came our way with Chicago.”
Lynch and Shanahan, the 49ers’ first-year coach, made the NFL take notice right away Thursday. They swung a lopsided deal with the Chicago Bears that still delivered Stanford defensive lineman Solomon Thomas at No. 3 overall, as well as three more draft picks.
“I’m as excited as John and everybody in our organization,” Shanahan said. “I feel we’ve added depth and most importantly competition.”
Praise quickly showered down on the 49ers — a longlost sight in these parts — and franchise icon Ronnie Lott tweeted: “Well done @49ers. D always starts up front!”
The 49ers defense, historically bad last season, indeed hogged their initial draft moves. After Thomas came a jolt of swagger and hard-hitting prowess in Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster at No. 31.
Once another defender arrived in the third round — Colorado cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, a Sacramento native — Lynch knew how it looked to have a former Pro Bowl safety load up on defense with his picks.
Lynch said even Shanahan joked with him about it inside the draft room.
“He said, ‘All right. We’re going offense now. You’ve had your fun,’ ” Lynch said with a laugh.
Cue: Shanahan’s offensive influence.
In succession Friday and Saturday came quarterback C.J. Beathard (third round), running backs Kapri Bibbs (trade with Denver Broncos) and Joe Williams (fourth round), tight end George Kittle (fifth round) and wide receiver Trent Taylor (sixth round).
The 49ers maneuvered back into Friday night’s third round to take Beathard, the draft’s sixth quarterback taken and the franchise’s highest-drafted since Colin Kaepernick (2011, second round).
Before Beathard’s senior season, he drew quite an endorsement: “We’ve got the next Tom Brady right over here, the quarterback, he’s going to be the next Tom Brady,” future president Donald Trump said of Beathard at a 2016 campaign appearance. “The next Tom Brady, come on. And I know Tom, and he’s a great guy.”
Shanahan immediately halted any hype of Beathard being a potential rookie starter, slotting him behind Brian Hoyer and top backup Matt Barkley.
If none of those quarterbacks inspire this season, the 49ers have ammunition to make a play for a marquee one next year. Through trades, they acquired the New Orleans Saints’ 2018 second-round pick and the Bears’ third-round choice.
That Bears pick was part of their loot for sliding one spot, going from No. 2 to 3, where Lynch selected his one-time classmate at Stanford. Lynch returned to The Farm in 2014 to complete his degree, and Thomas was a self-described “star-struck” freshman when he saw Lynch in their decisionanalysis class.
“Off of (this draft), you could tell he makes good decisions,” Thomas quipped in the 49ers locker room Friday.
“Nobody told me (the draft) was this tiring. I feel I just played a game, and then some,” said Lynch, a former nine-time Pro Bowl safety.
Lynch’s first order of business Saturday was to call Williams, who temporarily retired from Utah’s team early last season to finally mourn his sister’s fatal heart attack from 10 years earlier.
“I was gone for four weeks, and it helped get my life back in order, because at the time it was in shambles,” Williams said on a media call. “I did everything to come to peace with her death.”
Williams returned to rush for 179 yards against Oregon State, 332 yards against UCLA, and he closed with 222 yards against Indiana en route to Foster Farms Bowl MVP honors at Levi’s Stadium.
The 49ers had dismissed Williams until learning more about his comeback, and Shanahan said he got especially intrigued “on a random, boring day” when he opted to watch Williams’ game film.
Lynch confirmed the n 49ers explored trading tight end Vance McDonald during the draft, four months after he signed a contract extension under their former regime.
“That’s the reality of new regimes coming in, new schemes,” Lynch said. “That’s not to say he can’t fit into our scheme. Frankly we received some interest from other people, then we did explore some options throughout the league with Vance.”
Shanahan exchanged messages with McDonald after a report surfaced Friday of trade talks.
“We’re all good and will talk in person (Monday),” Shanahan said. “We want Vance here. All the guys we have here, we want here, until you can get better.”
Lynch said the 49ers will welcome back McDonald “with open arms,” and Shanahan added that “we want Vance here.”
McDonald was a 2013 second-round draft pick who has seven career touchdowns. His December extension includes $9 million guaranteed. McDonald participated in this past week’s voluntary minicamp.
Southern Miss quarterback n Nick Mullens headlines the class of undrafted free agents signed by the 49ers, who will confirm that crop later this week.