The 49ers rumors continue to swirl around who San Francisco will target in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. With pick #9 will the San Francisco 49ers go cornerback and select Ohio State’s Denzel Ward? Maybe the 49ers focus on the linebacker position and pick between Georgia’s Roquan Smith and Virginia Tech’s Tremaine Edmunds. Here are three players the 49ers will likely select with pick #9 in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft:
Subscribe: 49ers Report by Chat Sports on YouTube, breaking down the latest 49ers' news and rumors
1.) Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
Roquan Smith is an elite college LB who has the ability to stop the run and cover TEs out of the backfield at a high level right out of the NFL draft. He has the best sideline-to-sideline speed of any LB to come out this year and brings an on-field leadership ability with it. He’s athletic, hard-hitting, patient, and a perfect fit for any defense looking to get faster and more physical. Roquan Smith had an incredible junior season, becoming the first Georgia Bulldog to ever win the Butkus award for best LB in college football. He racked up 85 solo tackles and 6.5 sacks along with being named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. He was the only defensive player in the country to receive Heisman Trophy votes this year and even received 3 first-place votes.
2.) Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech
Edmunds NFL Draft stock is soaring due to his size-speed skill set, plus athletic ability. The 49ers also need help in their secondary, but linebacker is a huge need since Rebeun Foster's NFL future remains in question. He led the Hokies with 109 tackles, adding 5.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles this past season.
3.) Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
The 49ers need to upgrade their defense, especially at the cornerback position. Ward is regarded as the best cover corner in this years draft class, plus he can also come up and make a tackle. The 49ers finished the season strong with a five-game winning streak and in a division with Russell Wilson and Jared Goff upgrading the secondary is important.
Stick with us in the Chat Sports app or follow San Francisco 49ers by Chat Sports on Facebook to be the 1st to know every breaking story and all the rumors on the San Francisco 49ers.
FOLLOW: Mitchell Renz is the Senior Writer & On-Air Host at Chat Sports. Check out his article archive and live videos on Chat Sports Facebook page. Please follow him on Twitter @MitchellRenz365.
Back to the San Francisco 49ers Newsfeed