We're under a month away from the first day of the 2015 NFL Draft (April 30th), which means the San Francisco 49ers front office is hard at work ranking prospects and setting a course for the future of the franchise. With that in mind, here are 3 49ers NFL Draft rumors to pay attention to with time winding down until the festivities.
1. The 49ers are "in love" with Alabama WR Amari Cooper...
...but does that mean they're willing to trade up into the top six of the draft to get him?
Per lead Bleacher Report draft expert Matt Miller, "high-level sources with the San Francisco 49ers have told me the team is "in love" with wide receiver Amari Cooper from Alabama and will inquire as to trading up to draft him should he slip past the Oakland Raiders at No. 4 overall."
There's plenty of reason to think that the Raiders will cut the 49ers off at the pass and take Cooper 4th, with Oakland management said to also be smitten with the dynamic former Crimson Tide wideout. But if not, keep a close eye on the 49ers and their bushel of nine picks in the 2015 draft.
2. Michigan State CB Trae Waynes a top target?
Several prominent mock drafters (ESPN's Todd McShay included) have the 49ers picking the former Spartans defensive back at #15 if they decide to stay put in the first round, citing the losses of 2014 starting corners Perrish Cox and Chris Culliver in free agency.
If the 49ers do indeed pick Waynes, one ESPN Insider article believes they'll be landing a talent eerily similar to the Houston Texans' Johnathan Joseph.
"While Waynes is a notch below Joseph in terms of fluidity, he is more seasoned with his technique coming out of school," the article reads. "Both are effective press corners with the instincts and quickness to hold up in zone coverage as well."
3. 49ers to visit with Washington CB Marcus Peters
Peters has some red flags attached to him after being kicked off the Huskies football team following a confrontation with an assistant coach last November.
Regardless, the 49ers may be willing to look past that in order to focus on a defensive back who could be the most talented cover corner in the entire draft. According to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, Peters will meet with the team in April -- one of the 30 pre-draft visits the team is allowed.
The 22-year-old Oakland native has been projected everywhere from the middle of the first round to the late second round by most draft experts, with his character concerns being the primary reason for said variance.
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