Let’s begin with this: Pro Days are essentially glorified beauty pageants. No firm decision on drafting a college prospect should take shape because of a Pro Day.
Still, it was significant Thursday that Kyle Shanahan chose to leave his Santa Clara bunker to get his own eyes on top prospects Solomon Thomas and Christian McCaffrey.
Over night, Thomas has emerged as the front runner for the 49ers at pick No. 2. Shanahan told reporters on the scene in Palo Alto he has no problem drafting a defensive lineman at the top of the draft for the third straight year. Shanahan said Thomas is versatile enough to play all three positions. Hearing his name called in late April will not be a surprise at all and it would in theory legitimatize a young defensive line for many years.
What was a little surprising was McCaffrey’s workout on his home turf. The multi-purpose weapon chose to focus on catching passes as a slot and outside wide receiver.
McCaffrey showing off his hands doing wr drills. pic.twitter.com/Ori4d3XdZ9
— Alex Flanagan (@Alex_Flanagan) March 23, 2017
In three seasons, McCaffrey caught 99 passes for 1,206 yards and 10 touchdowns. His versatility in the short passing game is what could make him the second running back selected behind LSU’s Leonard Fournette. Position flexibility is a tremendous upside going for arguably Stanford’s most exciting offensive prospect since John Elway. Running backs who can be lethal in the passing game are not a dime a dozen.
After years of ignoring backs in his passing attack, Shanahan embraced the concept in Atlanta. The last two seasons, Devonta Freeman caught 127 passes for 1,040 yards; Tevin Coleman increased his receptions from two in 2015 to 31 in 2016. The underneath passing game played a role in freeing up Julion Jones over the middle, as well as Taylor Gabriel and Aldrick Robinson (who signed with the 49ers) as deep threats.
The 49ers do not have a true pass catching back on the roster. Carlos Hyde caught 27 passes last year under Chip Kelly, but route running in space is not his strong suit. Shanahan and GM John Lynch will look to add a different piece of the puzzle to the running back room. The question becomes how much do they love McCaffrey? Enough to trade back into the first round?
Nearly every mock draft has McCaffrey getting gobbled up as a top 25 prospect. The 49ers would have to maneuver back into the first round to secure McCaffrey. Is the team really in the right place to trade away draft picks for a player who is considered more of a luxury item than a building block?
McCaffrey likely has NFL success in his future. Shanahan could likely turn him into a star. Picturing a Thunder and Lightning combination of Hyde and McCaffrey is enticing as hell. NFL linebackers are fast, but most are better in pursuit than they are skating in coverage.
Sorry to throw rain on the parade, but because of positioning in the draft, it doesn’t seem likely McCaffrey will land in Santa Clara. But you never know how intrigued the creative Shanahan was today in Palo Alto.