Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith was ranked as the third best prospect by ESPN’s Mel Kiper in Thursday’s upcoming NFL Draft. If the eight teams selecting ahead of the 49ers were to draft the best player available, there is little doubt that Smith would be off the board by the time San Francisco is on the clock. But with multiple teams likely to take a quarterback early in the draft, there is an outside chance that Smith could fall to the 49ers.
With Reuben Foster’s future in limbo, linebacker has again become a need for John Lynch and Co., and it seems likely that the 49ers would take Smith if given the chance. Even if a handful of QBs are drafted early as has been projected, however, Smith is still projected to be off the board when San Francisco selects at No. 9, most likely to the Colts at No. 6.
NFL Network draft expert Daniel Jeremiah joined Murph & Mac on Tuesday morning, and threw out an interesting name when asked who the 49ers might take if Smith isn’t an option.
“You know I’ve heard some buzz down the stretch here that they could consider an offensive tackle, and (Mike) McGlinchey I think most people view him as a top tackle in the draft,” Jeremiah said. “That’s too early for me, but people have different opinions on these guys. He seems to be somebody that could go off the board right there to one of the Bay Area teams. I wouldn’t sleep on that possibility at all, for him to come in and be your right tackle and eventual successor to Joe Staley.”
Jeremiah’s take is interesting for a number of reasons, most notably because it’s believed that the 49ers are still very high on both Staley and Trent Brown, and that tackle would be far down on the team’s list of needs. Furthermore, even if the 49ers needed a tackle, McGlinchey would be considered a stretch from a value standpoint. Kiper has the Notre Dame tackle ranked as the 22nd best prospect in the draft, and the second ranked tackle.
Jeremiah seems to agree with this assessment.
“I just, man…It’s a little early after watching him struggle against Georgia and Miami and NC State, but there are a lot of folks very high on him.”
McGlinchey was a consensus All-American as a senior last season. Peter King of the MMQB has also reported that the 49ers are giving serious consideration to McGlinchey.
Listen to the full interview below. To hear Jeremiah on the 49ers, start from 6:55.