The San Francisco 49ers have 11 picks in the 2014 NFL Draft, including six in the top 100. Since they are a team that doesn’t need to bring in that kind of depth, it would make sense for general manager Trent Baalke to try to move up and grab an elite talent. According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, that’s exactly what he’ll try to do.
Mortensen claims that Baalke is poised to make a move into the top 10, and the veteran ESPN analyst claims he is hearing the team wants to grab Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans. It is well known that the Oakland Raiders (No. 5 overall) and the St. Louis Rams (No. 2 overall) are both willing to trade down in the right deal.
If the 49ers do want Evans, they’ll likely have to move into the top seven, so Oakland’s pick would be an ideal target. San Francisco’s top receiver is Michael Crabtree, and he will be headed into a contract year in 2014. Meanwhile, Anquan Boldin will turn 34 this season. Jon Baldwin is a talented young receiver, but he’s incredibly unreliable.
Evans is a hair under 6-5 and 231 pounds. He is a load at wide receiver and has good top-end speed for a guy his size. He is aggressive and knows how to go up and get the ball. He’d also give the 49ers something they don’t have as a big target on the perimeter. He will almost surely be a top 10 pick, which means San Francisco would have to package several of its top 100 selections to land him.
With a few teams looking to move down, the 49ers should be able to get the guy they want in the top 10 if they’re willing to make the necessary move.