The 49ers are in a sweet spot, sitting at No. 2 in the order for Thursday’s first round of the NFL draft.
But that spot could get even sweeter, says general manager John Lynch.
Lynch noted that the Arizona Cardinals, at No. 1, are expected to select quarterback Kyler Murray of Oklahoma. But, if the Cardinals pass on Murray, suddenly every NFL team looking for a high-impact quarterback might be in the market to make San Francisco a terrific offer for the No. 2 spot and San Francisco could wind up with extra draft picks.
"I would, wouldn’t you?" Lynch told reporters. “There seems to be a ton of interest and I understand, man.”
Lynch says he, too, believes Murray is a special player. Lynch called Murray "electric" for the way the Heisman Trophy winner can both throw and run. He calls Murray a "nightmare" for defenses.
Kevin Patra of NFL.com wrote that some of what Lynch says about Murray and the Cardinals should be taken with a few grains of salt. Patra says Lynch could simply be signaling the rest of the league that the 49ers are open to trade talks.
As Mike Florio of NBC’s Pro Football Talk wrote Monday, the 49ers are one team that doesn’t seem enticed by Murray, as good as he is, "given the presence of Jimmy Garoppolo on the roster."
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The 49ers are eager for Garoppolo’s return, and to build around him and on defense in this draft. Garoppolo missed most of 2017, but the quarterback is expected to be fully healthy for training camp.
As of now, the 49ers are expected to select a defensive player at No. 2 overall, with Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa projected as the most likely candidate.
