Ten prospects 49ers could target on Day 2 of 2022 NFL Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
We're into the second week of February which means it's officially NFL draft season.
The 49ers face some important decisions as they enter the offseason following their narrow loss in the NFC Championship Game. They are expected to move on from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and hand the keys to the offense over to Trey Lance. While the quarterback position is settled in Santa Clara, head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have some holes to fill in order to round out the roster.
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The secondary should be a big focus both in the draft and free agency. The 49ers also have to add depth on the offensive line and should try to find another receiver with Deebo Samuel expected to continue splitting time between receiver and running back.
The 49ers don't have a first-round pick this season but will have four Day 2 picks.
Here are 10 Day 2 prospects the 49ers could target in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Sean Rhyan, OL, UCLA
Rhyan played left guard for the Bruins, but his skill set might make him better suited for guard at the NFL level. Rhyan (6-foot-5, 320 pounds) has great quickness, mobility, and body control. He has the ability to get out to the edge quickly as a run blocker and has strong hands that make him an exceptional pass blocker.
In the last two seasons, Rhyan only gave up one sack in 661 pass-blocking snaps. His versatility and athleticism mean he can play inside and out at the NFL, but he likely will be more successful on the interior.
Here is a rep against projected top-five pick Kayvon Thibodeaux.
The versatility and athleticism could see Ryan rise fast in the pre-draft process, so he might not be available when the 49ers go on the clock at No. 61.
Jamaree Salyer, OL, Georgia
Another tackle who might be better suited for guard at the NFL level is Georgia's Jamaree Salyer.
The 6-foot-4, 325-pound offensive lineman is a physical blocker who comes off the ball hard at the point of attack. He has good quickness as a pass blocker, a high football IQ to identify stunts and react accordingly. Salyer has only allowed one sack since the start of the 2020 season and received an 86.8 pass-blocking grade from PFF this past season.
His length might be an issue at tackle but won't be a huge problem at guard. The ability to play guard or slide over to play tackle if needed makes Salyer a plus value on Day 2.
Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M
Here's another offensive lineman who could rise quickly as the draft approaches.
Green is a former five-star recruit who played everywhere on Texas A&M's offensive line except for center. The 6-foot-4, 325-pound lineman is a bulldozer as a run blocker and possesses great quickness and hand technique as a pass protector.
At the NFL level, Green can play either guard position or right tackle which would make him a great target for a 49ers team that had depth issues along the OL this past season.
Here's Green stymying Alabama's Will Anderson, the best defensive player in the country.
Lewis Cine, S, Georgia
Oh, look, another Bulldog.
Cine should be a plug-and-play safety at the NFL level. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound safety is a heat-seeking missile who has a great ability to diagnose plays and the aggressiveness to blow them up. His closing speed is something to marvel at.
In pass coverage, Cine is rangy with a nose for the football and the athleticism to drop in coverage and change direction without getting out of position. He also is a high-level blitzer at the line of scrimmage.
Verone McKinley, S, Oregon
If you're looking for a high-IQ safety with a nose for the football, look no further than Oregon's Verone McKinley.
McKinley, nicknamed "The General" in Eugene, has great ball skills, is a sure tackler in space, and has good short-area quickness in coverage. McKinley led the FBS with six interceptions and is a versatile defender who can play in the back end or line up in the slot if needed. He should be available in the third round and is someone who could eventually fill in as a starting safety in Santa Clara.
Playmaker.
Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati
The 2021 Jim Thorpe Award winner as the nation's best defensive back has Day 2 steal written all over him.
Bryant (6-foot-2, 185-pounds) is a physical, competitive corner with great ball skills and tracking ability. He can play both man and zone techniques. When playing man, Bryant excels in press coverage, leading all of FBS in pass breakups when playing press (23) since 2019. Bryant has great length and height for his position which allows him to disrupt receivers at the top of their route stem.
He should be a starting No. 2 corner in the NFL.
Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State
A strong, physical corner, Martin Emerson has great length and excels at smothering receivers in press coverage. However, Emerson does have a tendency to get handsy at the top of the route which will be an issue when playing on Sundays.
In zone coverage, Emerson has great reaction time and length that allows him to cover a wide range of space to break up passes. Emerson is a willing tackler with good coverage skills who would be a solid Day 2 pick for the 49ers.
John Metchie III, WR, Alabama
We can't start draft coverage without talking about the skill positions. Wide receiver isn't the most pressing need for the 49ers, but you can never give a young quarterback too many weapons.
Metchie has the size (6-foot, 195 pounds) has the size and quickness to line up both outside or in the slot. After sitting behind some elite wide receivers at Alabama, Metchie saw his target share and production skyrocket this past season in which he caught 96 passes for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns.
He's an elite athlete with great stop-start ability who will excel in an offense that gets the ball to its playmakers in space. Sound familiar?
If Metchie is available at No. 61, the 49ers might not be able to pass.
David Bell, WR, Purdue
I'm fairly certain Bell will be long gone by the time the 49ers go on the clock at No. 61, but if he's still there, San Francisco will be getting a steal.
The Boilermaker star is a prototypical X receiver who can win both in the quick game and in the vertical passing game. What he lacks in athleticism, Bell makes up for with elite route-running, high football IQ and tremendous ball skills.
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At the NFL level, Bell's skills should translate to high-level production in the play-action game and middle of the field targets.
Per PFF, since 2018, Bell led the Big Ten in catches (232), receiving yards 2,935, forced missed tackles (48) and contested catches (41).
Kyle Philips, WR, UCLA
At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, Philips was an ultra-productive slot receiver during his time in Westwood.
Philips is a savvy route-runner who uses a variety of hand and body fakes to set up defenders and create separation. He does the majority of his work on underneath and over the middle routes. He has tremendous hands who is very shifty in run-after-catch scenarios.
Projected to be a Round 3 pick, Philips should be able to play immediately as a starting slot receiver and could wind up being the ideal security blanket for Trey Lance.
