The San Francisco 49ers built around quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo early in the NFL draft Youth Rashaad Penny Jersey , then used the rest of their nine selections to fortify defense and fill needs in their push to become a legitimate playoff contender.
After adding both a protector and deep threat for Garoppolo with their first two picks, the 49ers used each of their first four selections Saturday to grab prospects who can bolster a defense that ranked 24th in the NFL last season.
"Really feel we got better as a football team," 49ers general manager John Lynch said Saturday. "We got guys we wanted to come out of this draft with. We came out pretty well in terms of what we wanted to accomplish and are very proud of what we did."
In their first season under Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan last year, the 49ers won their final five games to finish 6-10 after acquiring Garoppolo near midseason.
San Francisco signed Garoppolo to a $137.5 million contract extension in February, then added key free agents on offense during March before drafting Notre Dame tackle Mike McGlinchey in the first round Thursday, and moving up in the second round Friday to select Washington receiver Dante Pettis.
The 49ers then turned their focus to defense through the next four rounds, selecting BYU linebacker Fred Warner, North Carolina State end Kentavius Street, and defensive backs Tarvarius Moore of Southern Mississippi, D.J. Reed of Kansas State and Marcell Harris of Florida.
San Francisco selected another defender, Temple lineman Jullian Taylor, with its first seventh-round pick before taking Middle Tennessee State wide receiver Richie James with its final pick.
"We're in Year 2 of our program, and it's going to be tougher to make our team," Shanahan said. "It was much harder this year to pick guys on the (later) days that we thought can make our football team. We drafted guys that have a chance to do that."
Here are some other takeaways from the draft:
REDSHIRT PICKS?
The 49ers failed miserably earlier this decade with former GM Trent Baalke using several high draft picks to select prospects coming off significant injuries who never panned out after sitting out their rookie seasons. San Francisco took another chance in the fourth round Saturday on Street, who sustained a torn ACL during a pre-draft workout and had surgery earlier this month. He's unlikely to contribute this season.
"We're not trying to make popular picks, we're trying to make good picks," Lynch said. "And we're very convicted that this was just that."
Two picks later, the 49ers selected Harris, who missed the entire season last year after tearing his Achilles tendon during Florida's fall camp.
PLAYMAKER ON THE PREMISES?
On a conference call after being selected in the fifth round, Reed was describing his game to reporters when he was abruptly interrupted by the man who drafted him.
"I'm a playmaker, man." Reed said Authentic Paul Worrilow Jersey , before Lynch suddenly appeared in San Francisco's media room and blurted out, "That's what I'm talking about, D.J.!"
Reed ranked second in the Big 12 last season with four interceptions and was third in the conference with 13 passes defensed. He led the Big 12 with 19 passes defensed while earning the conference's Defensive Newcomer of the Year honors in 2016.
EXPLOSIVE AND DYNAMIC
Pettis and Reed are expected to help the 49ers in the slot on both sides of the football - Pettis as a receiver, Reed defending slot receivers - but each also brings another dynamic to the team.
They were two of the most explosive return specialists in college football last season and could add an immediate boost to San Francisco's return game.
Pettis set an NCAA record with nine career punt returns for touchdowns, averaging 14.2 yards on 90 career returns. Reed ran back a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and a punt 62 yards for a score last season, when he averaged 34.2 yards returning kicks and 14.9 yards returning punts.
MANNING THE MIDDLE
Of the six defenders selected by San Francisco, Warner could find himself making the biggest immediate impact and also filling the biggest immediate role.
That will be determined in the months to come as the 49ers await the fate of Reuben Foster, who is facing three felony charges in a domestic violence case. Foster, who finished second on the team last year in tackles despite missing six games, also could be facing a league suspension of six or more games.
STILL NEED
The 49ers entered both free agency and the draft this year with an impact edge pass rusher as perhaps their biggest need. They failed to address that, opting to pass on the premier edge prospects with their top two picks. The closest San Francisco came to adding help on the defensive edge is Street, who had 3 1/2 sacks in 13 games last season.
Archie Goodwin is about to set a record.
It won’t be cause for celebration.
Goodwin is a veteran of 165 NBA games, has scored 20 points on 10 occasions, and had a monthlong stretch with Phoenix two years ago when he started and averaged 16 points per game while playing against a slew of All-Stars in that span.
He thinks he’s proven.
The rest of the league doesn’t see it the same way. So he’s back in the NBA Summer League – where, after scoring six points for Portland on Saturday in the Trail Blazers’ 93-78 win over the Utah Jazz, he moved within 13 points of matching Coby Karl’s record for the Las Vegas event. Karl scored 337 points. Goodwin is up to 324, according to data compiled by RealGM.
”It comes with the job,” Goodwin said. ”My world is just different. I’m just trying to stay positive and continue to fight, looking for a chance to show how I can help a team.”
Saturday was Day 2 of the Summer League in Las Vegas, with a matchup between No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton and No. 2 Marvin Bagley III headlining a 10-game schedule. More 10-game slates await on Sunday and Monday, and the tournament runs through July 17.
Most guys in Vegas are playing for the first or second time. Goodwin is playing in the event for the fifth time.
Drafted No. 29 overall by Oklahoma City in 2013 Joe Namath Jersey Youth , Goodwin has gotten NBA time with Phoenix, Brooklyn and New Orleans. He appeared in five preseason games with Portland last season as well, but doesn’t even have as much as a training camp deal for this fall.
”I’m a resilient person,” Goodwin said. ”That speaks to how I was raised that way, to never give up on my dreams. Hopefully the right situation pops up.”
Goodwin was one of the best guards in the G League last season, averaging 19 points on 53 percent shooting.
”I feel like I’m not getting a fair shake,” Goodwin said. ”But that’s how it is. That’s my motivation. I’m going to keep knocking at the door and hopefully someone realizes that this kid – I’m only 23 years old – can help a team and bring a lot of value to a team.”
Charlotte’s Malik Monk (fractured thumb) and Philadelphia rookie Landry Shamet (sprained right ankle) were both hurt Friday and will miss the remainder of Summer League, their teams announced. The Hornets said Monk, a second-year guard, would be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks.
Saturday’s summaries:
SUNS 71, KINGS 63
Top pick Deandre Ayton scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds for Phoenix (2-0). Davon Reed added 12 points and Josh Jackson scored 10. Dragan Bender, the fourth overall selection in the 2016 draft, was scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting. Harry Giles had 17 points, six rebounds and five steals for Sacramento (0-1). Marvin Bagley III, the No. 2 pick, had 15 points and seven rebounds.
LAKERS 96, 76ERS 79
Josh Hart made 9 of 15 from the field, including 4 of 8 from 3-point range, and finished with 24 points for Los Angeles (1-0). Moritz Wagner, a first-round pick in last month’s draft, had 16 points Cody Latimer Jersey Elite , eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Second-round selection Svi Mykhailiuk added 17 points and nine boards. First-round pick Zhaire Smith had 16 points and three steals for Philadelphia (0-2). Cameron Oliver added 12 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
KNICKS 91, HAWKS 89
Kevin Knox, the ninth overall selection in last month’s draft, led New York (1-0) with 22 points and eight rebounds. Troy Williams added 17 points and Allonzo Trier, who went undrafted out of Arizona, had 15 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. John Collins scored 30 points, hitting 4 of 7 from 3-point range, and Tyler Dorsey added 15 points and 14 rebounds for Atlanta (0-1). No. 5 pick Trae Young had 21 points and 11 assists.
TRAIL BLAZERS 93, JAZZ 78
Wade Baldwin IV scored 20 points for Portland (1-0), which got 16 points from Gary Trent Jr. and 13 rebounds from Caleb Swanigan. Grayson Allen, Georges Niang and Tony Bradley all scored 16 for Utah (0-1). Allen struggled again from the field just as he did in two summer games at Salt Lake City earlier in the week, shooting 6 for 17, but added six rebounds and five assists.
PACERS 86, SPURS 76
TJ Leaf scored 17 for Indiana, which took control by outscoring San Antonio 22-8 in the third quarter. CJ Wilcox added 13 for the Pacers (1-1). Derrick White scored 19 for the Spurs (0-1), who got 15 points from Lonnie Walker IV.
PELICANS 110 Connor Williams Jersey , HEAT 84
Trevon Bluiett was 10-of-16 shooting, including 6 of 10 from 3-point range, and had 26 points to lead New Orleans (2-0). The guard out of Xavier, who went undrafted last month, has scored 50 points, including 12 3s, in two Las Vegas Summer League games. Walter Lemon Jr. had 19 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, Cliff Alexander added 15 points and Cheick Diallo scored 14 for the Pelicans. Duncan Robinson scored 18 points, hitting 4-of-6 3-pointers, and Jarrod Jones had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Miami (0-1).
THUNDER 90, NETS 76
Deonte Burton scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting and Daniel Hamilton had 12 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Oklahoma City (1-1), which won for the first time in Las Vegas after 11 consecutive losses. Theo Pinson, who went undrafted last month out of North Carolina, led Brooklyn (0-2) with 16 points, Yuta Watanabe scored 13 and James Webb III added 12.
GRIZZLIES 73, PISTONS 70
Wayne Selden scored 20 points and first-round pick Jaren Jackson Jr. had 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocks for Memphis (1-0). Kobi Simmons added 12 points and Deyonta Davis scored 1.
