49ers NFL 2023 Draft Day 3 Selections

By Scooter_McG

The 2023 NFL Draft is a wrap. After the longest delay in 49ers history before making their first pick at pick 87, the 49ers ended up making nine total picks, with three yesterday and six selections on Day 3 - two in the 49ers magic round (aka round 5), one in round 6 and three in round 7. 

Day 3 has been a real gold mine for the 49ers in the ShanaLynch era, with numerous stars, starters and solid contributors added during their tenure. The expectations will be high that some of these players can have the same impact as their Day 3 predecessors. So let's take a look at the six picks they made on Day 3.

The 49ers first pick on Day 3 was used to add some much needed depth at CB. I hadn't really looked at Luter prior to the draft, but after reviewing his scouting reports and seeing some highlights I can absolutely see why the 49ers like him. He's got good length, he's got very good athleticism and moves well, and he will combat the receiver to make it hard on them right throughout the play.

He was actually too good for his conference. Teams avoided throwing his way. And for good reason - he allowed a completion percentage of only 45.3% during his time at South Alabama. He also had good ball production over his time in college, in particular in 2021. 

Luter fits right in with recent picks Lenoir and Womack as a player that has inside/ outside versatility, a combative attitude and a nose for making plays on the ball. 

The 49ers second 5th round pick was another elite athlete, high upside pick. Beal Jr played on the vaunted Georgia Bulldogs DL, but in mostly a rotational role as a pass rush specialist. He's raw, and he's an older prospect as a 6th year senior, but he has elite speed (sub 4.5s 40 time) and length (around 6'4" with nearly 35" long arms). Those have to be enticing tools for Kris Kocurek. 

While Beal didn't have top end production in college, he did record 36 QB pressures over the past two seasons. 

He'll need some developing, but Beal brings a speed element to the 49ers pass rush which they haven't had since Dee Ford. 

In the 6th round the 49ers added a LB to help replace the loss of Azeez Al-Shaair this offseason. Winters fits the mold of LB the 49ers have coveted during the ShanaLynch era to a tee. He may be undersized (5'11", around 225lbs), but he's fast (4.49s 40), he's aggressive, and he triggers quickly downhill. He also brings excellent pass rush/ blitzing potential, as evidenced by his 7.5 sacks last season. 

Scouting reports outline he has some issues in coverage, largely due to poor discipline, but guys like Greenlaw and Al-Shaair came into the league with similar issues. The way the 49ers play they want the LBs to fly around the field and be quick to trigger, and Winters seems a nice fit for the way the 49ers play. His pass rush production also fits nicely with Steve Wilks' aggressive, blitzing schemes (which Ji'Ayir Brown can also fit nicely into). 

With their first pick in the 7th round the 49ers added a second TE, highlighting some dissatisfaction with the depth behind Kittle. Willis is an interesting addition in that he didn't really play like a traditional inline TE at Oklahoma, but as more of an H-Back. And that is likely how the 49ers will look to use him. He offers excellent versatility and ability to line up in multiple positions, making him an excellent option as a #2/ #3 TE. 

One thing you will see consistently repeated about Willis is that he isn't a great athlete. Don't expect him to be beating defenders through his speed and acceleration, or to maul a DE from an inline TE position. But he is a smart player that knows how to use angles as a blocker, hit moving targets, and to get defenses lose him as a receiver.

Ronnie Bell is the sort of WR that doesn't stand out in any particular way physically - the best way to describe his physical traits would be "average". He's around 6'0", 190lbs. He runs around 4.5s-4.6s 40 time. He's not particularly elusive, though he does have decent explosive traits. 

But what Bell is, is productive. Has been since his sophomore year at Michigan, when he overtook more lauded and physically gifted players such as Donovan Peoples Jones and Nico Collins as the Wolverines most productive WR. He's a reliable player that helps keep the chains moving and can come up with the big play when needed. He came back from a torn ACL in 2021 to have his best season in 2022, showcasing his determination and resilience. 

Basically, he's Rod Tidwell. And it wouldn't surprise if he ends up carving out a nice career with the 49ers. 

With their last pick of the 2023 NFL Draft the 49ers added another LB, this time a player in Jalen Graham that played the same Star position that Fred Warner played in college.  

Graham is the second player from my mock draft the 49ers took, and yet another player in which the 49ers brought in for a visit before the draft. In fact, that's very much been the theme this draft with the 49ers taking a lot of players they are known to have met with during the draft process. 

Graham is another smaller sized LB prospect, but unlike Winters is a player that didn't test overly well. However, much like all the 49ers LBs, he plays fast and physical, with excellent instincts and a quick trigger. Of note, unlike Winters who has been critiqued for his lack of discipline at times, this is an area that Graham is praised for. He compensates for his lack of elite physical tools by quickly diagnosing plays and getting into the right positions to make plays. 

Summary   

As has often been the case with the 49ers since Lynch and Shanahan took over, I find myself liking the Day 3 selections more than the Day 2 selections. Each of the players picked comes with something they can hang their hat on and it is easy to see how they can carve out a role on the team. 

By and large the picks all have something in common - they are more football player than athlete. That's not to suggest these guys are all bad athletes, in fact some are excellent athletes, but what is notable is most of them bring strong college production and football IQ to the table. To be honest, the same can be said of the Day 2 picks. 

A notable exception there is Robert Beal Jr, who is more of a project but has elite athletic traits. That's the benefit of having a coach like Kocurek who has a tremendous track record of taking good athletes and putting them in positions to succeed. 

Lastly, another notable part of the 49ers draft is the lack of any OL. The 49ers added a bunch of OL last offseason, as well as a couple of FAs this year, and it would appear they are content letting those guys thrash it out. Given how it worked out last year, with Banks, Brendel and Burford all coming in and playing above expectation, I can see why the 49ers might feel comfortable with this approach. But there is no doubt that there is some risk attached to letting McGlinchey walk and replacing him from within (or FA addition Matt Pryor).