[OutsiderFan]

I was wrong about the number of minority promotion hire draft picks the Niners have had. David Lombardi reported yesterday that the number will be up to 8 3rd round compensatory picks for the Niners, and could be 9 with DeMeco Ryans. At the same time, contrary to fan opinion, the Niners are loaded with draft picks this year, projected to have as many as 11, all 3rd round or lower. This seems to be a deliberate and adroit strategy - and why I never bought into the "it was a mistake to trade all those first round picks for Lance" hysteria heard from so many quarters, nor those crying about trading picks to get CMC "because he's just a RB."

The reality is the Niners don't have the money to spend on first or second round picks due to having so many high-priced players. They need lower round draft picks to be key contributors to keep their best players. How would they have afforded Deebo and soon Bosa if they had to pay two more first round picks and a second?  Now it looks like they will have a starting QB on a 7th round deal, that will make it easier still. They had already budgeted for Bosa, but having a starting QB on a 7th round deal for a few years is a luxury of epic proportions.

The Niners have proven they can draft and develop talent after the second round, so why not trade first and second round picks to get players you feel great about and then draft and develop cheaper second and third day picks? I believe in the NFL the evidence suggests sheer number of picks particularly in rounds 3-5 is a better draft strategy than trying to draft high anyway, because this is from where the bulk of NFL rosters come.

[OutsiderFan]

I was wrong about the number of minority promotion hire draft picks the Niners have had. David Lombardi reported yesterday that the number will be up to 8 3rd round compensatory picks for the Niners, and could be 9 with DeMeco Ryans. At the same time, contrary to fan opinion, the Niners are loaded with draft picks this year, projected to have as many as 11, all 3rd round or lower. This seems to be a deliberate and adroit strategy - and why I never bought into the "it was a mistake to trade all those first round picks for Lance" hysteria heard from so many quarters, nor those crying about trading picks to get CMC "because he's just a RB."

The reality is the Niners don't have the money to spend on first or second round picks due to having so many high-priced players. They need lower round draft picks to be key contributors to keep their best players. How would they have afforded Deebo and soon Bosa if they had to pay two more first round picks and a second?  Now it looks like they will have a starting QB on a 7th round deal, that will make it easier still. They had already budgeted for Bosa, but having a starting QB on a 7th round deal for a few years is a luxury of epic proportions.

The Niners have proven they can draft and develop talent after the second round, so why not trade first and second round picks to get players you feel great about and then draft and develop cheaper second and third day picks? I believe in the NFL the evidence suggests sheer number of picks particularly in rounds 3-5 is a better draft strategy than trying to draft high anyway, because this is from where the bulk of NFL rosters come.