3 players the 49ers need to walk away with on Day 2 of the NFL Draft

The San Francisco 49ers were busy on day one of the NFL draft, but not selecting players. John Lynch and the 49ers front office worked the phones and traded back, not once, but twice, with the second trade allowing the Jets to gain the 30th pick and select wide receiver Omar Cooper, Jr. Now, the 49ers sit at pick 33 when the draft resumes tonight in Pittsburgh.

Here are three players the 49ers should leave day two with.

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

For a few brief moments, it appeared Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman would be available to the 49ers at pick 27. Chicago ended that dream two picks ahead of San Francisco, and the 49ers ended up moving back twice. Was Thieneman the “pool party” player Raheem Morris referred to? It was pretty clear the 49ers weren’t as enamored with Cooper, Jr., since they allowed the Jets to move right in and select him.

With the 33rd pick, the 49ers should select Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. The safety position has been littered with question marks, but McNeil-Warren solves one of the spots instantly. Morris will have a blast using the safety all over the field, a thumper, and someone with a nose for the ball. Make the call, John.

Zion Young

The 49ers can’t let EDGE fall by the wayside, even with the flurry of trade backs. Zion Young from Missouri should be the second pick. The 58th pick is a fine spot for Young. There are no concerns with wingspan or length. While I wouldn’t be completely against taking Young with the 33rd pick, the 49ers need to find a way to land both McNeil-Warren and Young, even if it requires a trade-up in the second round.

Young immediately upgrades the 49ers’ run defense, but they’ll need his pass-rushing prowess to improve and develop. Kris Kocurek, can you do something for me?

Chris Bell

The Louisville receiver was a riser during the evaluation process. His concerns are injury-related, but Bell, at full strength, would be phenomenal for the wide receiver room. The big, physical receiver would have to be a target in the third round, but is his buzz too big to sit and wait around?