49ers mailbag: Here is my starting 11 to open boom-or-bust NFL Draft

SANTA CLARA Congratulations you were on the clock and came through with boom-or-bust questions for this NFL Draft edition of our ers mailbag Who are the Niners selecting in the first round urijr Gosh that is the one question we neglected to ask John Lynch in Wednesday s pre-draft press conference Here is my starting for Thursday s NFL Draft opener Titans QB Cam Ward Browns CB WR Travis Hunter Giants DE Abdul Carter Patriots RB Ashton Jeanty Jaguars WR Tetairoa McMillan Raiders OT Armand Membou Jets TE Tyler Warren Panthers DE Mykel Williams Saints DT Mason Graham Bears OT Will Campbell ers DE Shemar Stewart I fear Lynch will draft Stewart based on his testing rather than his production Which is more indicative of NFL success I d rather they draft defensive tackles Nolan or Harmon DenverDrew Stewart indeed tested great at the combine after totaling just sacks in three seasons at Texas A M Georgia s Mykel Williams also looks like a pass-rushing menace despite never producing more than five sacks in any of his three seasons at Georgia Lynch s take on conflicting measures You want see skills that translate to what we do but you also want to see that they ve done it at a high level or at least that there s evidence that they can do it we believe if put in our system that they can translate You end up struggling though when you project too much because these guys have had ample time and there s constantly circumstances and context that you take into account as to maybe why this guy is so talented but he s never had the production Lynch continued At various point the production doesn t lie The pre-draft process is full of lies Send in the draft card with Stewart s name Or Williams Or either of those defensive tackles Walter Nolan or Derrick Harmon Just restock that D-front Any chance the ers don t take a defensive lineman in the first round podman I questioned ChatGBT and its vague answers included pretty solid very plausible and safe bet But you requested me And I say Pretty plausible they will regret it if they don t draft a defensive lineman Bet on that Lynch and Kyle Shanahan have been searching for their new Dee Ford for years Do you think Abdul Carter could be that guy and do you think the ers will contract up for him JWalizerJr Carter should be a top-three pick and the ers aren t about to repeat their gaffe of moving up that high see Lance Trey I see a lot of mock drafts having the Niners drafting a CB with the th pick Do you think the draft a CB when there are more pressing demands like DE OL BayAreaNiner Can t see it The ers defensive demands are plentiful except for a starting cornerback tandem where they will deploy the homegrown Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green Also the ers have not spent a first-round pick on a true cornerback since Mike Rumph in Jimmie Ward was more of a safety and nickel back Who do we steal in the fifth round that turns into a starter contributor jaycee First-round drama aside nothing defines this ers regime s draft history more than an annual fifth-round dragnet It s produced George Kittle D J Reed Dre Greenlaw Colton McKivitz and Deommodore Lenoir But then came Sam Womack Darrell Luter and Robert Beal Despite forfeiting this year s original fifth-round pick because of a payroll error the ers acquired a pair Nos and in last month s trades of Deebo Samuel Washington and Jordan Mason Minnesota Now the ers can double this year s fifth-round pleasure defensive tackle C J West Indiana and wide receiver Dont e Thornton Jr Tennessee Deal down or up T J The ers obviously would prefer trading down They d accumulate more picks plus they d save money to avoid paying a top-tier first-rounder Lynch didn t paint an optimistic picture of that happening I feel like there s a lot of people trying to go that way possibly because what I talked about the quality of starters that run deep into this draft Lynch revealed and generally when everyone wants to do the same thing there s not as much opportunity Deal the pick for a proven participant or chance it on a participant busting r g Related Articles ers McCaffrey welcomes the skeptics after injury-riddled season What time is the ers first pick in the NFL Draft Purdy Warner among ers reuniting as Kittle misses offseason venture start San Jose State s Nick Nash triple crown or not a likely Day NFL draft pick ers draft preview Tackle a major spot to address after Williams injury Moore s departure Proven players come with a retail price tag This year s ers favor a Costco run to buy bargains in bulk Two questions Are they still working on an extension George Kittle If they hold all picks and keep all picks how a great number of do they reasonably expect to make the group lowbridge Lynch spoke Tuesday on Kittle s would-be third contract We ve had good communication good talks and we ll see where that goes I suspect we ll see this go on through the summer before he breaks the million-per-year barrier on Labor Day As for an -pick warchest I predict they ll commerce several picks to move up the three-day draft board finish with a nine-man class and seven rookie defenders make the -man roster Are we really getting Travis Hunter steppin oem The ers once had a Kendall Hunter But Travis Hunter You know in the NFL s grand scheme of things the ers are now considered the hunter instead of the perennially hunted title contender I like that mentality we have and I like the narrative going around Christian McCaffrey reported That s the kind of stuff you can prove them right or prove them wrong We have a committed squad and a unit that s ready to jell together and realize it s going to take all of us That s how it should be showing up I m excited