The San Francisco 49ers' most significant need in the 2024 NFL Draft is on the offensive line. However, save for 2018, the Niners have not invested premium capital in the trenches in the draft, and there is the distinct possibility they could go in a very different direction.
ESPN analytics has them doing just that, with its draft predictor throwing up a very surprising favorite for the selection with the 31st overall pick in the first round.
Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell is given the highest chance of any prospect of being selected 31st overall, just ahead of Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry.
Mitchell has yet to be connected with the 49ers during the pre-draft process. San Francisco has three reported top-30 visits with wide receivers, USC's Brenden Rice, Western Kentucky's Malachi Corley and Javon Baker of UCF.
But, with speculation continuing to swirl over the future of leading receiver Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel under a contract the 49ers can move on from next offseason, a receiver in the first round would not be a huge surprise.
And at over 6ft 2in and 205 pounds with a 40-yard dash of 4.34 seconds to his name at the Combine, Mitchell would offer the 49ers a blend of size and speed they do not have on their current receiver depth chart. His performance at the Combine saw him record an A to Z Sports athletic composite score of 99 percent, second only to Xavier Legette of South Carolina.
A transfer from Georgia, Mitchell comes into the league as something of a one-year wonder, having racked up 845 yards and 11 touchdowns in his sole season with the Longhorns.
Yet head coach Kyle Shanahan is a Texas alumnus who has a relationship with Longhorn head coach Steve Sarkisian.
He will likely have gotten the lowdown on both Mitchell and fellow receiver Xavier Worthy, who broke the Combine record in the 40-yard dash last month, from Sarkisian. If Shanahan feels he can get consistency out of an enticing physical talent, Mitchell could very well be in play at 31.
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