Why the Bears draft Myles Garrett idea holds weight
Even so it’s just as hard to imagine the 49ers, who hold the #2 pick, passing on him either. Their new GM John Lynch is a defensive guy. Surely he’ll see the value, right? Well not necessarily. Something to keep in mind here is that defensive line is not the biggest problem facing San Francisco at the moment. Don’t forget their two previous first round picks were defensive linemen in Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner.
Besides the word is head coach Kyle Shanahan has a heavy say in personnel decisions. He’s an offensive-minded guy and might very well want to look in that direction. Word is the 49ers really liked running back Leonard Fournette and may also want to at least consider a quarterback. At this point Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley are their two guys going into 2017.
Thus the Garrett scenario gains at least a little traction.
For all those saying it’s impossible, keep in mind this wouldn’t be the first time a Chicago team holding the #3 pick in the draft ended up having the best player fall to them. It happened 33 years ago in 1984. Anybody remember that fateful day? That’s right. It was the year the Bulls selected a young man out of North Carolina named Michael Jordan in the NBA draft.
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The Jordan scenario, NFL style?
That year began with the Houston Rockets taking local fan favorite Hakeem Olajuwon from Houston University at #1 overall. Just like the Browns might do the same with Trubisky. Then the Portland Trailblazers, a west coast team like the 49ers, held the pick at #2. Taking Jordan seemed obvious but the team internally felt they were set at guard with future Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler. So instead they took Kentucky center Sam Bowie.
This paved the way for the Bulls to usher in the greatest era of basketball in history.
The point of it all was that given the right string of circumstances, it’s always possible the best player in a draft can slip down a couple slots. Plenty of luck would be involved for sure but it’s not crazy. The Browns decide they want their quarterback. San Francisco, under the direction of a rookie GM and rookie head coach, overthink the pick and take a position of greater need.
Again, it sounds ludicrous to the draft enthusiasts. However history holds plenty of examples where such things can happen. That’s what makes the draft such a compelling watch each and every year.
