2020 NFL mock draft: Ron Rivera gets his defensive cornerstone

By Brad Weiss | Feb 26, 2020

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 28: Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Chase Young (2) looks on during the 2019 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl college football playoff semifinal game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Clemson Tigers on December 28, 2019 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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COLLEGE STATION, TX – OCTOBER 12: Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Xavier McKinney (15) looks over during the college football game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Texas A&M Aggies on October 12, 2019 at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Daniel Dunn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

player. 42. . Safety. San Francisco 49ers. Xavier McKinney. 31

The San Francisco 49ers enjoyed a tremendous regular season in 2019, posting the best record in the NFC, and gaining home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. In the playoffs, the 49ers ran through the conference, clinching a spot in the Super Bowl, where they would eventually fall to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Still, this is a team that is poised to be good for a very long time, and with the No. 31 pick in the first round, they should look to bolster their secondary. Most of the first round cornerbacks will be off the board at this point, so bringing in a safety like Xavier McKinney would be a solid get this late in round one.

San Francisco has the talent on both sides of the ball to be the favorite in the NFC heading into 2020, and McKinney could be one of the final pieces of the puzzle this offseason. This is a team that went from the No. 2 overall pick in 2019 to the Super Bowl, and with a strong front office and head coach, expect them to be back in the mix again this season.

Neville Gallimore. 32. player. 124. . Defensive Tackle. Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs won their first Super Bowl in 50 years earlier this month, as quarterback Patrick Mahomes continues to move towards a Hall of Fame career. Since coming into the league, Mahomes has won an NFL MVP award, a Super Bowl MVP, and has done all of this in only two years as the starter.

Looking at this roster as a whole, there is some work to be done, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Chiefs were surprisingly solid against the pass last season, an area of weakness in years past, but against the run, they had their issues all season long, so they should bring in a defensive tackle to close out the first round.

Next. Looking back on the 2017 NFL Draft. dark

Neville Gallimore from Oklahoma is a guy who is going to show out at the Combine, and that should send him into the first round. On the Chiefs, he would be a player that can come in and battle for a starting job right away, and with how loaded this team is on both sides of the ball, they have to be the favorites in the AFC heading into 2020.

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