NFL Mock Draft 2018: Complete first round after Week 14

By securing a trade during the season, the 49ers believe they have already locked up their quarterback of the future with Jimmy Garoppolo.

So, what’s next?

Well, quite a bit to be honest. But one piece that could make a difference right away would be a speed rusher off the end on the defense.

Bradley Chubb has recorded 25 sacks, including 10 each of his past two seasons, to go along with 54.5 tackles for loss to help resurrect NC State. Last year, he had 21 tackles for loss to go along with those 10 sacks, improving that first category by two.

Landing a solid No. 1 wide receiver would help Garoppolo out, but at this point in the draft, there is not one guy that stands that much further than the rest.

Primarily a defensive end, Chubb has defended four passes and has one interception, showing that he can drop back into coverage as an outside linebacker in the 3-4.

Believe it or not, I’d actually locked in this pick before the Giants benched Eli Manning and decided to go with Geno Smith.

Now, it makes even more sense.

For all the talk of Darnold skipping his senior year because the Browns hold the No. 1 pick, there remains something that makes me believe Darnold will depart from USC and head to the big leagues.

The Trojans always have some of the top quarterbacks in the nation, and maybe Darnold will feel some pressure from those on the roster behind him. He can also look at the career of Josh Rosen at UCLA, as Rosen has been injured several times during his run and could see his stock drop.

Darnold finished the regular season with 3,787 yards passing and 26 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. His yardage total went up, but his touchdowns down and interceptions up, along with almost a four-point drop in his completion percentage.