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2013 NFL Mock Draft: Could the 49ers go WR in the 1st round again?

San Francisco took A.J. Jenkins in the first round of the NFL Draft last season, but could the 49ers go wide receiver in the first round again this year? At leas one NFL expert thinks so.

Daniel Shirey-US PRESSWIRE

A number of recent mock drafts have projected the 49ers to go defense with their first round pick, however, at least one mock draft predicts San Francisco to go offense. The 49ers are projected to take wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson in the latest mock draft from Don Banks of Sports Illustrated.

Patterson, who played one season at Tennessee, is one of the most explosive players in the draft. He was timed at 4.42 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, but has good size at 6'2 and 216 pounds. While San Francisco would add another playmaker by taking Patterson, it would also be the second-straight season the 49ers used their first round pick on a wide receiver. San Francisco used the No. 30 pick on A.J. Jenkins last season.

SB Nation's latest mock draft projects the 49ers to go defense by selecting South Carolina safety D.J. Swearinger. Patterson was not available to San Francisco in that scenario as he was projected to go No. 17 to Pittsburgh.

For the second week in a row, Banks projects the Raiders to use the No. 3 pick on Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd. Many are projecting the Raiders to take a defensive tackle with Floyd and Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei the two most common selections. While Banks leans toward Floyd, SB Nation projects the Raiders to take Lotulelei.

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