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SANTA CLARA — Bringing up linebacker Reuben Foster’s predicament quickly put a sobering tone on Thursday night’s press conference that otherwise was meant to glamorize the 49ers top draft pick, offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey.

Some 24 hours earlier, Foster’s accuser, his ex-girlfriend, recanted her allegations that she was hit and injured in a Feb. 11 domestic dispute that led to Foster getting charged with three felonies.

Foster’s legal woes and potential NFL suspension prompted many to wonder if the 49ers would use their top pick on his replacement. Instead, having supported Foster since his arrest, the 49ers didn’t hesitate drafting McGlinchey.

“We considered linebackers throughout this process because there were very good linebackers,” said general manager John Lynch, who declined to rehash his feelings on Foster’s case and instead referred to his Monday comments, including a vow to cut Foster if it’s proven he struck his girlfriend.

This, however, was the first time coach Kyle Shanahan faced questions since Foster got charged with three felonies, and he echoed Lynch’s earlier stance.

“We can promise you, if there’s someone that hits their significant other or girlfriend, that person is not going to be on our team,” Shanahan said. “I feel strongly about that. I know John does. I know ownership does.

“That’s how we feel about it. Obviously Reuben is on our team right now so we’ll see how that goes. But if that’s something we felt he did or ended up happening, you can see how we feel.”

One pick before the 49ers drafted McGlinchey, the Chicago Bears swooped in and took linebacker Roquan Smith.

“That’s a great football player, but Mike was the guy at 9,” Lynch said. “You’re probably saying this guy is full of it because he said the same last year. But this is the guy we decided at 9 we wouldn’t hesitate on.”

Three other linebackers went in the first round: Tremaine Edmunds (Bills, No. 16), Leighton Vander Esch (Cowboys, No. 19) and Rashaan Evans (Titans, No. 22).

Foster has agreed to stay away from the 49ers offseason program that began last week. He has a plea hearing Monday in Santa Clara County Superior Court.

— Trade talk: A year after trading down from No. 2 to 3 with the Chicago Bears, the 49ers were busy on the phones again. “We fielded a bunch of calls,” Lynch said. “This was an interesting – I’ve only done it two years – there were a lot of calls but a lot of hedging.”

The 49ers’ goal was to wait until the Bears used the No. 8 pick, and the 49ers had reason to be concerned about losing out on McGlinchey, who was coached in college by new Bears offensive line coach Harry Hiestand.

“He was a guy that seemed like throughout the league kept getting hotter as the draft drew near,” Lynch said. “So there was concern. But we were prepared for that as well.”

— Tackle depth: McGlinchey was the first of three tackles taken Thursday, the others being Kolton Miller (Raiders, No. 15) and Isaiah Wynn (Patriots, No. 23).

“That’s just a premium position in this league,” Lynch said. “Not a lot of great ones. God didn’t create a lot of great offensive tackles. They’re limited.

“We think we found a guy who has an opportunity to be that. When you combine his skill on the field – we talk about guys who represent what it takes to win games and championships – we feel he’s got a lot of that in him on and off the field.”

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NFL levies huge fines against Kyle Shanahan, 49ers for sideline mask violation Shanahan often is known as the film junkie. But Lynch is the one that raved about McGlinchey with a specific example.

“You keep the film running after a play, and even though he’s 6-8 and 310 pounds, he’s running 30 yards down field to pick up his running back,” Lynch said. “Those are things that speak to us. He consistently does his job over and over. It’s not easy playing tackle in this league, so it’s not going to be perfect, but we found a guy who we feel can do it for a long time.”