The 49ers had two first-round picks in the 2016 NFL Draft. They used the seventh overall pick on defensive lineman DeForest Buckner and the 28th on guard Joshua Garnett.



Buckner has been an unquestioned success so far, but Garnett himself admits that his 2016 rookie campaign was a major disappointment. According to Pro Football Focus, Garnett allowed 33 quarterback hurries over only 12 games last year, and his run-blocking — a strength at Stanford — also graded out negatively.



Garnett grabbed the 49ers’ starting spot at left guard to open 2017 training camp. But he underwent surgery on Aug. 10 to “clean up” his knee, according to coach Kyle Shanahan. The 49ers then placed Garnett on season-ending injured reserve, hoping that he could use the year to restructure and prime his body for 2018 success.



“We said, ‘Hey, let’s give this guy an opportunity to really get this thing right,'” 49ers general manager...