The San Francisco 49ers were a mess when head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch were hired following the 2016 NFL season.
San Francisco went 2-14 under Chip Kelly in 2016 and wound up with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Niners traded back one spot and took defensive lineman Solomon Thomas third overall. Lynch and co. had their eyes on another prospect who was widely considered to be a first-round pick.
Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster began falling down the draft board. Off-the-field concerns with Foster were a major red flag leading up to the draft.