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SANTA CLARA , Calif. (AP)The San Francisco 49ers got more help for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on Friday by trading up in the NFL draft to take speedy receiver and record-setting returner Dante Pettis out of Washington with the 44th overall pick.The Niners traded the 59th and 74th overall picks to the Washington Redskins for the pick used on Pettis and the 142nd overall selection.San Francisco then targeted defense with its next two picks in the third round, taking BYU linebacker Fred Warner with the 70th overall selection and Southern Mississippi defensive back Tarvarius Moore at 95.San Francisco paid a premium to move up in the draft but felt Pettis’ game-breaking speed made it worth the price.Pettis caught 63 passes for 761 yards and seven TDs last season for Washington. He has experience playing outside and in the slot and provides another deep threat in coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense for Garoppolo to utilize.”I’m hoping to do a lot of different things,” Pettis said. ”Whether that’s taking a deep post, taking the top off of the defense or getting a little screen and breaking a few tackles, making a big play that way or just moving the chains on third down. There’s a lot of different things that I feel I can do that I can translate into the NFL.”Pettis is also extremely sure-handed. He dropped just three of his 64 catchable targets, according to Pro Football Focus , ranking 13th best in the nation last season.He also is the NCAA record-holder with nine punt returns for touchdowns, including four last season. He has a career average of 14.2 yards per return. San Francisco has gone 111 straight games without a punt return for a touchdown.Pettis is the son of former major leaguer Gary Pettis and the cousin of former NFL receiver Austin Pettis. Gary Pettis was born and raised in nearby Oakland and is currently the third-base coach for the World Series champion Houston Astros.”It was awesome growing up,” Dante Pettis said. ”I’ve been around professional sports my whole life. I already have the lay of the land. Obviously, football is a little bit different than baseball, but for the most part it’s still a professional sport. They all go about their business pretty much the same way. I’m just excited to actually be here now.”Warner started all 13 games last season, leading BYU with 87 tackles , including nine for loss, along with one interception and five pass breakups. He has seven career interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns, as he has excelled in coverage.”I think that’s kind of why they like me so much is my ability to play out in space and cover at a high level,” he said. ”I’m more than willing and I feel like I’m very capable of being able to cover the tight ends and any slot receivers, because that’s what I was asked to do in college football.”Warner is capable of playing the weakside or middle linebacker spot on San Francisco’s defense but said the team envisioned him more in the middle. The Niners might need some insurance there with starter Reuben Foster facing three felony counts from a domestic violence case that could impact his availability.Moore measured 6-foot-2 , 190 pounds and ran a 4.32 40-yard dash at his pro day. Moore started one season at Southern Miss, recording 87 tackles, three interceptions and 10 pass breakups last season.The Niners got the pick used on Moore by trading tackle Trent Brown and a fifth-rounder to New England earlier in the day for the selection.That deal came a day after the Niners found Brown’s replacement when they took Notre Dame tackle Mike McGlinchey with the ninth overall pick.— I must admit that my heart sank a bit when George Kittle went down and they showed Arik Armstead on the sidelines after the Cardinals had marched down the field for an easy touchdown. Things were looking just a tad bleak. It was a short week and the 49ers looked like they were not ready to play and the man that is quickly becoming my all time favorite 49er was on the ground writhing in pain. Could the game have possibly started in a worse way?It was good to see the 49ers loosen up a bit, get some sacks and come back to score three touchdowns in the first half. Then we kept letting them back in the game. When Moseley unsuccessfully jumped that route and let Andy Isabella behind him for a quick eighty eight yard touchdown, I think I yelled the “F” word three times. Speaking of Moseley, is it just me or did he have a down night? He did not look near as good as he has in previous games. In the end it was about Jimmy Garoppolo. The man is a third down converting machine. I love his tenacity and grit. His four touchdowns and 300 yards passing came in handy as well. People questioned whether he could step up when we needed him to and I think they received their answer. I personally have never questioned his ability since his second game with the 49ers. Jimmy is the man!Now onto the sizzling hot links:Hobbled George Kittle gets 49ers going , Ross Dwelley finishes the jobMatt MaioccoRichard Sherman on 49ers defensive struggles vs. Cardinals:Peter Panacy49ers George Kittle on bouncing back vs. Cardinals after knee injury: ‘It’s football’Peter PanacyThree takeaways from 49ers’ road win over CardinalsAlexis Mansanarez49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander ruled out with chest injuryCurtis CrabtreeJimmy Garoppolo has a career-best four touchdown passesCharean Williams George Kittle stiff arms Budda Baker to Narnia Kyle MadsonDre Greenlaw gets to Kyler Murray for 1st-career sack Kyle MadsonDee Ford ends Cardinals’ 2nd series with sackKyle MadsonDee Ford leads slew of 49ers in sack on Kyler Murrayvideo 49ers.comDrafting Nick Bosa with No. 2 pick helped 49ers ‘complete the puzzle’Matt Maiocco49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo in rare company when it comes to winningEric BranchThe good and not so good from the 49ers’ eighth-straight winGrant Cohn
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