Recapping the 2nd and 3rd round: Trades aplenty as Niners add five new players

After taking safety Jimmie Ward in the first round of the draft, the 49ers set the tone for the second day of the draft by trading to acquire Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson.

San Francisco sent a conditional 2015 fourth-round pick to Buffalo to secure the services of the supremely talented Johnson, who adds further experience to a receiving corps that already features Anquan Boldin, Michael Crabtree and Brandon Lloyd.

The move to get Johnson proved to be the first of many, many trades made by general manager Trent Baalke, who used San Francisco's five picks on day two to move up and down the board at will and acquire a 2015 fourth-rounder to replace the one they lost to pick up Johnson.

Here is a quick recap of what the 49ers did on day two:

Trades

1. Traded No. 56 and No. 242 to Denver Broncos for No. 63, No. 171, 2015 4th round pick
2. Traded No. 63 No. 171 to Miami Dolphins for No. 57
3. Traded No 61 to Jacksonville Jaguars for No. 70, No. 150
4. Traded No. 94 to Cleveland Browns for No. 106, No. 180

Picks

1. Second round: Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State
2. Third round: Marcus Martin, C/OG, USC
3. Third round: Chris Borland, ILB, Wisconsin
4. Third round: Brandon Thomas, OG, Clemson

Remaining selections

Fourth round: Browns (draft day trade) - No. 6 (No. 106 overall)
Fourth round: own - No. 29 (No. 129 overall)
Fifth round: Jaguars (draft day trade) - No. 10 (No. 150 overall)
Fifth round: own - No. 30 (No. 170 overall)
Sixth round: Browns (draft day trade) - No. 4 (No. 180 overall)
Seventh round: Panthers (Colin Jones trade) - No. 28 (No. 243 overall)
Seventh round: own - No. 30 - (No. 245 overall)

Impact

The pick that stands out is the one of Carlos Hyde. Few expected San Francisco to take a running-back, much less one of the top players at the position in the draft.

With Hyde's arrival the 49ers now have five running-backs on their depth chart, that is assuming that Jewel Hampton does not make the cut.

Frank Gore will obviously still be the starter in 2014, but the 49ers' all-time leading rusher is approaching the end of his career and is a free agent in 2015.

Kendall Hunter has been a more than serviceable back-up, while LaMichael James' lack of playing time has long been a mystery to outside observers.

The presence of Hyde will further the speculation surrounding James' future, however, he was solid as a kick-returner last season and still has the raw speed to make an impact.

In my mind the most likely scenario is that Hunter finds himself as the odd man out with Hyde and Marcus Lattimore - who looks set to feature after recovering from a severe knee injury that kept him on the sidelines for all of his rookie season - working as a one-two punch once the Gore era eventually comes to an end.

USC's Marcus Martin will compete with Daniel Kilgore at the Center spot, while Brandon Thomas, who tore his ACL during the pre-draft process, is poised to sit out his rookie season.

Once Thomas returns, though, he is a potential replacement for Mike Iupati when his contract expires at he end of the 2014 season.

Meanwhile, Chris Borland - a first team All-American and Big Ten defensive player of the year in 2013 - should provide high quality insurance in the absence of injured All-Pro NaVorro Bowman and compete with Michael Wilhoite for playing time next to Patrick Willis.

I will have more detailed profiles on every 49ers draftee later on but for now that is all from me. Enjoy the final day of the draft!