Tag: 49ers NFL draft

WR unexpectedly became position 49ers must address in offseason

More pass catchers? More pass catchers.

The San Francisco 49ers after the 2024 draft looked set up in their receiving corps for at least a couple of seasons.

Brandon Aiyuk was coming off an All-Pro season. Deebo Samuel had a strong 2023 campaign and was primed to thrive alongside another All-Pro. Jauan Jennings, an integral if seldom-used piece of the 49ers offense, was signed through 2025. San Francisco also drafted Ricky Pearsall in the first round and Jacob Cowing in the fourth round.

That was a receiving corps with a good mix of veterans and young players and a good variance in skill sets. Then the 2024 season played out and now that plan at receiver is full of question marks that may push San Francisco to add another player at the position either in free agency or early in the draft.

Aiyuk is coming off a major knee injury and his status for the start of the regular season is in the air. Samuel is coming off his worst year as a pro. Pearsall flashed when he got more opportunities toward the end of the season, but he’s still a question mark with only 11 games of NFL experience. Cowing is an even bigger question mark going into his second year after struggling to crack the rotation as a rookie.

Jennings is the only player who doesn’t seemingly have any questions hanging over his head after he had his best year as a pro, falling only 25 receiving yards shy of 1,000.

There’s a version of the 49ers receiving corps that’s very good in 2025, but it relies on a lot of things going right. They’d need Aiyuk returning at something close to full strength, Samuel to bounce back in his Age 29 season, Pearsall to breakout in Year 2, Cowing to find his footing as a pro, and Jennings to replicate his career year.

San Francisco would be taking on a significant risk in hoping all of those things to go right. They can mitigate some of that risk by bringing in another receiver or two in the offseason to help fill out their depth and insulate themselves from one or two seasons from another receiver getting off track.

They shouldn’t use another first-round pick on the position, and they shouldn’t offer a massive contract to a free agent, but they should be diligent in finding a reliable pass catcher they can bring in to help avoid a potential catastrophe lurking at a position that looked set going into last season.

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Full list of 49ers projected picks in 2025 NFL draft

10 picks for the 49ers, including 7 in the top 150.

The San Francisco 49ers are on track to enter the 2025 draft with 10 picks at their disposal.

Some of the urgency to connect on multiple picks in this year’s draft subsided thanks to what looks like a strong 2024 class. However, if the 49ers are going to restock some of their depth and insulate themselves from injuries and future free agent exits, they can’t afford to whiff on the 2025 class.

They have obvious needs in the trenches, starting jobs open in the secondary, and some injury question marks up and down the roster.

The good news for general manager John Lynch and the 49ers front office is that they should have plenty of capital to make an impact in late April when the 2025 draft begins.

Since compensatory picks haven’t officially been awarded, here’s a projection of the 10 selections the 49ers are set to own:

Round 1, Pick 11
Round 2, Pick 43
Round 3, Pick 75
Round 3, Pick 99 (Compensatory)
Round 4, Pick 112
Round 4, Pick 138 (Compensatory)
Round 4, Pick 139 (Compensatory)
Round 6, Pick 189
Round 7, Pick 228 (via Carolina)
Round 7, Pick 255 (Compensatory)

They won’t have a fifth-round pick because of a penalty for an accounting error. They also had a compensatory fourth-round pick moved back last year.

San Francisco is projected to land four comp picks, and their seventh-round choice via the Panthers came in a trade last year that landed kicker Zane Gonzalez with the 49ers. It’s unclear what the conditions of the pick swap were, so there’s a chance San Francisco actually holds onto its own pick, which is slated for No. 229.

The three-day NFL draft is scheduled to begin April 24.

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Possible 49ers early NFL draft pick leaves Senior Bowl with injury

Shemar Turner may be a good fit with the 49ers as long as his injury heals in time for a pre-draft workout.

Early analysis of the 2025 NFL draft class indicates this year’s group of defensive linemen will be a good one.

That’s a plus for the San Francisco 49ers given their need for cheap, quality talent in that position group. One potential first-round pick from the defensive line class is dealing with an injury that stemmed from an injury he dealt with during the season.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Texas A&M defensive lineman Shemar Turner exited the Senior Bowl because of complications from a stress fracture he suffered before the 2024. Rapoport reported Turner had a rod inserted in his leg that never fully healed.

Turner isn’t liable to be a first-round choice for San Francisco without a major trade back, but he could definitely be an option if he’s available when their second-round pick comes up at No. 43 overall.

The 49ers need to add a handful of defensive linemen in the offseason, and Turner looks the part of a player who could step into an NFL defensive tackle rotation on Day 1.

He’s listed at 6-4, 300 pounds and posted 79 pressures with 10 sacks across 35 games in his final three college seasons. Turner had an excellent junior season in 2023, but his production dipped in 2024 – which may due to his pre-season injury.

If the 49ers don’t snag a defensive tackle at No. 11 overall and if Turner’s injury heals up before his Pro Day, there’s a real chance the former Texas A&M star winds up being a good fit for San Francisco in this year’s draft.

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49ers may go outside the box in Daniel Jeremiah mock draft

Daniel Jeremiah’s first mock has the 49ers snagging an offensive tackle who may move to guard.

It’s well within the realm of possibilities that the San Francisco 49ers would use the No. 11 overall pick in this year’s draft on an offensive lineman.

That’s the exact route they took in a mock draft from NFL Media’s draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. His selection for San Francisco is a little bit outside the box given his analysis of the pick.

With the 11th pick, Jeremiah sends Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou to San Francisco.

Membou started 30 of the 35 games he played across three seasons for the Tigers. 29 of those starts came at right tackle with the other coming on the left side. Jeremiah doesn’t think the 20-year-old will necessarily stay at tackle in the NFL.

Via NFL.com:

Membou is the most technically sound offensive lineman in this class. He reminds me of Aljah Vera-Tucker when he entered the league. Membou will be an exceptional guard who can also play tackle if needed.

It would be a pretty steep departure from the 49ers’ team-building philosophy if they took a player they think will play guard in the first round.

In 2021 they selected left guard Aaron Banks in the second round, and he didn’t even start until his second season. Then in last year’s draft they took right guard Dominick Puni who stepped in as a starter on Day 1 and had a terrific rookie campaign.

A first-round pick on a guard, especially one as high as No. 11, wouldn’t make a ton of sense for San Francisco. Membou may be very technically sound, but he never played guard in college, and he’d likely have to swap sides of the line to play left guard after playing right tackle for his last 29 college games.

Of course, if the team believes he’s their long-term answer at right tackle, the selection makes more sense. It could provide an upgrade at RT over Colton McKivitz who did make strides last season. It would also be a cheap RT option which may open the door to spending on a left tackle if they need to in the post Trent Williams era.

Given what we know about the 49ers’ team-building philosophy in the past, a defensive lineman would probably be the top option for them at this spot. However, if the front office and coaching staff think Membou is a long-term starter at one of the tackle spots, they likely wouldn’t hesitate to snag him and improve their offensive line. If they don’t project him as an offensive tackle in the NFL, they’re not likely to go that route on Draft Day.

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Will 49ers get draft picks if they lose Robert Saleh again?

This could get interesting.

There’s an interesting wrinkle to the San Francisco 49ers’ re-acquisition of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.

While they’re gaining an experienced defensive coordinator with a strong track record, they may also gain another opportunity to secure a pair of third-round draft picks if he’s hired to be another team’s head coach.

San Francisco got two third-round compensatory picks (one each in the 2021 and 2022 drafts) after Saleh was hired by the New York Jets before the 2021 season because of the expansion of the NFL’s Rooney Rule. Teams acquire two third-round compensatory picks if a minority coach or executive is hired into a head coach or primary executive role with another team.

What’s unclear in the text of Resolution JC-2A whether teams will be awarded compensation if the minority coach or executive has been in a head coach or primary executive role with another team previously.

According to the text of the resolution published by Over the Cap, it would appear San Francisco would get a pair of third-round picks if Saleh spends at least two years with the 49ers and is then hired as another team’s head coach.

Via Over the Cap:

  • The employer-club shall be eligible to receive this Draft choice compensation if:

    • The minority employee hired as a Head Coach or Primary Football Executive has been employed by the employer-club for a minimum of two full seasons; and

    • The minority employee is not the Head Coach or Primary Football Executive of the employer-club and is hired into the same position with the new club. There can be no break in employment between clubs.

There’s no other stipulations in the resolution denying the awarding of comp picks if the assistant has previously been a head coach. If there is a rule against double-dipping on comp picks, it’s not written into JC-2A.

The bigger issue for San Francisco may be keeping Saleh around for more than one year. He was a head coach candidate in 2025, and there’s a strong chance he’s a top candidate in 2026 if he helps the 49ers defense return to form next season.

Perhaps the NFL will alter the rule at some point, but for now it looks like the 49ers could benefit again from the 2020 expansion of the Rooney Rule.

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49ers gamble on undersized OL in Mel Kiper mock draft

Could the 49ers find their left tackle heir apparent in the 2025 NFL draft?

In his initial 2025 first-round NFL mock draft, esteemed ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. projects San Francisco to address the offensive side of the football.

Kiper’s initial projection sees the 49ers scooping up talented Texas Longhorns offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. with the No. 11 pick.

Banks just completed his junior season with Texas where he was recognized with both the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy. A native of Humble, Texas, Banks is projected as Kiper’s second offensive lineman to come off the board.

Kiper’s lone hangup with Banks is how he might measure at the combine.

Banks has a ton of experience, having started 42 games over his college career — and he allowed only three sacks over that time. I’m curious to see his combine measurements — height might be a question mark if he’s 6-3 or shorter — but he has the movement traits and strength to seal off the edge in pass protection.

The 49ers still have Trent Williams locking down the left side for two more seasons, but he will be 37 at the start of next season. It’s time to start planning for the future. Plus, Banks could help on the right side for now, where the Niners have missed Mike McGlinchey (signed with Denver two years ago). – Kiper, ESPN.

Banks arrived in Austin with lofty expectations. Out of Summer Creek High School, Banks was a five-star signee and was ranked as the No. 6 player nationally according to On3 in the 2022 signing class.

Banks met and exceeded those forecasts, becoming the trustiest of security blankets for Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers’ blind side.

As the 49ers look toward their future, drafting Banks could mean that San Francisco found its heir apparent to longtime superstar left tackle Trent Williams.

Williams is under contract for the next two seasons and the indication is that the All-Pro intends to play.

Still, the 49ers need to start making plans for life after Williams. Plus, Williams is coming off a 2024 season where he played in just 10 games as an ankle injury lingered over the back half of the year.

Drafting Banks would allow the 49ers to play him at right tackle alongside Williams. If Banks looks like a potential All-Pro during his first two seasons in the league, that might give the franchise the confidence to shift him over to left tackle as Williams’ eventual successor.

Or, Banks just locks in at right tackle long-term.

San Francisco really can’t go wrong upgrading its offensive or defensive lines and Banks looks like he has the makings of a franchise left tackle down the road.

Per Pro Football Focus, Banks allowed just 10 pressures this past season and he finished with an 86.0 offensive grade, which was tops among Texas’ offensive starters.

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49ers should trade up in NFL draft if this superstar DE slides

The star pass rusher tallied 12 sacks for the Nittany Lions on the way to being named a unanimous first-team All-American.

When the NFL draft rolls around in April, John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers will have decisions to make. Currently sitting at No. 11 in the draft order, the 49ers will likely have options when they hit the clock.

Quarterbacks like Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shaduer Sanders coming off the board in the top 10 could push talented blue-chip prospects down the board into San Francisco’s range. The 49ers could also pursue a prospect that falls in the draft with a trade-up situation.

In the latest mock draft from Curt Popejoy of USA TODAY’s SMG Draft Wire, Penn State star pass rusher Abdul Carter was selected at No. 7 by the New York Jets, just four picks away from the 49ers. Carter’s prowess on the edge fits the bill for the type of player worthy of trading up for if available.

The unanimous All-American helped fuel Penn State’s run to the college football playoff with a career-best 12 sacks to go along with two forced fumbles, 43 solo tackle and four pass deflections in 16 games. In Penn State’s loss to Notre Dame in the college football semifinals, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year recorded five tackles, two for a loss and a sack against the Irish.

Via @TheMarcJohnNFL on Twitter:

While the 49ers have tried to find the right player to rush the passer across from Nick Bosa, they’ve come up short. Additions like Leonard Floyd, Drake Jackson and Yetur Gross-Matos have shown flashes at time, but there’s been a lack of consistency when it comes to a No. 2 pass rush option alongside Bosa. A trade-up for Carter could potentially answer the 49ers’ question mark at pass rush.

The 49ers could try to package the No. 11 pick, No. 43 (second round) and potentially one of their third-round compensatory picks to move up a handful of spots to land one of the draft’s top prospects in Carter if he slips out of the top five.

Popejoy later penned fellow edge rusher Mykel Williams out of Georgia to the 49ers at pick No. 11.

Read the full mock draft from USA TODAY’s SMG Draft Wire here.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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49ers may not need to look far to find 1 new starting OL

The 49ers’ 2024 depth chart could give us as clue to how they’ll approach fixing their left guard spot.

An overhaul of the offensive line looks to be one key priority of the San Francisco 49ers offseason.

Left tackle Trent Williams is expected to return and right guard Dominick Puni acquitted himself well in his rookie season. Center Jake Brendel and right tackle Colton McKivitz are also under contract for next year, but it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if the 49ers looked to upgrade both of those spots.

The only spot wide open entering the offseason is left guard, where starter Aaron Banks is slated to hit unrestricted free agency. If the 49ers plan on letting Banks walk, they may not need to look far to find his replacement.

While the team would ideally throw a bunch of money or draft capital into the offensive line, they have other areas of their roster that need improvement which means finding cheaper, non-draft related ways to fill OL spots is imperative.

Two names on the 2024 roster jump out when considering what the 49ers could do to improve at left guard: Ben Bartch and Spencer Burford. They were the two backups for Banks this season and they both acquitted themselves well at the position in limited playing time.

Bartch, an unrestricted free agent, has been a work in progress since the 49ers signed him off the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad in the middle of the 2023 season. His move up the depth chart this offseason is a sign that the progress has been good. He was very good in his start against the Buffalo Bills in Week 13, and in 34 total pass blocking snaps this season he gave up just one pressure and no sacks. Bartch might have finished the year as the starter had he not suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 14.

The 49ers wouldn’t likely have to break the bank to bring Bartch back, and there’s a real chance he’d prove to be their best option at left guard.

Whoever gets the starting job to open training camp figures to have some competition, and Burford would provide that for Bartch (and whoever else the club deems as a starting candidate).

Burford struggled on the right side, but he largely played on the left side in college and it appears the swap helped him as a pro. Off the bench this season he had some ups and downs while moving around the line, but overall looked like he could be an effective player if given the chance for regular reps at left guard. He gave up one pressure in 38 pass blocking snaps at that position per Pro Football Focus.

The 49ers could prioritize left guard more heavily this year and bring in a starting-caliber free agent or a high draft pick. Given their other needs, finding cheap solutions nearby may be the better route. Bartch and Burford both flashed enough to at least be in the mix, and the 49ers may be wise to give both a long look as they aim to revamp their offensive front.

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Several potential 1st-round picks for 49ers officially included in 2025 NFL draft

Some draft prospects the 49ers should have an eye on are officially in the NFL draft pool.

The pool of players available in the 2025 NFL draft officially grew by 70 on Thursday.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler reported 70 underclassmen filed for the NFL draft and will be eligible to be selected this year. That group of 70 includes a handful of players who could be on the San Francisco 49ers radar with the No. 11 overall pick.

A dream selection like Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter was in that group, but the likelihood Carter makes it all the way to the 49ers at No. 11 is very slim. He appears to be a lock to go in the top five.

More realistic options like Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly, Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant and George edge rusher Mykel Williams were also among the slate of underclassmen who will be in this year’s draft. That trio has all been mocked to the 49ers at some point early in the pre-draft process. Other recognizable names from mock drafts include Texas A&M defensive end Nic Scourton, Tennessee defensive end James Pierce, Mississippi defensive tackle Walter Nolen and Mizzou offensive lineman Armand Membou.

Perhaps the most interesting name on the list is a player the 49ers may give a lot of thought to even if they won’t ultimately take him at No. 11. That’s Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty who racked up a whopping 2,601 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns this season. He did that after posting 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2023. The 49ers don’t necessarily need a running back, and they certainly don’t need one in the first round, but Jeanty is an excellent player head coach Kyle Shanahan will almost certainly like.

Here’s the full list provided by Brugler:

Notre Dame and Ohio State’s underclassmen have until Jan. 24 to file for the NFL draft. Those two teams face off in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 20.

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2025 mock draft: 49ers hammer trenches in 2-round projection

Offensive line. Defensive line. Rinse. Repeat.

The San Francisco 49ers’ list of needs in the 2025 NFL draft may not change much even after free agency shakes out.

They badly need to revamp their offensive and defensive lines. The order in which they do those and how they prioritize them will depend on how the draft board shakes out, but a draft where they spend every pick bolstering the trenches shouldn’t be out of the question.

San Francisco goes after a player on each line in a new two-round mock draft from the Athletic’s Dane Brugler.

Brugler has the 49ers addressing the offensive line first with Missouri’s Armand Membou. Here’s what Brugler wrote about the versatile OL:

Based on the players expected to be available in this range, there is a decent chance the 49ers use this pick to address the trenches, either on the offensive or defensive line. Membou is incredibly underrated, but he plays with exceptional control, athleticism and finish. He would give San Francisco an ascending player with guard-tackle versatility.

A lineman with inside/outside versatility fits what San Francisco has been looking for with their OL selections for the last couple of years. Membou is listed at 6-3, 325 pounds which probably lands him as a guard in the NFL. However, he did play both tackle spots in college and primarily spent time at right tackle where he was the starter for the Tigers in 2023 and 2024. It’s not out of the question he transitions there as a pro, but it would appear he’s more likely to take over at left guard where 49ers starter Aaron Banks is set to hit free agency.

Using the No. 11 pick on a guard doesn’t necessarily fit the 49ers’ team-building strategy during the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch era, but given the necessity to revamp the OL it may mean a shift away from their previous strategies if they think Membou can step in and be a Pro Bowl caliber starter.

The 49ers get to the other side of the ball in Round 2 of Brugler’s mock. They select Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen at No. 43 overall.

Nolen is a player who has been mocked to the 49ers before in a one-round mock. The 43rd pick seems like a much better spot to take a shot on Nolen, who had only one year of big-time college production.

His first two college seasons were with Texas A&M, and he did have a strong second season with the Aggies in 2023. That year he posted seven sacks on 16 pressures while working as a productive run defender according to Pro Football Focus.

He broke out in 2024 with 34 pressures and six sacks. His elite run defense grade from PFF was buoyed by his 31 run stops.

There are definitely some questions around Nolen after only one year of high-end production, but the upside is extremely high. The opportunity to find a three-down defensive tackle who can affect the pocket as a pass rusher would be tough for San Francisco to pass up with its second pick in a draft where they need to find DL help.

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