There’s a clear path the San Francisco 49ers must follow in the 2025 NFL draft after their slow free agency left them lacking starters or depth at almost every position.
Free agency was used as a sign the 49ers may not be competitive this season, but they can return to the Super Bowl conversation if they nail the draft.
Finding good players is always the key to a good draft, but the 49ers have put themselves in a spot where the position those players play could have an outsized impact on their season. That’s why the plan ESPN’s Ben Solak laid out is vital for San Francisco.
Here’s part of that plan via ESPN:
Without question, the biggest need is along the defensive line, where over 1,400 snaps are out the door following the departures of Leonard Floyd, Maliek Collins and Javon Hargrave — it would have been even more if Hargrave had not torn his triceps in Week 3. It’s extremely unlikely Mason Graham (Michigan) even makes it into trade-up range, though he’d be a perfect scheme fit; and it’s too early for Derrick Harmon (Oregon). Given the need for multiple rookies to take snaps in a rotation, I don’t mind the 49ers passing at No. 11 if the board doesn’t fall their way, then attacking the position with multiple picks on Day 2.
As such, finding a starting left guard who can potentially take over at left tackle for Trent Williams is the ideal scenario — and that’s where the board is friendly. Will Campbell (LSU) and Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas) are exactly those prospects, while Armand Membou (Missouri) can also fit the bill by flipping from the right side to the left. I expect a G/T hybrid to be the pick here, unless an edge rusher (Marshall’s Mike Green or Georgia’s Jalon Walker?) really catches the team’s eye.
Outside of Round 1, I could see the 49ers picking just about any defensive position. Beside the aforementioned desperation at defensive tackle, depth and developmental starters are needed at cornerback, linebacker, safety and edge rusher. They should happily sit on their picks and let the board come to them — they need all the cheap contracts they can get and should eschew trade-ups accordingly.
Solak hits the nail on the head with this outlook for San Francisco. They need to hit on picks, but they need to give themselves as many options as possible in this draft. With 11 selections, they’re poised to give themselves a lot of darts to throw at a board that will ultimately decide what the future of the John Lynch-Kyle Shanahan tenure looks like.
Moving down to accumulate more picks makes far more sense than moving up, and prioritizing the trenches where their lack of depth hurt them last season are the two things that make the most sense for the 49ers. If they’re leaving this year’s draft with fewer than 11 picks it would be a minor disappointment.