The 2025 NFL Draft is approaching, and the San Francisco 49ers have the eleventh overall pick. This is a breakdown of their team needs and potential players they could select in the Draft. Plus, an overview of their offseason so far and possible additions.
State of the Union
Las Vegas, February 2024. The dream has nearly been realized. The San Francisco 49ers have driven down the field in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII. Jake Moody has put them ahead with a field goal. One stop and they’ll hoist their first Lombardi Trophy in decades.
Since that ball split the uprights, everything has gone devastatingly wrong. Mahomes planted another dagger in their backs. A prolonged star holdout in the offseason. Injuries galore, brutal losses, and even tragedies at home for some of their star players. The kind of year everyone wants to forget and can’t shake.
This offseason marks a major inflection point for their future. Brock Purdy is up for his extension, and other parts of the roster must be trimmed as a result. The massive wave of departures reflects that reality. The question is: Will the Niners and GM John Lynch retool to contend in the coming years? Or will they take a longer approach once their 25-year-old Pro Bowl QB is locked up?
Free Agency Recap
Key Departures
CB Charvarius Ward – This one hurt, and not for football reasons. Ward and his partner tragically lost their newborn child during the season, and he was quite open about the trauma this caused his family. Unsurprisingly, a fresh start was needed, and Ward inked a 3-year $60 million contract with the Colts. He will be tough to replace, but one can only hope a new start in a new city brings Ward and his family some comfort.
WR Deebo Samuel – Boy, did this one create a stink on Niners Twitter. It devolved into a true war. On one side were those who watch the games and understand the salary cap. On the other end were those who pay casual attention and look at big names. Deebo was not himself last year. Injuries played a role, and defenses weren’t giving him space to work underneath, but the writing was on the wall. His physical style of play seems to have worn down his efficacy, and paying $20+ million for your third passing option isn’t tenable, given the 49ers’ cap situation. We will always have the memories of 2021 Deebo, but it had to be done.
DT Javon Hargrave – Well, Hargrave’s stint in the Bay could have been much better for all involved. He tore his tricep in the third game of the year and never suited back up in red and gold. Now he’ll take his talents north to Minnesota while the Niners are left wondering how to fill another gap on the defensive interior.
S Talanoa Hufanga and LB Dre Greenlaw – These two fixtures of the 49ers’ defense both came back from devastating leg injuries this past season and didn’t look quite the same. Now, the duo has departed to the Mile High City together, looking to recapture their form under Sean Payton with the Broncos. The circumstances weren’t the same as Ward’s departure, but you can understand why both sides had to move on. The Niners aren’t in a position to pay for unknowns, even for the sake of loyalty, and these two needed to get paid. Here’s hoping they can find their form again in Denver.
Other Departures: RB Jordan Mason (trade), DE Leonard Floyd, DT Maliek Collins, T Jaylon Moore, G Aaron Banks, RB Elijah Mitchell, CB Isaac Yiadom
Key Additions
DC Robert Saleh – It’s a bit of an indictment of this offseason that the top addition is a coach. Saleh marks their fourth defensive coordinator in four seasons, largely due to an inability to replace DeMeco Ryans after his departure. The hope here is that an experienced system guy brings back some consistency and eliminates the need to dip back into the coordinator pool next year. After a rough stint as the head coach of the New York Jets, Saleh should have a chip on his shoulder to prove he belongs once again.
WR DeMarcus Robinson – That’s right. The top player addition of this offseason to date is the WR4. Bleak times. Still, it’s a smart move after last year’s injuries. The quartet of Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo, Jauan Jennings, and Ricky Pearsall missed a combined 20 games, and the depth was exposed. Chris Conley was not the vet they hoped for, Ronnie Bell can’t catch a cold, and though Jacob Cowing looked interesting at times, he wasn’t the answer. A more productive veteran in the rotation will be important insurance if the injury bug strikes their receiver room again.
TE Luke Farrell – At three years and $20.25 million, Farrell clocks in as the biggest free agency addition of the offseason. Like Robinson, this seems like a shrewd depth addition on paper. George Kittle will turn 32 next season and is coming off yet another 1,000-yard season. Farrell and his 36 career catches aren’t here to supplant his receiving work. Luke will shoulder a lot of the blocking burden Kittle usually takes as many of Shanahan’s run looks rely on strong blocking tight ends. Save some of the bumps and bruises George takes for the receiving game while Farrell mauls linebackers in the trenches.
Other Additions: S Richie Grant, CB Tre Brown, DB Jason Pinnock, QB Mac Jones
Team Needs
Cornerback – There is some potential in this existing cornerback room. Deommodore Lenoir stepped up in a big way in his second season as a starter. Renardo Green showed a sharp eye for the ball as a rookie. Still, pieces are missing here, and the Three Tre’s (Avery, Brown, Tomlinson) are likely no more than depth options. I’d expect San Francisco to hit cornerback once or twice in the upcoming draft with a post-draft veteran addition as well. Perhaps a reunion with Emmanuel Moseley is in order. James Bradberry, Stephon Gilmore, Rasul Douglas, Kendall Fuller, and many more will be available once the draft picks have been made.
Defensive Line – Boy, the Niners put stars and scrubs to the test on the defensive line. Nick Bosa made his fourth straight Pro Bowl despite a down year on sack production. He needs some real help to avoid being double and triple-teamed relentlessly. Jordan Elliott and his 47.6 PFF grade aren’t going to be the answer on the interior. Yetur Gross-Matos and Drake Jackson are athletic but have yet to put together consistent production on the opposing edge. There’s some passable depth left in free agency, especially to fill the gaps on the interior, but they’ll need to hit it hard in the draft to find star talent. Don’t be surprised to see a John Lynch-ian draft where they dip into the immense wealth of D-line talent.
Offensive Line Depth – While not as dire as the defensive side of the trenches, the Niners could use a jolt on the offensive line. Trent Williams is as good of an anchor as you can have, and Colton McKivitz held up quite well as his bookend, but there’s no tackle depth to speak of. Dominick Puni looks like a third-round steal. Jake Brendel is a trusted and dependable veteran pivot, and there’s reason to think Ben Bartch could be a solid cog at the left guard spot. But you can’t rely on Spencer Burford or Nick Zakelj for significant guard snaps. They should be looking closely for depth upgrades at tackle and guard on days two and three of the draft.
Potential Draft Picks
CB Will Johnson (Michigan) – There are lots of ways to go here. The class is stacked on the defensive line (more on that later) and full of receiver talent as well. The temptation to throw blue-chip talent in with Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall is strong, but there is one ideal fit here. A top-tier cornerback talent like Will Johnson brings this corner group together well. If he can be a surefire CB1, it puts Renardo Green at outside CB2 and Lenoir as the nickel back where he thrives. This would be the ideal fit for the 49ers’ needs.
DE Mykel Williams (Georgia) – As I mentioned before, no position group for the Niners has more imbalance than the defensive line. They can’t afford to let Nick Bosa fight for his life against double and triple teams yet again. Mykel Williams is an athletic beast at 6’5″ and 260 lbs, and we know the 49ers have an affinity for brick houses on the D line. The attention Bosa demands would give Mykel plenty of 1v1 chances to develop his pass rush game. He’s a strong fit for a base 4-3 system and could be the bookend to Bosa they’ve been searching for.
T/G Will Campbell (LSU) – This pick makes sense for several reasons. One, the Niners haven’t taken a lineman in the first round since 2020. You just know John Lynch is itching for some premium trench play on either side of the ball after taking a lineman with his first choice in his first 4 drafts at the helm. Second, Campbell fits an immediate need as someone who can theoretically kick Colton McKivitz inside to left guard or take that spot himself. I don’t buy the talk that his arm length makes the All-American destined for interior play, but he could hack it there. Third and most importantly, Trent Williams won’t play forever. After he retires, they’ll have many more years of Brock Purdy and will need someone to anchor his line. If the 49ers can help it, they won’t be picking this high for years to come. Now may be the best chance to secure their future at left tackle.
Day Two Targets: Wyatt Milum (G, West Virginia), Deone Walker (DT, Kentucky), Jack Sawyer (LB, Ohio State), Isaiah Bond (WR, Texas), Kaleb Johnson (RB, Iowa), Jared Ivey (DE, Ole Miss)
Day Three Targets: Chris Paul Jr. (LB, Ole Miss), Tory Horton (WR, Colorado State), Josh Farmer (DT, Florida State), Ollie Gordon II (RB, Oklahoma State), Cobee Bryant (CB, Kansas), Malachi Moore (S, Alabama), Chase Lundt (T, UConn)
