The 49ers need to hit on the upcoming NFL Draft after underwhelming so far over the last two years.
This offseason, the San Francisco 49ers chose to go quantity over elite quality, electing against signing a big-name free agent and instead dishing out a number of mid-level contracts at several positions.
In doing so, the 49ers addressed defensive line, cornerback, and linebacker, while re-signing or extending a few of their own players, putting together a sneaky good offseason.
It was important for San Francisco to fill a number of their holes with depth, but they did so while retaining flexibility for the future, dishing out mainly two-year contracts, with the opportunity of potentially moving on after a season if needed.
Now, the team’s focus shifts to the NFL Draft, where they have a crucial period ahead of them, as the 49ers haven’t found high-end success in either of their last two classes.
2022/2023 NFL Draft classes
Here’s the 49ers’ full 2022 class:
Round 2, Pick 61: DE Drake Jackson
Round 3, Pick 93: RB Tyrion Davis-Price
Round 3, Pick 95: WR Danny Gray
Round 4, Pick 134: OL Spencer Burford
Round 5, Pick 172: CB Samuel Womack
Round 6, Pick 187: OL Nick Zakelj
Round 6, Pick 220: DT Kalia Davis
Round 6, Pick 221: CB Tariq Castro-Fields
Round 7, Pick 262: QB Brock Purdy
Looking at the group, only Brock Purdy has become a regular contributor for the team, albeit emerging as a Top 15 option at the most important position in football.
But, top picks Drake Jackson, Tyrion Davis-Price, and Danny Gray have failed to carve out a role with the 49ers, with the running back getting cut already.
Spencer Burford struggled at right guard in Year 2, prompting the 49ers to go with Jon Feliciano as their starter, which is the expectation once again in 2024.
Samuel Womack’s trajectory was pointing upwards after beating out Darqueze Dennard for the starting nickel corner spot, but lost his job quickly, and has been a special-teamer for much of his time with the 49ers.
Nick Zakelj hasn’t done much at all either, while Kalia Davis has been injured for much of his career.
Add in Tariq Castro-Fields getting cut, and this class was an extremely weak draft for the 49ers, with Purdy serving as the lone hit.
Here’s the 49ers’ full 2023 class:
Round 3, Pick 87: S Ji’Ayir Brown
Round 3, Pick 99: TE Cameron Latu
Round 3, Pick 101: K Jake Moody
Round 5, Pick 155: CB Darrell Luter
Round 5, Pick 173: DE Robert Beal Jr.
Round 6, Pick 216: LB Dee Winters
Round 7, Pick 247: TE Brayden Willis
Round 7, Pick 253: WR Ronnie Bell
Round 7, Pick 255: LB Jalen Graham
The 49ers were pitted in a tough situation, as they were without a first or second-round pick last draft, hampering their ability to find instant-impact players in the draft.
But, the class did not have a good rookie year. Brown was the lone key contributor. However, Latu was essentially stashed away on Injured Reserve. Moody ranked 20th in field goal percentage. The remaining group didn’t see much action, except for Bell, who had his ups and downs as a receiver and a returner.
Now, you can’t judge a draft class after just one season. But, with the 49ers’ cap situation continuing to rise and more players deserving a second contract, San Francisco will need some of their younger players to step up and fill the holes on the team.
That leads us to this year’s draft, where the 49ers are back in the first round for the first time in three years.
2024 NFL Draft strategy
Looking at the draft class, the 49ers could be in a situation where their need matches the best player available.
San Francisco is definitely in the market for an offensive lineman and this class has plenty of them, especially at the tackle position, with as many as 11 names being considered in the first round.
However, their free agency plan has now allowed them to enter the draft with a more open mindset, as they addressed a majority of their issues with depth signings.
At right tackle, while he may not be the best option, Colton McKivitz was inked up to a one-year extension, giving San Francisco a starting option that they’re comfortable with for another season.
Re-signing Jon Feliciano shores up the empty guard spot, while the 49ers also addressed linebacker, cornerback, and their defensive line with a number of signings this offseason.
Could they improve at a number of those positions? Yes. But, having a player that could potentially start alleviates the problem of reaching for need in the draft, especially early, where results haven’t gone great for the 49ers with that strategy.
After trading away DeForest Buckner back in 2020, the 49ers immediately looked to fill that void with the selection of Javon Kinlaw, which ultimately didn’t work out.
Dating back to 2018. the 49ers needed a tackle after the departure of Trent Brown, which is why they selected Mike McGlinchey over one of the top safeties or other playmakers.
They’ve had success in the later rounds where choosing the best player available becomes much more viable, finding gems like Fred Warner, George Kittle, Brock Purdy, Deommodore Lenoir, and Talanoa Hufanga, among others.
But, that strategy needs to apply more in the earlier rounds, and the 49ers have a chance to do so this offseason after having a sneaky good free agency period.
It’ll be an extremely important draft, not only for this season, but especially in the future, as San Francisco will have some tough decisions to make regarding their core next offseason.
Their first move already came with the release of Arik Armstead, and their salary cap situation will likely force their hand with others, increasing the need to hit on draft picks and find cost-effective solutions across the board.
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