Draft week is here! The San Francisco 49ers are slated to start adding new talent to their roster on Thursday, April 23rd.
In this week's roundup, a couple analysts go beyond the first round, projecting all six of San Francisco's picks, while reinforcing familiar trends around offensive line help and defensive front depth.
Take a look at the final projections from NFL Draft analysts ahead of the real thing:
- Round 1, Pick 27: Caleb Lomu - OT, Utah
- Round 2, Pick 58: Germie Bernard - WR, Alabama
- Round 4, Pick 127: VJ Payne - S, Kansas State
- Round 4, Pick 133: LT Overton - EDGE, Alabama
- Round 4, Pick 138: Jude Bowry - OT, Boston College
- Round 4, Pick 139: Uar Bernard - DT, International Player Pathway program
"... let's give the Niners Lomu, who is the top remaining true left tackle prospect."
- Akheem Mesidor - EDGE, Miami
"Edge rusher looms as a major need in San Francisco, and I love the fit of Mesidor in this defense. He's a strong, powerful rusher who can get into the backfield, which is ideal for handling quarterbacks like the Rams Matthew Stafford. Adding him to a healthy 49ers D really would be something."
- Caleb Lomu - OT, Utah
"San Francisco could go edge here, but this feels like a wise way to stay ahead of a problem that could become urgent fast... Lomu gives Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch a high-upside left tackle to develop on a win-now timeline, offering the movement skills to fit their run game and enough pass-pro upside to eventually protect Brock Purdy's blind side."
- Caleb Lomu - OT, Utah
"Pass rush is an area the Niners need to address at some point, but having insurance on the offensive line matters, too. Lomu can be penciled in as the starter-in-waiting behind Trent Williams. The star left tackle just ended his contract standoff with the team, but he still turns 38 in July."
- Round 1, Pick 27: Malachi Lawrence - EDGE, UCF
- Round 2, Pick 58: Gennings Dunker - G, Iowa
- Round 4, Pick 127: Charles Demmings - CB, Stephen F. Austin
- Round 4, Pick 133: Cyrus Allen - WR, Cincinnati
- Round 4, Pick 138: Bud Clark - S, TCU
- Round 4, Pick 139: Dametrious Crownover - OT, Texas A&M
"Don't be surprised if Lawrence gets his name called much earlier than expected (yes, even higher than this). He's a bendy rusher who has a quick acceleration out of the starting blocks, and that speed carries through his rush plans... Lawrence would give the 49ers a high-quality rusher who has the closing speed to generate constant pressure.
I project Dunker to be a guard in the NFL, and he makes a lot of sense here as an immediate competitor to be the 49ers starting left guard. He plays with excellent hand timing and can get into the frame of defenders in a hurry."
- Round 1, Pick 27: Max Iheanachor - OT, Arizona State
- Round 2, Pick 58: Gabe Jacas - DE, Illinois
"The legendary left tackle (Trent Williams) is turning 38 during training camp this summer, meaning San Francisco has to think about the future no matter what. Iheanachor started 31 games in college, has long 33⅞-inch arms and is quick out of his set. But he's also relatively new to football, having never played before 2022. He could use a little time to develop before eventually becoming the guy.
The Niners were down Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams last season, and their respective returns will do wonders to the edge rush. But there's no getting around the team's 20 sacks last season, by far the lowest total in the league. Jacas had 11 sacks last season; he would at the very least provide depth in case starters go down again."
- Max Iheanachor - OT, Arizona State
"Iheanachor didn't start playing football until five years ago, so he's a ball of clay for offensive line coach Chris Foerster."
- Caleb Lomu - OT, Utah
"Lomu is the type of athletic tackle who can thrive in a Kyle Shanahan scheme. He needs to improve his nastiness and play strength, but when Trent Williams decides to hang it up, Lomu should be ready."
- Keldric Faulk - EDGE, Auburn
"Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams are both coming off season-ending injuries, and Bryce Huff unexpectedly retired, so you can see why Faulk is needed."
- Keldric Faulk - EDGE, Auburn
"The ACL injuries to Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams last year emphasized why the 49ers need to load up on edge rusher depth. What is typically a disruptive defense turned into one of the league's worst at affecting the quarterback with those two on the sideline. Of course, this group could stay healthy in 2026 and return to form, but is that really a safe bet? Many expected the 49ers to bring in some pass-rushing help in free agency, but after they stayed quiet on that front, it would be in their best interest to add another weapon through the draft. Keldric Faulk and Cashius Howell are the two best options at No. 27, and we'll go with the former because of Howell's arm-length concerns."
- Caleb Lomu - OT, Utah
"Trent Williams isn't going to play at left tackle forever. Lomu would be a good pick here. While he struggled against Texas Tech, Caleb Lomu was mostly excellent at left tackle for Utah this past season."
- Caleb Lomu - OT, Utah
"When I first watched Utah's film, Lomu stood out immediately with his size and movement skills. He will need a redshirt year to get stronger before replacing Trent Williams."
- Emmanuel McNeil-Warren - S, Toledo
"Niners fans may not like this choice, given the team's other needs at wideout and at edge spot. For me, the addition of WR Mike Evans, along with the faith San Francisco must have in early 2025 first-round pick Mykel Williams, alongside Nick Bosa, makes both positions a lower priority. If anything, guard was the priority here, but I can't see two going in the first round. In McNeil-Warren, San Fran would add a physical safety who can be much more effective in the box than Ji'Ayir Brown. New defensive coordinator Raheem Morris may be able to elevate the play of Brown and Malik Mustapha, but equipping Morris with someone with the potential to at least replicate some of what Antoine Winfield and Tykee Smith achieved under him in Tampa is too tempting a situation to pass up. I may change my mind on this in the coming weeks. Watch this space."
