49ers draft outlook

By: Jake Rajala

The San Francisco 49ers really improved from the 2025 NFL Draft. Chris Simms of Pro Football Talk nicely said that the 49ers “crushed” the draft. With that said, I’m going to take an in-depth reflection by untwining five takeaways from the 49ers draft.

1. Beef, beef, and more beef

The 49ers are trying to turn back the clock and build an elite DL. They already have Nick Bosa, but that shouldn’t stop there. They drafted Mykel Williams 11th overall. B/R nicely compared him to Ziggy Ansah. He didn’t have a lot of production, but his combine was quite impressive. At 6’5, 260 pounds, he managed to run a 4.75. The 49ers made an impressive pick in round two with Alfred Collins. He also has a nice frame at 6’5, 310. His production score was ninth among DTs.

2. Defense

The 49ers went defense with their first five picks! Yes, you read that correctly. Kyle Shanahan trusts his guts with pressing the right buttons on offense, so he wants to build a defense that can complement his offense. The 49ers ranked 29th in PPG allowed last season. Hence, it’s time to add more ammunition to the defensive side of the ball.

3. Wide Receiver

I don’t love that the 49ers waited until round four to draft a WR. They lost Deebo Samuel, who is an elite WR. Furthermore, Brandon Aiyuk is coming off a torn MCL and ACL. It doesn’t make sense to pay Brock Purdy a record breaking contract if they don’t supply him with quality weapons.

With that all said, their fourth-round pick Jordan Watkins can be a quality WR2 after a couple of seasons of improving his craft.

4. Left Tackle

There isn’t a secret: Trent Williams is 36 years old! He will likely play a few more seasons at most. I would have loved to see the 49ers draft an LT with one of their fourth or third round selections. They need a LT to grow with Purdy.

5. Trade

I would have enjoyed to see the 49ers trade one of their early picks. They need to have a little bit of an attitude about having players that can be productive in 2025. After all, the Los Angeles Rams haven’t slowed down, as they added Davante Adams.

The 49ers are building a defense that led them to the Super Bowl. Their offense is still not flawless, so I would have enjoyed to see them swing early for a weapon or offensive lineman. Perhaps they can acquire the likes of Amari Cooper or OBJ in free agency.