It’s April, meaning it’s draft month. With the 2024 NFL Draft kicking off later this month, all 32 teams will be vying for the best players they can get their hands on.
That includes the San Francisco 49ers, who look to get the needed pieces to take their team back to the Super Bowl in 2024. What are the 49ers’ biggest draft needs?
What Are the 49ers’ Biggest Needs in the NFL Draft?
Despite making it all the way to the big game, the 49ers still have plenty of room for improvement, which showed in the loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Their roster has undergone its fair share of changes since then, especially in free agency.
During free agency, the 49ers earned a B+ grade, according to PFN. They added at EDGE, defensive tackle, quarterback, linebacker, offensive line, and in the secondary. However, even factoring in those additions, there’s still room to grow.
49ers Still Need Offensive Line Help
The top priority for the 49ers this offseason should be making sure the offensive line is ready to handle what it wasn’t able to in Super Bowl 58. In free agency, the 49ers re-signed right guard Jon Feliciano and signed right tackle Brandon Parker.
However, even with those moves, the unit is essentially unchanged.
As it currently stands, the 49ers’ starting five offensive linemen are Trent Williams, Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, Jon Feliciano, and Colton McKivitz. Of those, only Williams had a higher than 70 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade with 500 or more snaps taken.
In the draft, the offensive line group is strong. In the first round, the 49ers will potentially be able to choose from Tyler Guyton, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Graham Barton, or some others. They could also potentially trade up for Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Taliese Fuaga, Troy Fautanu, Amarius Mims, JC Latham, or several others.
On Day 2 of the draft, which consists of the second and third rounds, they would have a chance at Kingsley Suamataia, Jordan Morgan, Patrick Paul, Roger Rosengarten, Kiran Amegadjie, Christian Haynes, Cooper Beebe, Christian Mahogany, and many more.
Finally, Day 3 of the draft, which features rounds 4-7, features tons of players they could target. Some names include Zak Zinter, Delmar Glaze, Javon Foster, and more.
49ers’ Always Could Use More Defensive Line Help
The 49ers are always known for their pass rush, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still add to their arsenal.
At EGDE and defensive tackle, the team lost Chase Young, Arik Armstead, Javon Kinlaw, Clelin Ferrell, and Sebastian Joseph. They did, however, add Leonard Floyd, Maliek Collins, Yetur Gross-Matos, and Jordan Elliott.
However, there could still be more reinforcements. In the first round, a perfect target for the 49ers could be Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson. Robinson can play both EDGE or defensive tackle and a new chess piece for the team’s talented defense.
Beyond Robinson, some other viable names throughout the draft include Chop Robinson, Adisa Isaac, Chris Braswell, Bralen Trice, Javon Solomon, Byron Murphy II, Ruke Orhorhoro, and a plethora more.
Wide Receiver, Wide Receiver, and More Wide Receivers
Yes, as of today, the 49ers do have both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, one of the better receiving duos in the league. However, that might not be the case for the long term.
Both receivers have been floated in trade rumors due to potential contract and cap space issues. If one is moved, a wide receiver would immediately become a massive need.
KEEP READING: San Francisco 49ers News, April 1
The 49ers also don’t have much depth behind them. Their remaining wide receivers are Jauan Jennings, Danny Gray, Chris Conley, and Ronnie Bell. In addition to needing a slot receiver, if one of their two main receivers is to go down with an injury, which Samuel frequently has in the past, there’s not much behind them to lean on.
In the draft, some of the top slot options on Day 2 include Xavier Worthy, Ladd McConkey, Ricky Pearsall, Malachi Corley, and Roman Wilson. Some outside receiver options include Xavier Legette, Ja’Lynn Polk, Troy Franklin, Keon Coleman, and Adonai Mitchell.
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