49ers can address glaring needs with these Day 2 draft fits

49ers can address glaring needs with these Day 2 draft fits originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers have nine scheduled picks remaining over the final two days of the 2024 NFL Draft.

They did not address their needs in the defensive backfield or offensive line with the first-round selection of Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, so there still is plenty of work to be done.

San Francisco has two scheduled picks on Friday: At No. 63 overall in the second round and No. 94 late in the third.

They can be expected to do some maneuvering with their three fourth-round picks at Nos. 124, 132 and 135. After all, it seems unlikely they will hold onto all 10 of their selections, as 49ers general manager John Lynch explained this week.

“I think the later rounds probably are going to be lacking,” Lynch said, referring to the changing landscape of college football.

The consensus in the NFL, according to Lynch, is that 35 to 50 players who would have been drafted this year decided to remain in college to capitalize on NIL opportunities to make significant money before entering the NFL Draft.

So, in essence, the middle of the sixth round all the way to the draft’s conclusion might consist of players who would go undrafted in previous years. The 49ers have picks scheduled at Nos. 211 and 215 in the sixth round and No. 251 in the seventh.

“It’s a new dynamic that I imagine we’re going to be faced with each year,” Lynch said. “You can go back (to college) and make a million dollars. I don’t know if that’s the going rate, but it is providing competition, and that’s a significant amount of players.”

The 49ers could package some of their picks on Day 3 to move up in order to select players at their targeted positions:

Defensive back

Only three cornerbacks were chosen in the first round of the draft, so there could be a run on the position before the 49ers go on the clock with the 31st pick of the day.

Cornerbacks Max Melton (Rutgers), Andru Phillips (Kentucky) and Kris Abrams-Draine (Missouri) are three players who could step in immediately as starting nickel backs. Full-time starting roles figure to be available in the not-too-distant future.

The 49ers’ starting cornerbacks, Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, have contracts that are set to expire at the end of the season, and it seems unlikely the team will be able to re-sign both of them.

San Francisco also could use more help at safety. Javon Bullard (Georgia) and Calen Bullock (USC) are playmakers who could find their way onto the field in significant roles early in their careers. Talanoa Hufanga, returning from a torn ACL, is set to enter the final year of his contract.

Offensive line

The first-round talent was wiped clean on Thursday, as nine offensive linemen were selected within the first 29 picks of the draft.

When the 49ers’ choices roll around on Day 2, they can be expected to consider the best-available options at any of the spots on the offensive line.

It is unlikely a rookie will step in as an immediate starter, but the 49ers need to select a player or two with starting potential for 2025 and beyond.

Blake Fisher (Notre Dame), Roger Rosengarten (Washington) and Matt Goncalves (Pitt) are three tackles who appear to be good fits for the 49ers.

Interior offensive linemen Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon) and Zach Frazier (West Virginia) probably will be chosen in the first half of the second round, but Dominic Puni (Kansas) and Cooper Beebe (Kansas State) are worthy of second-day consideration.

Defensive line

Five edge rushers and just one defensive tackle were selected on the first day of the draft, so the 49ers also could be tempted to address their front four on Friday.

The 49ers hosted defensive linemen Chris Braswell (Alabama) and Brandon Dorlus (Oregon) on visits to Santa Clara, They would be solid options if either remains unchosen when the 49ers go on the clock.

Braden Fiske (Florida State) and Michael Hall Jr. (Ohio State) are defensive tackles who could fit into the 49ers’ rotation as rookies.

Tight end

The 49ers still are looking for a player to serve as George Kittle’s backup after the Detroit Lions matched the offer sheet to retain tight end Brock Wright as a restricted free agent.

If the 49ers look to address the position on Friday, they should have options in the third round. Ben Sinnott (Kansas State), Jared Wiley (TCU) and Theo Johnson (Penn State) could be on the team’s radar to improve the 49ers’ depth behind Kittle.

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