49ers mailbag: Which draft pick was the biggest reach? Favorite and least favorite picks? Can the offensive line protect Brock Purdy?

Last week was the NFL draft, and the San Francisco 49ers came away with 11 draft picks. They also added a handful of undrafted players. The 49ers needed to get younger and faster, and they did that during the draft weekend. What they do with all the fresh faces remains to be seen, but it's an exciting time in Santa Clara.

We opened the 49ers Webzone mailbag this week to see what thoughts were running through your mind. You had some great questions, as always. So let's jump in and take a look.

I feel like the Niners lost their identity a bit the last few years, the QB roundabout didn't help, but this draft feels like a move to the 2019 smash-mouth attitude, especially on D. Do you think that was the right move for the team, or should we have evolved to a new identity? - SportyMiner

The 49ers defense is certainly getting a new identity, but it's one they've had before. They strayed from who they were over the past couple of seasons and will now work to regain their former self.

When the 49ers' defense has been at its best, you couldn't run on them. Their first five draft picks addressed the run defense. It was San Francisco's most glaring weakness in 2024. It won't be in 2025.

As far as the identity of the offense, the return of a healthy Christian McCaffrey may help them return to some semblance of what they were in 2023. But they'll be doing it without Deebo Samuel and (for part of the season) Brandon Aiyuk. They didn't run the ball well last season, especially in short-yardage and red zone situations. As a result, they put too much on QB Brock Purdy's shoulders. Getting that running game going again is critical.

Who were your favorite and least favorite picks? - ShoqMax

My favorites were the first five (Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, Nick Martin, Upton Stout, and C.J. West). If you can't stop the run, you have little chance of winning many games. The 49ers attacked that weakness with those picks.

I can't say there was a draft pick I didn't like, but Junior Bergen, the wide receiver from Montana, is currently my least favorite. He seems to be just a return man to me. I'd prefer to have a pick that might help the team more.

That said, if Bergen, who returned eight punts for touchdowns in college, makes the team as a punt returner and becomes a game-changer like Ted Ginn was for the 49ers, it won't matter. And if that happens, I'll just say I was joking about naming him my least favorite.

Good or bad, what surprised you about the 49ers draft weekend? Did any picks generate an eye roll or two from you? - Ed H.

No eyerolls or surprises. However, my initial reaction to the 49ers drafting Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke was that they might have been able to sign him as an undrafted free agent rather than using a draft pick on him. But then I remembered thinking the same thing about a certain other seventh-round QB the team drafted only three years ago. And that one seems to have worked out.

How do you feel about the OL and protecting Purdy this season, especially if they roll out Brendel again? - KCarps

Jake Brendel makes me nervous. And I haven't been shy about saying as much. But the 49ers might have the best backup to Brendel they've had so far in Matt Hennessy. I doubt he'll beat out Brendel in training camp, but he should add some competition and depth.

I think the offensive line, as it currently stands, will be fine. Now, if injuries start to cost those guys some games, especially Trent Williams or Colton McKivitz, my outlook will quickly change. The 49ers haven't addressed offensive tackle in quite some time. Let's hope it doesn't come back to bite them.

Can the offensive line protect Purdy? They can, especially if he returns to getting rid of the ball quickly. The bigger question may be whether or not the offensive line can open holes in the run game. That was a problem last season.

Do the 49ers realize you're allowed to draft tackles? - Rosie M.

It sounds like they tried. Matt Barrows, of The Athletic, said on the "TK Show," "The 49ers had a late pick in the third round, and just before they got on the clock, the Raiders had two picks. The first pick, they take Caleb Rogers (a tackle), and the next pick, they take Charles Grant (a tackle).

"The 49ers spent a lot of time with both of those guys. They actually brought in Caleb Rogers for a visit. I think the 49ers thought one of those guys was going to be there and that old Pete Carroll did a number on them… I do think they did intend to take a tackle on day two, and the guy got swiped."

John Lynch also said they planned to add a tackle, but the board never fell right. Perhaps he was talking about the situation Barrows described in the third round.

Will Kyle continue to keep offensive rookies off the field (for whatever reason) unless players ahead of them on the depth chart are injured, or will we see a change of philosophy? In contrast, with Robert Saleh back, I expect every viable defensive rookie to start or play some. - Chris W.

Indeed, Kyle Shanahan isn't quick to play rookies. He wants them to earn it, and sometimes it seems like he lacks trust in them. This is especially true of offensive rookies.

Last season, Ricky Pearsall, Dominic Puni, and Isaac Guerendo all played a lot, but as Chris points out, it was due to injuries. Even Purdy, as a rookie, had to wait for the two quarterbacks ahead of him to get injured.

That said, the right rookie can earn plenty of playing time. Deebo Samuel did in 2019. Brandon Aiyuk did in 2020. And Elijah Mitchell did in 2021. Now, Samuel and Aiyuk played partly because there weren't many other options at wide receiver. Mitchell played because the starter, Raheem Mostert, went down.

We'll have to see if the offensive rookies play much in 2025. WR Jordan Watkins has a chance, and I believe RB Jordan James will play. OL Connor Colby may be able to work his way in, but I doubt it would be early on.

I expect the rookies on defense to play early and often.

I wish the 49ers had gotten Cam Skattebo and Cameron Williams. But I am satisfied with the draft. Do you feel the 49ers missed out on a player(s)? - Sasha R.

I mentioned what Barrows said, and if that's the case, it sounds like they missed out on a tackle. Other than that, I'm not sure they missed out on anyone. I liked Kyle Williams, the WR out of Washington State. But I'm not sure my heart could have taken another Kyle Williams playing wide receiver for the 49ers. And imagine if Mac Jones gave up his number 10. That's the stuff of nightmares.

Which selection do you think was the biggest reach of the draft? - Dave B

In the end, if a player becomes a difference-maker, it won't matter where he was drafted. Would you use a first-round pick on George Kittle if you knew he'd become a probable Hall of Famer? Of course. But if the 49ers had drafted Kittle in the first round in 2017, Mel Kiper and all the other "experts" would have mocked the 49ers. And the fanbase would have rented planes to fly banners over Levi's Stadium before Shanahan even coached his first game.

In the same way, Purdy should have been drafted higher, and Trey Lance should have been drafted lower. But that's all hindsight. The draft isn't an exact science.

But if I were going to take a stab at the 49ers' biggest reach this season, I would say LB Nick Martin from Oklahoma State. Not because I don't like the pick; I like Martin a lot. But I wonder if the 49ers could have gotten him later due to his injury. But again, if Martin becomes a nice replacement for Dre Greenlaw, it won't matter that he was drafted in the third round.

Interestingly, SFData9ers, on X, also listed Martin as the biggest reach for the 49ers this year. SFData9ers listed only six players John Lynch and Shanahan have drafted since 2017, who were bigger reaches. And they aren't a group that inspires much excitement: Mitch Wishnowsky, Ty Davis-Price, Joe Williams, Samuel Womack, Trey Lance, and C.J. Beathard.

Who wins "The Kicker-Off 2025?" - Chris W.

Kicker-Off 2025. Also known as the battle to end all battles. Can Jake Moody hold off his competition? Over the weekend, the 49ers signed undrafted rookie free agent Kenneth Almendares, the 2024 Lou Groza Award winner, which is given annually to the best kicker in college football. Moody won the same award in 2021.

Almendares made 90.3% of his field goal attempts last season. In Moody's final college season, he made 82.9% of his field goal attempts, though he did connect on 92% of his kicks in 2021.

Here's why it will be tough for Moody to lose his job to a rookie: Despite making only 70.6% of his attempts last season (24-34), his injury likely had a major impact. Before the injury, Moody was 13-14 (93%). That's good. After the injury, he was 11-20 (55%). That's bad.

Additionally, Moody's touchback rate after the injury was much lower, too. Maybe the 49ers rushed him back too soon, and he wasn't healthy yet.

If Moody is healthy, he wins "The Kicker-Off." But at least he will have done it while competing with someone who could potentially take his job. It will be fun to see what happens.

It was good to see us rectify two of last year's biggest weaknesses in this draft/off-season: stopping the run & special teams. However, whenever we have a weakness, we tend to overcompensate & cause new issues. Did we overcompensate this time? Perhaps lack of pass rush/OL? - SportyMiner

I don't know about that. First, we don't know how the newest 49ers will fare as pass rushers. And second, Robert Saleh may decide he needs to draw up more aggressive stunts and blitzes on passing downs. In his last stint in San Francisco, he didn't blitz that much, relying instead on his pass rushers up front. He may not have that option this time.

We've discussed the offensive line already. The starting group will be fine. But if injuries pile up...

That's all we have for this edition of the 49ers Webzone mailbag. Thanks for all the great questions. We'll be back with a new mailbag after the rookie minicamp.