- RT / OT depth: The Niners seem quite set on the interior with Banks, Brendel and Burford all returning and have solid depth with Feliciano who can back up all spots, but OT leaves a lot to be desired. At RT, it'll be up to McKivitz to hold off Jaylon Moore and Matt Pryor (and maybe LeRoy Watson who has some interesting traits), but moreover Trent Williams will be turning 35 this summer and who knows how many more seasons he has in him. The Niners need an OT who can push to start on the right side while also planning for the future.
- Edge: Nick Bosa and...? I'm counting on a big leap from Drake Jackson and I do think we'll get productive snaps from Clelin Ferrell, but SF needs a dynamic speed rusher a la Dee Ford. There's no one on the team who can really threaten the edge. I'd target probably two DEs.
- Safety: The Niners appear set for next year returning Hufanga and Gipson, but the latter is 32 and doesn't have a great speed to begin with. A dynamic, rangy ballhawking FS has to be high on the list.
- TE: George Kittle is still a top 3-4 TE, but man is the cupboard bare behind him. This year's draft class is deep and there should be a quality #TE available in round 3-5.
- CB: The Niners have Mooney under contract for another two years and I'm excited about the Isaiah Oliver signing, but I still have real questions about Lenoir, particularly as a starting outside CB. I'm counting on a big leap from Womack (while expecting nothing from Ambry Thomas) but you can never have enough quality CBs.
- K: This is a big big need but tough to see the Niners using a super early pick on a K; maybe 5th round?
- LB: The Niners need to think about replacing Al-Shaair and eventually Greenlaw. I'm excited to see what they have McCray-Ball but adding a dynamic LB in the mid/late rounds feels like a real possibility.
- WR: Aiyuk is entering year four and though the Niners will exercise his 5th year option it's not a given they can pay him and Deebo a combined ~$40M in 2024. While it may be tough to squeeze another WR into a room that includes McCloud, Jennings and Gray, whether the 49ers draft a WR high may tell us how they're thinking about the Aiyuk/Deebo dynamic beyond this season.
2023 49ers Mock Draft
*assumes no trades
3rd Round: DE YaYa Diaby Louisville 6'3" 263
Diaby lit the combine on fire and took himself from late round pick to someone who may go as early as mid third round. Diaby posted the second fastest 40 and 10-yard split times (4.51; 1.56) and added an impressive 37" vertical. That explosiveness matches with his tape where he produced 9 sacks this year. Diaby is still raw but he's got the traits to become a 10-sack-a-year player in the NFL.
3rd Round: S Ronnie Hickman Ohio St. 6'1" 203
Hickman is long, athletic and had a breakout year in 2022, allowing only 13 catches all year. He's got the physical traits to match up in the slot along with the speed and smooth backpedal to be an ideal single high S. I can see him stepping in for Gipson in 2024 and not skipping a beat.
3rd Round: OL Nick Saldiveri Old Dominion 6'6" 318
My guess is the 49ers are taking a close look at Blake Freeland from BYU, but it's tough to see him lasting until pick #99. If he's there, I would bet the Niners take him. If not, Saldiveri is a very nice consolation price. This may seem like a reach for the Old Dominion product, but based on his Senior Bowl, Combine and recent buzz, I'd be surprised if he's available much later beyond this. Saldiveri played mostly OT in college and then had a great Senior Bowl playing inside, so he offers some versatility, but given his athletic profile he seems to be a very strong fit at RT. A couple other names to look out for here are Wanya Morris from Oklahoma and Tyler Steen from Alabama.
5th Round: TE Zack Kuntz Old Dominion 6'7" 254
The Niners go back to the well at Old Dominion and grab their #2 TE in Zack Kuntz whose RAS score grades him as the most athletic TE of the last decade. The reason Kuntz projects as a later round pick - despite his immense athletic gifts - is that he's an incredibly raw prospect whose production never matched his physical talent. In the 5th round, the Niners can afford to take a chance on this truly boom-or-bust prospect and see if working alongside Kittle at TEU will turn him into a potential star.
5th Round: CB Terell Smith Minnesota 6'1" 204
The Niners had Smith in for an official visit and you can see why they like him: 4.41 speed, 33" arms and a physical demeanor to match. Smith is a bit raw and his technique - not to mention ball skills - needs a lot of work, but in terms of pure physical gifts he profiles as well as any CB in this class.
5th Round: K Jake Moody Michigan 6'1" 210
For me, this is way too high to draft a specialist, but it seems like the Niners are dead set on adding a kicker. Moody profiles as the best in the class so here we are...
6th Round: DE Dylan Horton TCU 6'4" 257
Horton is an athletic, bendy edge rusher who had a strong 2022 with 41 pressures and 7 sacks. He's got many many physical gifts but hast yet to put it all together. He reminds me a bit of Arden Key. I can see the Niners targeting him, Ochaun Matthis, Lonnie Phelps or Tavius Robinson somewhere in this area.
7th Round: CB/S Jay Ward LSU 6'1" 188
Ward profiles as a do-it-all Dontae Johnson type in the secondary. After playing mostly nickel in previous years, Ward moved to S in 2022 where he had a lot of success. He's a smart football player and a leader with good-not-great measurables.
7th Round: OT Trevor Reid Louisville 6'4" 311 OR OT Jake Witt Northern Michigan 6'7" 302 OR Richard Gouraige Florida 6'5" 306
This pick is all about raw upside on the offensive line. Reid entered the draft early after an up and down year at Louisville. He's the definition of an unfinished product but wowed at his pro day running in the 4.9s while posting a truly insane 38" vertical. Not to be outdone, Jake Witt is a former TE who ran a 4.89 40 and jumped 37". Finally, Gouraige is a former top recruit who's got the length and movement skills to eventually be a starter on the outside. Any of one of these guys are very compelling picks on potential alone.
7th Round: WR Andrei Iosivas Princeton 6'3" 205
Iosivas *feels* like a Kyle Shanahan pick. The long, ultra athletic WR dominated the Ivy League and then showed out at the Senior Bowl and combine. He'll need some seasoning, but he has a chance...
7th Round: LB Marte Mapu Sac St. 6'3" 217
Mapu is Fred Warner Jr. The former Safety has the length and athletic traits to be a special teams star while he bulks up and learns the LB position in the NFL.
49ers 2023 Roster
Offense (25)
QB (3): Brock Purdy / Trey Lance / Sam Darnold
RB (4): Christian McCaffrey / Eli Mitchell / Jordan Mason / Ty Davis-Price
FB (1): Kyle Juszczyk
WR (5): Deebo Samuel / Brandon Aiyuk / Danny Gray / Jauan Jennings / Ray-Ray McCloud / Andrei Iosivas (PS)
TE (3): George Kittle / Zack Kuntz / Charlie Woerner
OT (4): Trent Williams / Colton McKivitz / Nick Saldiveri / Jaylon Moore OR Trevor Reid
OG (3): Aaron Banks / Spencer Burford / Joe Feliciano
OC (2): Jake Brendel / Nick Zakelj
Defense (25)
DE (5): Nick Bosa / Drake Jackson / YaYa Diaby / Clelin Ferrell / Dylan Horton OR Austin Bryant
DT (5): Javon Hargrave / Arik Armstead / Javon Kinlaw / Kevin Givens / Kalia Davis
LB (5): Fred Warner / Dre Greenlaw / Oren Burks / Marcelino McCrary-Ball / Demetrius Flanigan-Fowles OR Marte Mapu OR Curtis Robinson
CB (6): Mooney Ward / Isaiah Oliver / DeMo Lenoir / Sam Womack / Terell Smith / Jay Ward OR Myles Hartsfield OR Ambry Thomas OR Qwantrezz Knight
S (4): Talanoa Hufunga / Tashaun Gipson / Ronnie Hickman / George Odom
Special Teams (3)
K: Jake Moody OR Zane Gonzalez
P: Mitch Wishnowsky
LS: Taybor Pepper
I'd love this draft class
