Never to Early: 2025, The Year of the Trenches

I can't disagree too badly with how the 2024 draft went. I would have preferred JPJ at 31 and Christian Jones instead of Cowing, as I believe they can be fixtures at center and RT in the NFL for the next 8 years, and that it's easier to postpone replenishing your #2 and #3 WR than it is to find starting caliber offensive linemen. With that said, from a strictly talent standpoint I give the draft an A-, and it just pushes the needs to the 2025 draft.

1 Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE | Penn State
I wanted left tackle Wyatt Milum who stood out when watching West Virgina and Zach Frazier. That said, it will continue to be difficult to find an OT when you're picking at 31 or 32, and Milum is probably the 3rd or 4th OT off the board. As a result, we pivot to a different position of importance. Just like in 2024, I expect PSU to have two edge rushers draft, except this year, I have both going in the first round. Abdul Carter is an athletic freak in the mold of Micah Parsons and so I have him going first of the pair. Dani Dennis-Sutton is built a bit more like a traditional 43DE listed at 6'5" 270 lbs, but not lacking in any athleticism, making him a sure fire first rounder.

Trade Deebo Samuel for a 2nd
I have to imagine that Pearsall and Cowing were drafted in anticipation of this move. Deebo is still a premier talent. Age and cost damper his value, but expect monster numbers in 2024 if he can stay healthy.

2 Xavier Nwankpa, S | Iowa
Iowa has been pumping out DB talent with Riley Moss (3rd round) and Cooper DeJean (2nd round). Nwankpa is the most talented of the bunch. There will be no question about his position - he is a safety - and so positional value may suppress his draft stock. Here's another chance a "defensive eraser." Let him roam around and eff ish up. I'd expect Hufanga to price himself out, and so Nwankpa steps in as an immediate replacement. Him, Brown and Mustapha are a nice trio.

2 Dontay Corleone, DT | Cincinnati
Still no OL, I know. But run defense is another major issue that we didn't solve with any long term options, opting to instead plug the hole with short FA signings. Dontay Corleone is a big body who specializes vs the run, but has enough twitch and heavy hands to stay in as a 3-down defender. I was very happy with the Evan Anderson UDFA signing, and I expect him to make the roster. The two of them solve a lot of the run defense issue.

3 Ajani Cornelius, RT | Oregon
Unfortunately, I think LT will have to wait another year. It'd be nice to throw darts at a Trent Williams replacement BEFORE it becomes a need, but we may need to just milk Trent for as long as we can and then look for a replacement in FA as his contract comes off the books. What we can't do, however, is go into an offseason needing TWO tackles. Ajani stands out when watching Jackson Powers-Johnson, and has all the tools you'd look for. In limited dedicated viewing, you do see a tendency to dip his head and whiff on blocks when attempting to engage defenders at the second level, but that's coachable. What isn't coachable is how efficiently he's able to get to that second level.

3 Parker Brailsford, C | TBD
Another lineman where I gotten a small preview when watching other OL prospects, as he was the center for Washington, who we know had the best OL in the country last year. Brailsford is TINY, listed at 275 lbs. He will be knocked back if left heads up vs a NT in 0, and you will need to have guards lend a helping (literal) hand. Without question, he needs to put on 20 lbs. That said, he reminds me of Drew Dalman who slipped up the 4th round for similar concerns, but is now a (damn good) starting center for Atlanta. Brailsford is naturally strong, well leveraged, intelligent, and athletic as all get out. He's not necessarily a people mover, but he does his job. Watch him vs Texas. Vs Byron Murphy, a 1st round DT with a 30 LB advantage, he held his own. Yes, the ball was coming out quick. Yes, Washington made sure to give him help. Yes, he was occasionally walked back, and yes he more "got in the way" than got Murphy out of the way. BUT he gets inside hands, he strains hard, he doesn't let go, and he anchors down. In run blocking, he can get anywhere on the field in a flash, and he's a finisher.

4 Thor Griffith, DT | Harvard
We'll be entering the 2025 season with a (32? 33?) Javon Hargrave, a few short term FA signings and question marks at DT. We need to restock 3T. Thor Griffith is a quick athletic DT from a lower level of competition.

5 Jasheen Davis, EDGE | Wake Forest
More of a designated pass rush specialist with explosiveness and bend.

6 Michael Trigg, TE | Ole Miss
Haven't watched him, but we need a tight end, and he seems cool. No idea as to projected draft value.

7 Derrick Canteen, CB | Cincinnati
Ball hawking CB at 6 ft 197 lbs. Was my sleeper for 2024 before he decided to go back to school. Let's run in back.

bonus draft crush: Elic Ayomanor, WR | Stanford
The next Michael Thomas if I do say so myself. I had him mocked to us before we doubled up at the position in 2024.

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:
When the Niners are drafting, it's never the "year of the trenches," especially on the offensive line. Niners front office treat their offensive linemen like a bunch of redheaded stepchildren, except Trent.

I think the poster went for the trenches on both sides of the ball. I was wondering where was the OL, but all in all it's a line heavy draft both ways. I can't be mad at edge in round 1. We are spending lots of money there but even if YGM and Floyd work out, both will only have a year left in 2025. A young edge guy, hopefully a more developed Beal, Bosa, Floyd, and YGM who likely will earn the biggest pay day he'll ever get should be formidable. As for the Deebo trade, I'd rather let his contract play out. But it was a sensible draft.