Locker describes the upcoming draft as "enormous" for San Francisco, which looks to rebuild a depleted roster following several key offseason departures.
"As San Francisco looks to get back to the postseason, immediate help is needed along the defensive line to go along with other depth," Locker wrote.
After a disappointing 2024 campaign that saw the team finish last in the NFC West with just six wins, the roster has only thinned further. General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan will look to their 11 draft picks—including the No. 11 overall selection—to restock the team with young, affordable talent.
Locker highlights edge rusher and interior defensive line as the 49ers' most urgent draft priorities. He also points to depth and future needs at offensive tackle, guard, linebacker, and cornerback.
"The 49ers recently boasted one of the most complete rosters in the NFL, but as this offseason has indicated, that is now far from true," Locker wrote. "The team's biggest deficiency is along the defensive line, which lost Leonard Floyd and Javon Hargrave — and which finished 2024 ranking 22nd in PFF overall grade, even with Nick Bosa's heroics."
San Francisco also lost veteran defensive tackle Maliek Collins, a 17-game starter in 2024, further depleting the unit.
"San Francisco is incredibly thin at both edge rusher and interior defender and figures to target one of the two at Pick No. 11 in the 2025 NFL Draft," Locker continued.
Many mock drafts support that idea, projecting the 49ers to bolster the offensive or defensive line with their first-round selection.
"With the loss of Aaron Banks in free agency, the 49ers also don't have a clear-cut starter at left guard, although Ben Bartch produced a 74.8 PFF overall grade on 65 snaps there last season," Locker added. "Dre Greenlaw is now in Denver, so the team also needs reinforcement at inside linebacker next to Fred Warner. The good news is that Trent Williams staved off retirement for one more year, although he played his fewest snaps since 2017 — and may be in for a swan song."
Cornerback isn't off the table either. Michigan's Will Johnson remains a popular mock draft selection for San Francisco, according to NFL Mock Draft Database. If the 49ers' top targets along the trenches are off the board early, the team could pivot to another position on Day 1.
"At cornerback, the Niners are in solid standing with Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green," Locker wrote, "but no other cornerback on the roster played even 300 snaps last year."
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