The 2024 season was one to forget for the San Francisco 49ers.
Injuries did play a key role in the disappointing season along with poor special teams play, a lack of discipline and costly penalties, a soft defense, and the offensive line struggled in pass protection. So it is not surprising that the 49ers wound up with the 11th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
San Francisco has a number of needs to fill on the roster. So what are those? According to Pro Football Focus (PFF) it is at guard, offensive tackle, and defensive line. Which is correct, yet there are other questions that general manager John Lynch needs to address.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw may not re-sign which means a big void to fill. Cornerback Charvarius Ward is a free agent and not likely to return. Safety Talanoa Hufanga is a free agent, has struggled to stay healty, and will likely get a contract that will pay him better elsewhere. Defensive Tackle Javon Hargrave will get released with a post-June 1 designation, though the team has indicated that he will likely get re-signed.
With Greenlaw, Ward, and Hufanga gone that does change the needs a bit for the 49ers. So it actually becomes linebacker, cornerback, defensive tackle, safety, offensive tackle, and guard.
Also, it makes sense for Lynch to trade down from the 11th spot. Yet if there are no trades here is a mock draft for the 49ers for 2025 addressing these needs.
No.11: Kelvin Banks Jr, Offensive Tackle, Texas
No.43: Xavier Watts, Safety, Notre Dame
No.75: Jeffrey Bassa, Linebacker, Oregon
No.99: Ar’maj Reed-Adams, Guard, Texas A&M
No.111: Jacob Parrish, Cornerback, Kansas State
No.137: Jonah Monheim, Center, USC
No.138: Nohl William, Cornerback, California
No.149: Rylie Mills, Defensive Tackle, Notre Dame
No.187: Samuel Brown, Wide Receiver, Miami
N0.256: Brian Ugwu, Defensive End, Miami (Ohio)