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[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers set to host a pre-draft visit with a wide receiver named Kyle Williams

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Williams had a career year at Washington State, but would he be an upgrade at the NFL level?

The San Francisco 49ers have been fond of prospects from the Senior Bowl over the years during the John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan regime.

On Monday morning, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweeted that the 49ers will meet with Washington State wide receiver Kyle Williams this week. That name will trigger 49ers fans until the end of time. However, it’s 2025, and the personnel folks on the Niners aren’t thinking about a playoff game from over a decade ago.

It’s difficult to get a read on Williams as Washington State ran a very rinky-dink, 7-on-7 offense. This will only work in college-type offenses. It was heavy RPO, screens, slants, quick curl routes, and go routes. Mix in a few shallow crossers, and that was the extent to which you got to see Williams run routes.

Williams is small in stature compared to NFL wide receivers. His height (16th percentile), weight (24th percentile), arm length, and hand size (9th percentile) are all worrisome. Williams ran a 4.40 40-yard dash, which is in the 85th percentile, but his 10-yard split (48th percentile) and broad jump (35th percentile) suggest he needs to build up speed and isn’t overly quick or explosive.

Williams had a career year in 2024 with 70 receptions on 101 targets for 1,196 yards and 14 touchdowns. I’m always leery of prospects with one “wow” year of production.

What makes Williams’ projection so challenging is that you can watch an entire Cougars game from last year, take Utah State, for example, and he might put up production in the box score, but none of what he puts on the field is sustainable to the next level.

Williams' speed shows up once the ball is in his hands. But as a route runner, he leaves a lot to be desired. He’s more of a one-speed type of wideout that doesn’t create separation. Of course, Kyle Shanahan’s offense does most of the work for you, but I struggle to see a player who should be taken in the top 50-75 based on the transferable traits to the next level.

I’d rather Jacob Cowing get the opportunities Williams would.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...liams-washington-state-jacob-cowing-nfl-draft

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers Mock Draft Monday: Defense wins Championships

Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

There’s a clear focus for the 49ers in this mock draft.

There are only 10 days left until the 2025 NFL Draft, where the San Francisco 49ers are slated to pick at No. 11 overall in the first round.

So, what better time for Mock Draft Monday? Last week, I brought out my three-round mock 1.0, where there was a clear focus on the trenches.

While the priorities remained the same heading into this mock draft, the direction that I went was slightly altered, based on how the board shaped out.

This one included a defense-heavy approach (once again) and another trade.

Round 1, Pick 14: Texas A&M DE Shemar Stewart​

Last time, I executed a trade back that was offered in the second round. This time, there was an early trade-up that I couldn’t pass up on.

I moved back from No. 11 to No. 14 with the Indianapolis Colts, getting the No. 80 pick back in return. There were plenty of viable options I was considering at No. 11, with several on the defensive line, including Stewart, Walter Nolen, Mike Green, Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams, James Pearce, and Derrick Harmon, among others.

That made me comfortable trading back with the Colts, who clearly wanted their top tight end on the board.

At No. 14, Green was off the board (his off-the-field concerns would’ve struck him from the options), so I went with Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart. The 6’5, 267-pound defensive lineman has some of the best traits of all-time, can be versatile, and has the potential to be a three-down player.

He has the mold of a player who can be special under defensive line coach Kris Kocurek. The elite length is a weapon off the edge. The power can hold up as a pass-rusher and a run-stopper. And the athleticism can be a disadvantage when used on the interior.

Round 2, Pick 42: Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison​

In my last mock draft, I executed a trade down here to secure another third-round pick. There, I took South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders, who could very well be an option at No. 42.

This time around, I went in a different direction, targeting Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison. Now, this pick comes with a caveat, as his medicals must be a green flag for the 49ers after the cornerback missed the 2024 season with a hip injury.

But, in a regular draft, Morrison would likely go in the first round, and he fills a need on the perimeter left by Charvarius Ward. He’d join Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green to form San Francisco’s new young cornerback trio, increasing the chances of having an elite secondary.

Morrison has good size at 6’0, 193 pounds, is suited for press coverage, and good instincts at the position, which the 49ers covet. He’s the pick at No. 42.

Round 3, Pick 75: Texas DT Alfred Collins​

After addressing the defensive line in the first round, I focused on the interior here by taking Collins early in the third round.

Collins could go before this, but the depth at defensive tackle could push him back, to the 49ers benefit. He is a big defensive tackle at 6’6, 332 pounds, and can defend the run well with his great physical traits.

Additionally, he has the potential to become a three-down player with his long arms and good power, which defensive line coach Kris Kocurek can harness to his advantage.

The 49ers need to take a defensive tackle on Day 1 or Day 2. Collins fits a key need and adds another piece to the revamped defensive line for the 49ers.

Round 3, Pick 80: Texas S Andrew Mukuba​

Entering this mock draft, I did not anticipate taking a safety, given the 49ers’ needs and moves this offseason.

San Francisco still has Malik Mustapha and Ji’Ayir Brown as young pieces drafted within the last two years. They signed Jason Pinnock to a one-year, fully-guaranteed, $2.2 million deal and Siran Neal to a two-year, $4 million deal worth $2.25 million guaranteed. They also have George Odum, who is entering the first year of a two-year, $7.5 million deal. And they added former second-round pick Richie Grant in free agency.

So, quite a few moves at safety this offseason, although none that were really earth-shattering.

Still, I went with a best-player-available approach here, and that led me to take Texas safety Andrew Mukuba at No. 80 with the pick I got from the Colts trade.

Standing 5’11, 186 pounds, Mukuba is a bit undersized for the position, but ran a 4.45 40-yard dash and has great instincts in the secondary. He seems like a versatile chess piece that San Francisco can move around in its defense, but needs more consistency when it comes to tackling, which has been a problem with 49ers safeties in the past.

Mukuba does have great ball skills, though, and head coach Kyle Shanahan’s Texas connection should provide great background when deeper further into the player.

Round 3, Pick 100: Tulsa LB Chris Paul Jr.​

Another mock draft, another linebacker at No. 100 in the third round. This time only, it’s Chris Paul Jr. instead of Barrett Carter.

Ultimately, I wasn’t sure that I’d be taking a linebacker either, given the other needs on the roster, but the board fell that way, leading me to Dre Greenlaw’s potential replacement: Chris Paul Jr.

At 6’1, 222 pounds, Paul has good burst paired with good instincts at the linebacker position, having a good overall foundation. That should pair well alongside a playmaker like Fred Warner, boosting Paul’s development.

Now, the 49ers struggled last year at the No. 2 linebacker spot alongside Warner, throwing a few different players in that position. Paul doesn’t have to step into that role in Year 1, but would definitely compete alongside Dee Winters as San Francisco gets younger at linebacker.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...wart-defense-wins-championships-kyle-shanahan

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers listed as top ‘trade up’ candidate in Round 1

Kim Klement-Imagn Images

San Francisco could be looking to jump into the Top 10 come draft day.

We’re officially nine days away from the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, where the San Francisco 49ers currently stand at the No. 11 overall pick.

Heading into the draft, it feels like the 49ers could be a wild-card team. In a class that isn’t perceived as very top-heavy, there don’t seem to be many trade-up or trade-down candidates inside the top 10.

But, at No. 11 is where things get interesting, especially if a quarterback starts to slide down or rise up the board.

Still, it’s unclear exactly what the 49ers' intentions are just days away from the draft, be it to stay pat, trade up, or even move down the board a couple of spots. But, all avenues are realistic, and ESPN’s Field Yates made the case for why San Francisco is a prime trade-up candidate in next week’s draft.

“The 49ers made one of the most audacious recent NFL draft trades, as they moved up nine spots a month before the draft in 2021 and eventually took quarterback Trey Lance,” Yates wrote. “I don’t anticipate a move anywhere near that bold this year, but here is a scenario to consider: If Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders goes third overall to the Giants, the chain reaction would likely include the Patriots taking Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter.”

Well, where would that leave the 49ers?

With two quarterbacks gone in the top four picks, as well as the top two perceived players in the draft with Carter and Hunter, that pushes other blue-chip players down the board, which could entice San Francisco.

“[Carter or Hunter going to New England] means the top two offensive tackles — LSU’s Will Campbell and Missouri’s Armand Membou — could reach the eighth pick of the draft,” Yates continued.

“Should that be the case, would San Francisco — with its major offensive line need — consider leapfrogging the Bears at No. 10 to draft one of them? The 49ers have a lot of holes to fill throughout the draft, but they also have 11 picks to work with — tied for the most.”

The 49ers have been very particular about the offensive tackles they target in the NFL Draft. There’s a reason they’ve passed on early candidates before and settled for specific types in the later rounds. So, if Membou or Campbell (or both) fit the needs that San Francisco looks for, they could very well execute a trade up to nab their preferred guy ahead of linemen-needy teams like the Chicago Bears or the New Orleans Saints.

Of course, many things would have to fall into place in this scenario, the main thing being Shedeur Sanders getting taken by the New York Giants at No. 3 overall.

The Patriots have been mocked to take the first lineman in several projections by analysts. However, if an elite talent like Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter makes it to No. 4, rather than being swooped up by the Giants, New England would probably change course, moving an offensive lineman down the board.

Behind them, the Jaguars have been heavily linked to top defensive tackle Mason Graham, while the Las Vegas Raiders are currently favored to take running back Ashton Jeanty, according to sportsbooks.

Then comes the New York Jets, who could very well take an offensive tackle early, potentially leaving the other of the duo available at No. 8, where Yates suggests a trade up for the 49ers.

This would be a move that only comes to fruition on draft night if the board falls right. But, it’s notable that there’s buzz for a potential trade-up for the 49ers.

San Francisco does have ample draft capital, holding 11 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, including four in the Top 100. So, a trade-up is feasible. Will it ultimately happen, though?

We’ll find out in nine days.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...-2025-nfl-draft-espn-kyle-shanahan-john-lynch

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers hosting visit with potential Trent Williams successor who has one significant red flag

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Just over a week out from the 2025 NFL Draft, the 49ers are hosting Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons for a visit at their facility

Regardless of whether it’s on the offensive side or on defense, the 49ers are widely expected to focus on the trenches in the 2025 NFL Draft, and they are reportedly hosting a premier talent who could help their O-Line significantly for a top-30 visit.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the 49ers are hosting Ohio State tackle Josh Simmons for a visit.

It is an intriguing development as Simmons is a prospect who could be viewed as a long-term successor to the 49ers’ future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams.

The 49ers have made it clear they expect Williams to return for what will be his 16th year in the league — though he missed the entirety of the 2019 campaign following surgery to remove a cancerous growth — but the events of the 2024 season made it clear they must eventually start planning for his retirement.

Williams was limited to just 10 games last season owing to ankle issues.

Simmons, who gave up only one sack in his time with the Buckeyes after transferring from San Diego State after the 2022 season, would fit the bill as an heir apparent.

With experience starting on both sides, he could theoretically displace Colton McKivitz at right tackle while waiting to take over from Williams on the left side. He ticks all the boxes the 49ers look for in terms of size, length and athleticism at over 6ft 4in and 317 pounds and has the versatility to excel in zone and gap schemes as a run blocker.

The red flag with Simmons, though, is his recent injury history. Simmons saw his 2024 season ended when he tore his patellar tendon in October.

As a likely first-round pick, teams will be doing all the homework they can on Simmons’ knee injury to make sure they are comfortable with it. The 49ers, knowing that the selection of a prospect coming off a serious injury with the 11th overall pick would attract criticism from some, are clearly doing their due diligence by getting him in the building.

If they are satisfied with what they learn from his visit, then Simmons could very well be in play as the 49ers’ left tackle of the future.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...t-williams-successor-one-significant-red-flag

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers OL suspended 6 games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances

Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Isaac Alarcon has not appeared in a regular season game and is unlikely to make the 49ers' 53-man roster.

According to the NFL’s transaction wire, San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Isaac Alacron will be suspended without pay for the first six games of the 2025 regular season for violating the NFL’s Performance-Enhancing Substances Policy.

Alarcon can still participate in offseason activities like OTAS, training camp, and even preseason games, but his suspension begins once the regular season starts. Alarcon is part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.

It’s hardly a hit to the 49ers' depth chart, as they enter the offseason with Trent Williams, Colton McKivitz, Sebastian Gutierrez, Austen Pleasants, and Jalen McKenzie at tackle on the roster. Kyle Shanahan and the Niners could very well cut Alarcon to get another body in the building, and they believe they would have an opportunity to earn a roster spot on the final 53-man roster.

Alarcon played 31 snaps in the first preseason game last year, but only 15 in Week 2 and 24 in Week 3. He’d appeared in each preseason game since 2022, but has not taken a regular-season snap with the 49ers.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...colton-mckivitiz-kyle-shanahan-trent-williams

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers draft scenario: 3 realistic trade up options in the 1st round

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If the 49ers are interested in moving up in the NFL Draft, it’ll be for these prospects

We’ve examined the scenarios of the San Francisco 49ers picking at 11 and trading back, depending on how the board falls.

It only makes sense that the next scenario we explore is the most fun: the idea of the 49ers trading up in next week’s draft.

Two slots make sense for John Lynch, depending on whether Lynch and the 49ers want to take a swing at one of the two top prospects in this draft or if they want to ensure they get one of the top players at a position of need.

With Cam Ward proclaiming Treylon Burks a top-four wide receiver in the league this week, I think it’s safe to say it’s a certainty the Titans make him the first overall selection. That allows Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter to drop to the third pick. That might be enough to get Lynch to pick up the phone and see what it would take to move up and swap with the Giants to get the player that falls to three.

With Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen’s seats on fire, it would make sense for the Giants to select a quarterback, but after Ward, no quarterbacks in this draft scream top-three pick. Maybe the Giants fall back to 11 to not only get either Jaxson Dart or Shedeur Sanders (if we want to get weird, perhaps even Tyler Shough) while collecting a future first-round pick as a preservation attempt for Daboll and Schoen.

In this hypothetical, the best-case scenario for the 49ers is that Cleveland goes with the two-way star Hunter, allowing San Francisco to nab Carter and finally find a long-term solution across Nick Bosa. Carter turned plenty of heads with his 2024 performance at Penn State, finishing with 12.5 sacks, 66 pressures, and 23.5 tackles for loss. His impact in both the pass and run game would greatly help a 49ers defense that struggled and is looking for a reinvigoration under Robert Saleh.

If Cleveland decides to pair Carter with their all–pro pass-rusher Myles Garrett, Hunter would not be a bad consolation, especially for Kyle Shanahan. While he won a Heisman because of his two-way play, there are questions about whether Hunter can do the same at the NFL level. Everything about Hunter screams top-level cornerback: his length, ball skills, and athleticism, to name a few. Not only would he shore up a 49ers cornerback room that already includes Deommore Lenoir and Renardo Green, but Hunter would offer Shanahan a unique and potentially elite weapon to use, even if it’s for just 15-20 snaps per game.

If San Francisco doesn’t want to lose future picks to move up to three, the next potential move-up spot would be with Carolina at eight. The Panthers have more than one need, and with Carolina scheduled to make nine picks, they could be in the market to move back a few picks to gain more picks.

However, the only way a small move up like this makes sense for the 49ers is if a top player at a position of need is still available when the Panthers are on the clock. That list would likely include Mason Graham, Will Campbell, or Armand Membou.

Jalon Walker could also be a fascinating move-up target. While there are concerns about Walker’s size, his versatility and upside are intriguing enough that he’s expected to be among the first ten selected. His versatility alone could prove to be beneficial in Saleh’s defense if he pans out.

There’s always a risk involved when trading up (see the 49ers 2021 draft), but given the right player, a move-up might be a necessary risk for a 49ers team needing to find an impact player or two in the draft.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4/17/24410294/49ers-armand-membou-will-campbell-mason-graham

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: Can we get this Brock extension over with already

Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images

Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Friday, April 18th, 2025

Insider: Brock Purdy unlikely to accept 49ers’ latest contract offer

““According to Barrows, the following players met with the 49ers in Santa Clara:

• OT Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
• OT Anthony Belton, N.C. State
• OT Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon
• OT Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
• OL Jonah Monheim, USC
• DT Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech
• DE Elijah Roberts, SMU
• DE David Walker, Central Arkansas”

49ers’ pre-draft visit list: Team appears poised to take a tackle in Round 2 (paywall)

“Teams can bring in as many as 30 prospects, and Wednesday was the final day they could visit. The names below are the ones I was able to confirm by sources with knowledge of the visit or by a player’s social media account. I was not able to verify visits by Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams and South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders, which were reported by other outlets. Three other names listed elsewhere, but not here, did not end up visiting.”

With Brock Purdy, the 49ers don’t need to draft a QB. Here’s why they should (paywall)

“Not long after Lance left NDSU, Miller became the starter at the FCS school that has produced three QBs who were NFL draft picks since 2016. A four-year starter, Miller will likely be a late-round selection after he led the Bison to two national championships and finished second last year in voting for the Walter Payton Award, given to the FCS’ top offensive player. Miller completed 72.6% of his passes and threw for 52 touchdowns with eight interceptions in his final two seasons.

Miller shares qualities with Purdy. He’s known for his accuracy, anticipation and elusiveness — and he doesn’t have ideal size (6-foot-1, 215 pounds) or impressive arm strength. Miller made 56 college starts — Purdy had 46 — but against lesser competition. Lance, now on the Chargers, his third NFL team, has struggled to make the leap from FCS to the NFL.”

49ers sign veterans Tonges, Pleasants to one-year contracts

“San Francisco tendered Pleasants for the upcoming 2025 season with a non-guaranteed contract of $960,000.

Tonges joined the 49ers’ practice squad in 2023. He appeared in 16 games last season. Tonges saw limited time as a reserve tight end. He was also one of the team’s core special-teams players.”

49ers hosted Western Kentucky CB Upton Stout on pre-draft visit

“An undersized cornerback who spent much of his time playing wide corner, Stout has the twitch and athleticism to project inside,” wrote NFL Media analyst Lance Zierlein in his draft profile. “What he lacks in length he makes up for with his competitiveness. He’s a natural pattern reader with the hips and feet to match breaks without giving up much separation.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...-draft-visit-offensive-tackles-defensive-ends

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

NFL analyst makes the case for the 49ers to take a defensive tackle projected to go in Round 2

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Niners are in need of a defensive tackle in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The San Francisco 49ers are less than a week away from the 2025 NFL Draft as they wrap up their Top-30 visits, bringing in players at several positions of need.

Among the group was Toledo defensive tackle Darius Alexander, who has risen up boards during the pre-draft process thanks to a strong athletic showing at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.

Alexander was one of several defensive tackles to come to San Francisco on a top-30 visit, joining Ole Miss’s Walter Nolen, Tennessee’s Omar Norman-Lott, Virginia Tech’s Aeneas Peebles, and Ohio State’s Tyliek Williams.

Currently, Alexander is seen as a Day 2 pick by multiple draft pundits, including NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein, who pointed out the defensive tackle’s sneaky pass-rush ability.

“Interior lineman with the size, length and physicality for consideration in odd or even fronts,” Zierlein wrote bout the Toledo product. “Alexander is capable of destroying blocks, but he needs to do a better job of balancing his force to control the action at the point of attack. He can hold his ground when he’s staying low, but the pad level is inconsistent and causes his gap constriction to be hit-or-miss.

“Alexander has above-average rush acumen. He does a nice job of utilizing his traits and crafting a plan of attack. His best football could be ahead of him, but for now, he projects as an average rotational player or backup.”

On Thursday, one week out from the draft, NFL analyst Brian Baldinger joined 95.7 The Game to make the case for the 49ers selecting Alexander next week.

“Darius Alexander caught my eye at the Senior Bowl this year like he did a lot of guys, including [49ers general manager] John Lynch, who was watching him every day in the pits,” Baldinger said. “6’4, 305, played for Toledo. A four-year player for Toledo. But what jumps out, and what I saw at the Senior Bowl was fast twitch. He can explode. He gets off blocks quickly. He uses his length to stack and shed, and that’s what you wanted to see.

“Coming from Toledo at the Mid-America Conference, you want to see him play up and look like he belonged. Well, that’s what we saw at the Senior Bowl. That’s what you saw when he played Pitt this year, when he played Mississippi State. He looks like an SEC defensive lineman. It’s a great draft—a deep draft—for defensive line. Darius Alexander, let’s consider him.”

The 49ers have several options at the top of the draft, but defensive line, specifically defensive tackle, is a priority for San Francisco after releasing Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins this offseason.

San Francisco could target Alexander in Round 2 or Round 3 to add to their defensive line, potentially even pairing him up with another draftee at the position in a deep class.

They’ve been well-connected to him throughout the pre-draft process, seeing him up close at the Senior Bowl before hosting him on the Top-30 visit this month. He could very well be in consideration next week.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...l-draft-toledo-dt-darius-alexander-strong-fit

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

How open do you see the 49ers’ Super Bowl window?

Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images

With so many losses and a quarterback contract imminent, do you see that window nearly shut, or on the cusp of swinging wide open once more?

The San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl window isn’t shut—but you can get your hand on the glass. This team is going to look very different in 2025. Roster turnover? Expected. This much? Maybe not. Few saw the level of attrition coming this offseason, and it’s clear the 49ers are pivoting toward youth, something they began with the 2024 draft and are continuing with the 2025 NFL Draft.

Has their Super Bowl window closed? Not according to Zoltán Buday at Pro Football Focus, who ranked San Francisco No. 7 in his “Super Bowl Window” rankings. Pretty generous, considering they finished last in the NFC West and watched a string of key veterans exit. The Los Angeles Rams—you know, the team that seems to dodge cap gravity like it’s a hobby—are right behind them at No. 8. So, at least within the division, the 49ers are still in the mix.

Here’s what Buday had to say on the ranking:

Some might argue that San Francisco’s Super Bowl window was abruptly shut in 2024 when the 49ers finished last in their division and missed the playoffs. Brock Purdy’s expected contract extension could also make things more difficult for the franchise when it comes to building the roster.

While that almost certainly will impact the 49ers’ long-term chances, the current roster could still compete for a Super Bowl in 2025. Although left tackle Trent Williams, tight end George Kittle and running back Christian McCaffrey could all be considered older at their positions, when healthy, they are still among the best in the NFL.

Compete? Yes. Win it? Who knows, but I’m not putting money on it. The 49ers had a quiet and underwhelming free agency period due to all the dead money accumulated over the years. They are in a good spot to maybe win the NFC West, but the more you look at it, the more this year is going to be them working/developing the rookies and getting the younger guys, at large, ready to go and make a run in 2026.

Sure they have Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, and Brandon Aiyuk along with Christian McCaffrey as weapons for Brock Purdy (provided they can get the deal done), but they also have those weapons playing alongside an offensive line that has Trent Williams Dominick Puni and not much else besides George Kittle being a master of everything.

They have Robert Saleh back as defensive coordinator, but just the addition of Saleh doesn’t solve the pass-rush problem. Or the second-level void left by Greenlaw. Or the fact that this team is going to rely heavily on rookies to play key roles, on both sides of the ball.

The 49ers will start moving to a young team, and a team like that will need experience. There might be a lot more rookies playing this year than last, and with that comes lots of screwing up (good).

If the 49ers are in contention for 2025, it’s a massive win for Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch and likely means the window was pushed wide open for 2026.

How open do you see the 49ers' Super Bowl window?

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4/19/24411566/49ers-roster-draft-rumors-rookies-super-bowl-window

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Can you guess this 49ers running back in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Niners player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

Hey Niners Nation! We’re back for another day of the Niners Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Niners Nation in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Friday, April 18, 2025
Thursday, April 17, 2025
Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

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Niners Nation in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct 49ers player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4/19/24411865/sb-nation-49ers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Can you guess this 49ers tight end in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Niners player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

Hey Niners Nation! We’re back for another day of the Niners Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Niners Nation in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Saturday, April 19, 2025
Friday, April 18, 2025
Thursday, April 17, 2025

Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

NFL in-5
MLB in-5
MMA in-5

Niners Nation in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct 49ers player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4/20/24412384/sb-nation-49ers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Report: 49ers star a ‘longshot’ to report to start of offseason program amid contract talks

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The 49ers tight end may be in the middle of a contract dispute.

The biggest headline for the San Francisco 49ers this offseason has been the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, who is in line to earn a lucrative, multi-year deal in the coming months.

The timeline for that, however, is cloudy, which is becoming more and more important as the 49ers' offseason program begins on Tuesday. Will Purdy show up to practice? Or will the quarterback elect to stay away from the team as he looks for a new deal?

“There has been some progress toward a multi-year extension for [Brock] Purdy that will likely pay him more than $50 million a year,” The Athletic’s Mike Silver reported on Monday. “The question is, how much progress? If Purdy shows up on Tuesday, it’s a sign that he and his agent believe they are very close to striking a deal. If he doesn’t, that probably indicates that some significant obstacles remain. As of now, no decision has been made.”

Purdy’s average annual salary on his new deal has been a big talking point, as many are questioning how high the 49ers are willing to go on a contract extension. Currently, a salary of $50 million per year would rank 11th among quarterbacks in the NFL.

Key points in extension talks could be deals that have come together for other quarterbacks over the last two offseasons. Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence, and Joe Burrow each got $55 million per year on their respective deals. And Tua Tagovailoa and Jared Goff both got at least $53 million per year on their extensions last offseason.

Purdy isn’t the only one dealing with extension talks for the 49ers this offseason. San Francisco has also looked to extend linebacker Fred Warner, who is entering year four of a five-year, $95 million deal, and tight end George Kittle, who is heading into the final year of his five-year, $75 million contract.

What is the latest on both of those situations?

“[Fred] Warner and the 49ers have yet to have any substantive talks about a possible extension, but the veteran team leader is likely to report,” Silver continued. “[George] Kittle, heading into the final year of a five-year, $75-million deal, is much more of a longshot, as he and the 49ers remain far apart in discussions about a new deal.”

Warner signed his five-year deal a few days before training camp back in 2021, but there weren’t many hiccups with his contract, as the 49ers weren’t battling many other teams in the linebacker market.

Kittle, on the other hand, had a strenuous negotiation with the 49ers for his five-year deal back in 2020. Since getting his $15 million-per-year deal, though, Kittle has been leapfrogged by Arizona’s Trey McBride (4 years, $76 million), Travis Kelce (2 years, $34.25 million), and Minnesota’s T.J. Hockenson (4 years, $66 million).

McBride’s is the most recent deal, resetting the tight end market, and could be the baseline for Kittle’s next deal, as the 49ers star is still arguably the best tight end in the NFL.

His not reporting for the offseason program would be a big deal, as it signifies another player where the 49ers have not gotten an extension done early and have been hurt as a result.

The 2025 NFL Draft is just a few days away, but it seems the 49ers have their hands full this offseason with contract negotiations yet again.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...to-report-to-offseason-program-contract-talks

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: Who will report today?

Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images

Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025

(paywall)

Will 49ers’ Brock Purdy report to offseason workouts without a contract extension? (paywall)

“If Purdy doesn’t report Tuesday, it could indicate contract negotiations are acrimonious. If Purdy is in Santa Clara, it could partly be because it’s highly unlikely that he could suffer an injury over the next five weeks. It’s a significant factor for a player such as Purdy, who is likely to sign a contract that could average at least $50 million per year that will include a huge amount of fully guaranteed money. Purdy is scheduled to earn $5.3 million this season in the final year of his deal.

The first phase of the NFL’s offseason program spans two weeks and is limited to meetings, strength and conditioning and rehab. The second phase, which lasts three weeks, includes on-field work, but players don’t wear helmets and any drills in which offensive and defensive players face each other are conducted at half speed. The 49ers don’t begin the third phase, which includes non-contact, full-speed OTA practices, until May 27.”

Albert Breer suggests 49ers could ‘take a swing’ on this D-lineman

“Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen may go higher than you think,” Breer wrote in his Monday morning feature for Sports Illustrated. “Some teams believe he projects better to the NFL than Graham. The character/entitlement question is what you have to get past. But if you have solid infrastructure, as well as locker room and defensive line room, the payoff could be big. So if the San Francisco 49ers are willing to take a swing …”

Regarding those character concerns, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently reported, “Multiple scouts have maturity concerns ... There are several NFL scouting reports that reflect Nolen’s history of walking off the practice field mid-session due to frustration. Opinions of his team interviews are varied, but one NFL personnel executive said Nolen came across as someone who wants to improve and shed bad habits.”

49ers 7-round mock draft: Mykel Williams and Tyleik Williams bolster D-line (paywall)

“San Francisco, which has been searching for Nick Bosa’s bookend since the end of the 2019 season, finds one in the sturdy, long-armed Williams. No, his 2024 numbers — five sacks last season — don’t scream early first-round pick. But keep in mind that he played with a high ankle sprain for most of 2024, sat out two and a half games and was part of a defensive front that heavily rotated its players. Williams also is still two months shy of his 21st birthday. His best is yet to come.”

2025 NFL Draft confidential: Woe is the team in need of a quarterback this year (paywall)

“[Shemar Stewart] is an avatar,” said DL coach No. 2. “If he hits, he hits. I don’t know why he didn’t have more sacks. I just think he plays lost. Everybody thinks they can fix it. This is like taking a receiver who only had 15 catches. He was happy-go-lucky, a little aloof in the meetings, but you see him walk in and it’s like holy hell! You can say Rashan Gary only had 3.5 sacks in his last year at Michigan, but Rashan is an alpha. This kid is very nice. You want to go to Starbucks with him.”

“I’d be wary,” said the scouting director. “He’s a freak athlete, no question. I just don’t know if he’s a good football player.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...-extension-workouts-nfl-draft-mocks-offseason

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

George Kittle passes on 49ers voluntary conditioning as extension talks continue

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The 49ers quarterback will be there, but not their longest tenured player.

As earlier reports suggested, the San Francisco 49ers will not have veteran tight end George Kittle at their voluntary conditioning workouts this week. With the Niners and Kittle engaged in ongoing negotiations for a contract extension, there is an extra microscope on Kittle’s decision, especially in contrast to Brock Purdy opting to attend amidst his own negotiation.

49ers general manager John Lynch spoke with reporters on Tuesday and was asked about negotiations with Kittle. While The Athletic’s Mike Silver reported that the Niners and Kittle were not close to an agreement, Lynch’s comments gave no cause for alarm. Although he has never been someone to let problems emerge through public comments.

“We’ll see on that,” Lynch said when asked if Kittle would be back with the team for 11-on-11 OTAs. “These things are voluntary right now. Again, we’ve had good communication. Good talks, and we’ll see where that goes.”

While 49ers fans have an understandable fear surrounding extension negotiations, given the trend of tumultuous negotiations between the team and several franchise cornerstones over the years, it is still very early in the offseason. As ESPN’s 49ers beat reporter Nick Wagoner noted, it is not uncommon for veterans (including Kittle) to skip voluntary conditioning for no significant reason.

There is no reason for alarm yet. If we reach the midsummer months, and reports continue suggesting the two sides are far apart and Kittle remains away from the team, then the fan base will have far more significant reason for concern.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...rge-kittle-skips-49ers-voluntary-conditioning

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Can you guess this 49ers linebacker in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Niners player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

Hey Niners Nation! We’re back for another day of the Niners Nation in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

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The goal of the game is to guess the correct 49ers player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4/23/24414658/sb-nation-49ers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers draft: Would you rather have Armand Membou or Mason Graham if they fell to the 11th pick?

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Should the 49ers take one of the top offensive tackles if they fall to No. 11?

With the 2025 NFL Draft just one day away, it’s seeming more and more like the San Francisco 49ers will take either an offensive lineman or a defensive lineman with their first-round pick.

The only questions are 1) which one, and 2) what happens if top players at both positions are on the board?

Well, that’s exactly what happened in ESPN’s Matt Miller’s latest mock draft, where he compiled notes from NFL scouts and evaluators to make up his final first-round mock.

The first four picks went as expected: Cam Ward to Tennessee, Travis Hunter to Cleveland, Abdul Carter to New York, and Will Campbell to New England.

After that came the first domino, as Miller had the Jacksonville Jaguars take running back Ashton Jeanty at No. 5 overall over a wide receiver (Tetairoa McMillan) or an option in the trenches (Mason Graham).

With Jeanty gone at No. 5, the Los Vegas Raiders took an offensive tackle, only not the one that many have mocked to them in recent weeks: Texas’s Kelvin Banks Jr.

“Multiple sources told me the Raiders could go offensive line here despite being heavily connected to Jeanty and Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham,” Miller wrote. “With Kolton Miller not locked up long-term, Banks would be the answer at left tackle.”

So, Banks going means that both Graham and offensive tackle Armand Membou fell to No. 7.

Then came another surprise: the New York Jets taking Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker over a tight end (Tyler Warren), a cornerback (Jahdae Barron), or an offensive tackle (Armand Membou).

“Here’s a curveball [at No. 7]. In multiple talks with sources, the Jets were mentioned as a team that wants an impact defender but most importantly desires a culture-building leader,” Miller shared. “That’s Walker, whom coaches and scouts agree is one of the most-loved players in this class. The Jets could also be in play for tight end Tyler Warren (Penn State) or cornerback Jahdae Barron (Texas) based on what scouts are saying.

Following that, the Carolina Panthers took a defensive lineman, only it was Walter Nolen, whom the 49ers have been mocked to quite a bit, rather than Graham, as the first defensive tackle off the board.

The New Orleans continued the trend of front seven players by taking Georgia’s Mykel Williams at No. 9 in Miller’s mock, taking another possibility off the board for the 49ers. Chicago followed that up with Michigan tight end Colston Loveland at No. 10, adding a playmaker for Caleb Williams and leaving a plethora of options for the 49ers.

San Francisco has been in need of an offensive tackle for the future, with Trent Williams nearing retirement and Colton McKivitz having one year left on his deal. And they fell into the possibility of taking one in this mock draft with Armand Membou sliding to No. 11.

But, Miller has the 49ers focusing on the other side of the ball with another sliding player, taking Mason Graham, and shoring up their interior defensive line.

“The 49ers were very active bringing in offensive tackles for predraft visits,” Miller wrote. “According to team sources, they hosted Banks, Josh Simmons (Ohio State) and Josh Conerly Jr. (Oregon), but with Banks off the board they would pivot to a “best player available” approach versus drafting right tackle Armand Membou (Missouri).

The 49ers have been connected to Banks throughout the pre-draft process, and he has received a lot of buzz heading into the draft as a possible top-10 pick. But, it’s interesting that Miller believes San Francisco would bypass another top offensive tackle for a defensive tackle, given the depth at both positions in the draft.

Graham is considered one of the blue-chip prospects in this class, so his falling to No. 11 would be a favorable scenario for the 49ers. And it seems that could be more of a reality than previously suggested, with other prospects getting more buzz heading into draft day.

Another intriguing note from Miller’s mock draft was the Houston Texans selecting Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons at No. 25. Why exactly?

Well, the analyst noted that Simmons’s ceiling seems to be No. 11, where the 49ers are picking in the first round.

“Simmons’ draft range is among the widest on the board, according to scouts,” Miller wrote. “Some said he could come off the board as early as No. 11, while others said he could slip out of Round 1 because of concerns about interviews and his patella tendon tear sustained in October. Per one scout, the Texans are desperate to fix their offensive line. Guard Tyler Booker (Alabama) has also been mentioned as a target here.”

Simmons hasn’t been considered much in mock drafts due to his patella tendon injury. But, he could be a dark horse option for the 49ers, depending on how the board falls tomorrow evening.

What would you do in this scenario? Scroll down and let us know in the comments.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...l-draft-mason-graham-over-armand-membou-at-11

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

3 draft prospects for the 49ers to monitor after Day 1 of the NFL Draft

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Everyone is ready for round one, but the draft is won in the later rounds

Day one of the NFL Draft kicks off tonight in Green Bay, and all eyes are on the San Francisco 49ers and their selection at pick 11. If we’re reading the pre-draft tea leaves, the 49ers will add a defensive lineman in the first round. Whether that is Walter Nolen from Ole Miss, Derrick Harmon from Oregon, or Mykel Williams from Georgia remains to be seen. There is even the possibility that Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham falls into the 49ers’ lap with a top-ten shakeup.

While the first round is the team’s best chance to add an instant impact player, days two and three offer intriguing options, and a team’s draft is judged by how its class performs coming from the later rounds.

Here are three names to monitor after day one.

Jalen Rivers, T, Miami

Rivers played parts of five seasons for the Hurricanes, but his 2024 campaign was his best. Posting a career-best 78.8 pass-blocking grade and only allowing one sack, one QB hit, seven hurries, and nine pressures over 348 pass-blocking snaps, Rivers excelled in his shortened season due to a leg injury.

Replacing Trent Williams isn’t an easy task, but Rivers could be the answer at left tackle. The end of the 2024 season was Rivers’ time to shine, posting a season-high 90.9 pass-blocking grade in Week 14, followed by an 81.0 pass-blocking grade against Iowa State, while only allowing one pressure and one QB hit over the final two weeks.

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, EDGE, Georgia

Mykel Williams has garnered more attention for obvious reasons, but Ingram-Dawkins could be an intriguing day-three addition. The Georgia EDGE rusher only tallied nearly 375 snaps in his first three seasons combined, but in 2024 was on the field for 536 snaps.

Round five is the sweet spot for Ingram-Dawkins and exactly the place to take the risk of developing a raw pass rusher. If Kris Kocurek is who you think he is, then this is a worthwhile risk. Totaling 19 pressures, three sacks, and 15 hurries. This is a low-risk, high-reward pick.

The concerns come in the form of inexperience and the high number of missed tackles. In back-to-back seasons, Ingram-Dawkins missed 12 tackles while only finishing with 19 total tackles combined. 34.7 tackling grade is majorly concerning. Still, it’s a late-round flier and could be worth the pick in the fifth round.

Teddye Buchanan, LB, California

After a four-year stint with UC Davis, Buchanan transferred to Cal and sparkled in 2024. 77.5 defensive grade, 71.8 run defense grade, 83.5 tackling grade, 74.3 pass rushing grade, and 76.2 coverage grade while adding six sacks, 75 tackles, 48 defensive stops, and three forced fumbles.

Buchanan attended the 49ers' local pro day, so there is a connection, but finding Dre Greenlaw’s long-term replacement on day three would be an incredible win for the organization. 871 snaps is an every-down linebacker and even in 2023 was stellar at UC Davis with career-high run defense and pass rush grades of 85.4 and 90.4.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...nitor-after-day-1-of-the-nfl-draft-john-lynch

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Kyle Shanahan confirms that John Lynch attempted to trade up for Mykel Williams

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The 49ers top head honchos talk about their first round pick, Mykel Williams

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch spoke to the media after their first-round selection to discuss Mykel Williams. Lynch was asked why te team picked Williams and what stood out about him:

“Everything. I think the totality of the whole process. The film is very impressive. Mykel is a big, good looking kid in every way. He’s big, he’s tall, he’s long. He’s a great athlete. He’s tough, he’s smart. He can play outside. He can play inside. He does all those things. I think the toughness, he played through an ankle injury last year. Missed two games, but a high-ankle sprain can be a tough deal. To only miss two games and play as well as he did. He came through here on a 30 visit. We really got a feel for this kid. And I just think that, all of that led us to this guy is a Niner. He fits who we are. Our culture. And we pounced when he was there.”

Laughing, Lynch said the 49ers tried to trade up for Williams: “Thank god they took someone else when they picked because he was still there. So, we’re happy.”

The follow-up question asked was whether Williams was who the 49ers had in mind at No. 11, and if not, who else they had in mind. Here’s Shanahan:

“Yeah, definitely. That’s the hardest thing. You have to have a number of guys who you really want. But you definitely have to know who you’re going to take first. My wife and kids, I told them who I wanted last night. I trust them. None of you guys know them. I told them Mykel, but I don’t think he’s gonna be there.

So I tell them other people who we might think about. My wife calls me this morning that she just read a mock draft that he’s going No. 28, and she was worried that we were just dead wrong about everything. But we had a good idea that he was going earlier. But you don’t actually know. We thought about going up. John definitely attempted for a sec, and I was like, ‘good decision, I think we should definitely go.’

But they shot him down, so we were ready to watch him go away. And we were ready to go to our second and third. But he didn’t go where we thought he was going to go. And he got to our pick, and I go, ‘I can’t believe you tried to trade. Of course he was coming.’ That’s the hard thing about the draft. You never know. We stuck there and waited for our guy, and got the guy we wanted.”

The 49ers might have given up a valuable pick when they didn’t need to. There was a report that Carolina was looking to trade the 8th overall pick. Perhaps that’s who the mystery team that shot them down was. The Panthers ended up taking a wide receiver and would have risked the Dallas Cowboys or another team jumping them had they moved back to 11.

Kris Kocurek told Lynch that Williams is the best edge setter in college football and that he’s the best edge setter in this draft class. Lynch said, “If that’s the premise of what we want in an edge guy, then he does it extremely well.”

Lynch spoke about Williams’ age:

“Him being 20 years old, but having a maturity and a way about him when he came through here. We felt that. We felt his presence. They talk about it at Georgia. His leadership and all those things, you could feel it. He just, very comfortable under his own skin. That was impressive when you put it together with his film.”

How about Williams as a pass rusher? Here’s Lynch:

“I think he has a lot of upside. His skill set is a guy that can rush with power. He’s a good enough athlete. He’s got some wiggle. He’s extremely proficient when they run games, for that big of an athlete, he’s a really good stop-start. Sometimes, those guys can get going, but when a quarterback steps up, they can’t change direction. I think he can do that really well.

He’s got a lot of attributes. He’s obviously got to come put them together. But we’re excited to work with him.”

Shanahan believes Williams progressed as the year went along:

“It’s awesome that the more you watch him, the better he gets. When you see how he uses his length and his arms and stuff, that stuff doesn’t jump off the tape with everyone. When you first turn on Nick [Bosa], when he was at Ohio State, you don’t appreciate him the first time you watch him. But the more you watch him, the more you realize how much of a ninja he is with his hands and hand placement. That’s how Mykel grows on you, too.

‘Man, this guy, I knew he was good, but he’s a lot better than I thought. And they love him over guards. But he can also do it outside just as well. So to have that versatility in two areas that can help us a lot, to be as physical in the run game, that’s why he was the guy we were hoping for for a while.”

Shanahan said he wasn’t sure about Williams’ stats.

“If you see something that’s alarming, and there are a bunch of stats that match up when you watch the tape, those questions don’t come up, and if it’s something alarming, and there are a bunch of stats that match it, it all stacks up. But when you watch the tape, those questions don’t come up.

That’s not what I see. I see a guy that’s really hard to block in the run game and in the pass game. He’s hard to block for tackles, hard to block for guards. I think that’s what’s really cool with college football now. Half these guys that come out, the majority of these guys are 24-25. We have a 20-year-old who looks like a man on tape. To look like a man on tape when you’re going against 25-year-olds is a big difference.

I’m excited to see him in the NFL five years from now when he’s only 25.”

How much did Williams’s ankle injury factor into his lack of production? How much more difficult did that make his evaluation process? Here’s Lynch:

“I think when a guy as a body of work, you almost appreciate that. You don’t like that he had an ankle injury, but you give him a ton of credit that, Matt Barrows, you just mentioned Will Muschamp, Will just texted me, ‘This guy plays..he’s tough as you know what..this guy played through an ankle injury the entire year, and missed two games. He’s tough, he’s smart, and he’s got huge upside.’

All the things we saw, and when you see the previous years and all that, and he’s doing great. Just had a Pro Day, and looked really good. Our docs checked him out.”

Shanahan continued:

“High ankle sprains are as nagging of an injury as you can have. Most people are out a month with them. But when you’re out a month, they still linger all year. So when you watch his tape, and I watched it before I see everyone, especially the top guys, then I get in there, and I hear some of the stuff. I liked him not knowing that.

Then you hear that stuff. That says a lot about his character, with how tough he plays. He only missed two games because of it. But also the fact, he’s not healthy either. I know how much high-ankle sprains linger. So when you see that and when you know he’s playing through that, I look at it like a huge bonus.”

Lynch said the 49ers are excited to pair Williams with Bosa, but they’re not finished along the defensive line.

“We still need more. We got 10 more picks, and he won’t be the only D-lineman. We’ve got to keep going. We always talked about how they’re kind of the engine that stirs our defense. We’ve got some work to do. We know that. But this guy is a great core piece moving forward and a great bookend with Bosa, who also has the versatility, along with Yetur [Gross-Matos], to kind of play throughout the line, so I think that’s kind of exciting with all of the different combinations we can have.”

We’ll talk about the best players available later this morning.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...kel-williams-fits-the-49ers-culture-nfl-draft

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

The 49ers just did something for the first time in 25 years in the NFL Draft

Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images

The Niners selected Upton Stout at pick No. 100, making him their fourth defensive pick in tis draft. That’s the first time the 49ers have used all four of their picks to start a draft on defense since 2000.

Would Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers offense make a selection on Day 2 of the draft? It had been all defensive picks to start. The answer would turn out to be no.

With the 100th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the 49ers selected Western Kentucky defensive back Upton Stout, who was in Santa Clara on a visit recently.

This is the first time since 2000 that the 49ers used their first four picks on defense. That season, they drafted Julian Peterson, Ahmed Plummer, John Engelberger, and Jason Webster.

In my first mock draft, I selected Stout in the 4th round:

Stout is small in stature. He’s listed at 5’8, 178 pounds. Watching the Jets safeties under Robert Saleh, they were undersized cornerbacks moonlighting as safeties. They were better in pass coverage and could be used as extra slot defenders. Stout has the type of aggression and twitch to give the 49ers versatility in the secondary.

He lined up primarily in the slot at Western Kentucky but would occasionally rotate deep at safety or line up wide at cornerback. Whether he turns into a special teams demon or a quality role player, Stout has similar qualities on the field that drew the Niners to an undersized Deommodore Lenoir on Day 3 of the draft. We’re getting value here with Stout due to his size.

Despite being on the smaller side, Stout only had two missed tackles this past season and had nine tackles for loss.

Physical Profile:

• Height: 5’9”
• Weight: 177 pounds
• 40-yard dash: 4.47 seconds
• 10-yard split: 1.51 seconds
• Vertical jump: 35.5 inches
• Broad jump: 10’1”
• Bench press: 16 reps at 225 pounds
• Arm length: 30 1/4 inches
• Hand size: 8 7/8 inches

Stout’s broad jump is in the 85th percentile, and his bench press is in the 89th percentile. Versatility and physicality are traits each of the prospects the 49ers drafted have in common. Stout’s best traits are his play speed, instincts, transition, and closing speed.

He spent 53 percent of his snaps in the slot last season. In 2023, it was only 31 percent. Stout has bounced back and forth between nickel and safety during his 5-year career. As you might expect, he’s a capable blitzer. He actually led all cornerbacks this draft cycle in yards per coverage snap in both man and zone. He had a pressure rate of 16 percent on 37 pass rushes. At Western Kentucky, Stout was used consistently as a blitzer. There will be no guessing games for Robert Saleh.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4/25/24417368/49ers-100th-draft-pick-2025-nfl-draft

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

The 49ers go back to the defensive side of the ball with their 160th overall pick

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The San Francisco 49ers selected safety Marques Sigle of Kansas State with the 160th overall pick in the NFL Draft.

The San Francisco 49ers selected safety Marques Sigle of Kansas State with the 160th overall pick in the NFL Draft. This is the pick the Niners got when they traded running back Jordan Mason to the Minnesota Vikings.

Sigle is 5’11, 3/8, and 199 pounds. He had an 86th percentile 10-yard split and ran a 4.37 40-yard dash. His broad jump was also in the 90th percentile. So, the athleticism is well above average.

Sigle is a fifth-year senior who came up big for Kansas State time and time again in the biggest moments. I watched him while watching the Wildcats' cornerback, Jacob Parrish. Sigle had 46 tackles last season, and 24 of those were run stops. Playing the run is his best quality, which might signal that he’s better suited on special teams — especially with that athleticism. He did give up five touchdowns in coverage, including his fair share of long plays.

Sigle played 61 percent of his snaps in the slot last season. He allowed 18 completions on 42 targets. He did miss 18 percent of his tackle attempts during his two years of playing time.

The current cast of safeties on the roster consists of Malik Mustapha, Ji’Ayir Brown, Richie Grant, Jason Pinnock, and George Odum. After Brown, most of those names are primarily special teamers. Sigle falls into the special teamer group.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...-with-their-160th-overall-pick-2025-nfl-draft