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[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: Three weeks until the draft

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Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Thursday, April 3rd, 2025

Kawakami: What could hold 49ers together through 2025 reset? Trusting Shanahan and Purdy (paywall)

“So the 49ers aren’t really aiming for the Super Bowl this season. Even with all their remaining stars, that’s unrealistic. They might draft perfectly, pull out of a bunch of close finishes, and remain healthy enough to steal 10 or 11 wins. But they absolutely don’t match up with the Eagles, Lions, or Commanders right now. It’s just reality. And Shanahan, to his credit, doesn’t deal in unreality.

“I don’t think it’s about lowering expectations,” Shanahan said. “It’s kind of the position your team’s in. We lost the Super Bowl in overtime before last year. That’s all anyone can think about. … That’s kinda how it was for us last year. We took our shot. This year we had a bad year. We didn’t do good. We didn’t make the playoffs. So all we’re talking about is how to get back to playing good football. And we know we lost a lot of good players. But … what I’m thinking about is how good we can get in the draft. How many people we can add?”

If you think that sounds like a new two- or three-year plan, similar to Lynch and Shanahan’s methodical build-up to their first Super Bowl trip after the 2019 season, well, I agree.”

Why Shanahan ‘excited’ to work with new 49ers backup QB Jones

“I loved how he played the position, especially in college,” Shanahan said of Jones. “He got the ball to the right spots, didn’t take sacks, would hang in there and get hit and distribute the ball to his playmakers.

“I’ve seen him do it in the NFL at a high level. And we’re excited to get him working in our offense.”

2025 NFL mock draft: What coaches say about Ward, Sanders, Carter, Hunter and more (paywall)

“Charvarius Ward was one of the many big losses the 49ers had this offseason. The feeling here is that general manager John Lynch will opt for Barron over Michigan’s Will Johnson. The 5-11, 194-pound Barron is the smaller DB, but he’s faster. He won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top DB, making five interceptions and 67 tackles.

Lynch played with one of the NFL’s great nickel backs, Ronde Barber, in Tampa. It’s a stretch to say Barron is going to reach those heights, but he’s instinctive, savvy and versatile. Texas coaches felt strongly that he could excel as a nickel, corner or safety because he’s so smart and has such great agility and quickness. They think if he came out last year, he probably would’ve been a mid-round pick. Instead, he’s going in the middle of the first round.

“He’s got terrific ball skills and feel. I think his football IQ is really high,” an SEC offensive coordinator said. “His ability to adjust and trigger is elite. His footwork is really clean. Excellent open-field tackler. I thought this guy was the best player on that team.......

“[Derrick Harmon] was the best interior pass rusher we faced this year,” a Big Ten O-line coach said. “He has great length and athleticism. We schemed a lot of things to make sure he didn’t get one-on-ones against us. He wasn’t as stout in the run game as (Mason) Graham.”

“I thought he was unbelievable,” a Big Ten running backs coach said. “He’s just as disruptive as Mason Graham when we played them, and he’s even bigger. Very impressed by him.”

“Liked him a lot,” a Big Ten O-line coach said, “but I do think he picks and chooses when he wants to play hard or not. He is really good, though. He’s very explosive and quick and plays with power and strength and can shed and get skinny.”

Field Yates 2-round mock draft: 49ers focus on the trenches

“Field Yates’ latest mock draft for ESPN aligns with expectations for the San Francisco 49ers in the early rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft—reinforcing the trenches. The defensive front suffered significant losses this offseason. At the same time, the offensive line could use upgrades, despite general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan expressing confidence in their current group.

After finishing the 2024 season with just six wins, the 49ers hold the 11th overall pick. Yates projects them selecting Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen in the first round, bolstering a defensive interior that lost Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins.

“The 49ers have major work to do along the defensive line and perhaps a few other spots after losing multiple starters on both sides of the ball this offseason,” Yates wrote. “Nolen would be a play-wrecker for them. He is overwhelmingly powerful and explosive, and he could help replace veterans Maliek Collins and Javon Hargrave.”

Nolen played one season at Ole Miss after transferring from Texas A&M. In 2024, he recorded 6.5 sacks, a career-high 48 tackles (14 for a loss), and three passes defensed.

“In a league that has put an increased premium on pass-rushing defensive tackles, he would provide San Francisco with a valuable building block,” Yates added.

With their second-round pick (No. 43 overall), Yates has the 49ers selecting Minnesota offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery—a potential successor to left tackle Trent Williams.

“San Francisco’s search for offensive and defensive line reinforcements will be ongoing, and Ersery could be the heir apparent to Trent Williams (who is turning 37 in July) at left tackle,” Yates wrote. “Ersery allowed four sacks over 39 career starts, and his 6-foot-6, 331-pound frame makes it difficult for pass rushers to get around him.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...an-brock-purdy-extension-contract-aiyuk-trade

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Will the 49ers defensive line be better in 2025?

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Niners have quite a few holes to fill in the 2025 NFL Draft.

When it comes to position groups that have seen the most attrition this offseason for the San Francisco 49ers, the defensive line has easily been the most impacted position.

San Francisco made several cash-saving moves along the defensive line, releasing defensive end Leonard Floyd and defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins.

In return, they did not make any meaningful additions, creating holes on the starting defensive line ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Defensive line play has long been a staple of the 49ers’ defenses, as they’ve made significant investments at the position in the past. But, over the past two offseasons, the 49ers have lost several players, including Arik Armstead, Javon Kinlaw, Clelin Ferrell, Charles Omenihu, and Chase Young, among others, in addition to those listed above.

Currently, the 49ers are projected to start Nick Bosa and Yetur Gross-Matos on the edge, while Jordan Elliott, Kevin Givens, and Evan Anderson are the leaders on the interior.

So, will the 49ers' defensive line actually get better in 2025?

That all depends on the 2025 NFL Draft, where San Francisco will have opportunities to add defensive linemen as early as the No. 11 pick. Several defensive linemen have been mocked to the 49ers, who are in a prime spot to add at the position in one of the deeper defensive line classes in recent memory.

However, San Francisco also has quite a few other needs that require attention, raising questions as to whether they can add difference-makers along their front four to make an immediate impact in 2025.

Positions like cornerback, offensive line, safety, wide receiver, linebacker, and running back could all warrant selections for the 49ers later this month, as the team is equipped to go with the best-player-available approach.

The 49ers don’t have a quick fix along the defensive line. They need potentially three future starters at the position, and that’s hard to solve in just one draft.

So, they may be better positioned not to reach for defensive linemen, instead evaluating all of their needs with how the draft board falls, especially with how deep the class is at the position.

San Francisco could very well get a starting-caliber player on Day 2, but it’s well known that top-tier defensive line talent, specifically on the interior, is usually found in the early rounds of the draft.

Another factor in the mix is the hiring of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who has consistently fielded top 10 defenses regardless of his roster. Saleh has fueled his defenses with strong defensive lines, which may incentivize the 49ers to prioritize the position early.

Now, it seems the 49ers are shying away from their focus of bringing in pass-rush specialists, moving on from Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, and Leonard Floyd, which could bolster their porous run defense from a season ago. So, there could be improvements there if San Francisco is able to identify fits in the draft.

But, as mentioned above, it’ll be hard to fully fix the defensive line in one offseason, which is why it may be tough to produce a significantly better defensive line than San Francisco’s 2024 unit.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...ovements-nick-bosa-2025-nfl-draft-free-agency

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

The 49ers might already have a succession plan in place if Robert Saleh leaves after 1 year

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Kyle Shanahan spoke about the potential of losing Robert Saleh

One of the reasons some wanted the San Francisco 49ers to go in a different direction than Robert Saleh at defensive coordinator was the idea that Saleh would be a one-and-done, and the Niners would be back where they started one year later.

It was mildly surprising that Saleh didn’t get a head coaching gig during this cycle. If the 49ers play defense like they have every other year, Saleh will once again be a hot commodity in coaching circles next offseason.

Earlier this week at the NFL’s annual meetings in Florida, head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke about the possibility of losing Saleh:

“You understand that’s his ultimate goal, and that is for almost every coach. So if we had a hell of a year and we lost Saleh to another team, I’d be happy for him, disappointed for us. But I think it would mean we were doing some pretty good things, too.”

That’s how the team lost Saleh, DeMeco Ryans, and Mike McDaniel. It’s also why they’ve lost other assistants like Klay Kubiak over the years.

Shanahan will be prepared for Saleh’s departure this time: “So that’s something you’ve got to be prepared for in this league. We are at offense. We are in defense. You’ve got to be on special teams. And it’s something everyone has got to deal with.”

Last season, after the 49ers hired Nick Sorensen as their defensive coordinator, they also brought in Brandon Staley. We put two and two together, thinking Staley would be Sorensen’s successor. Staley is a defensive coordinator, but in New Orleans, not San Francisco.

Gus Bradley, Saleh’s mentor and coach who has been a coordinator in the league for a dozen years and a head coach for another four, is the not-so-under-the-radar successor on the coaching staff this offseason.

When Shanahan discussed looking for a special teams coordinator, he said, “I want somebody familiar with building game plans.” You’d think that if he values experience in one area, he’d feel the same about defense. Well, Bradley has about as much experience as you could imagine.

It’ll be interesting to see if Bradley, who has long been a heavy Cover 3 coach who doesn’t blitz, puts his fingerprints on the defense. If so, and it's successful, or even if Shanahan likes the way Bradley runs meetings, interacts with the players, etc., then there’s a good chance the succession plan for Saleh is already on the roster.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4/4/24401096/49ers-robert-saleh-kyle-shanahan-gus-bradley

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Former 49ers first-round quarterback finds a new home

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A familiar face at quarterback is pairing up with a familiar head coach.

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance has found a new home, signing with the Los Angeles Chargers on a one-year deal worth up to $6.2 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

With the deal, Lance will join Taylor Heinecke in backing up star quarterback Justin Herbert, returning to California.

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Lance was with the Dallas Cowboys for the past two seasons. He did not suit up in any games during the 2023 season, backing up both Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush.

In 2024, Lance threw for 266 yards, zero touchdowns, and an interception in four games of action. He made one start in Week 18, passing for 244 yards and rushing for 26 more in a 30-24 loss to the Washington Commanders.

Prior to that, Lance was with the 49ers for two seasons, initially starting off as the backup to Jimmy Garoppolo during his rookie year. He played in six games, starting two, including a Week 16 win over the Houston Texans that kept the 49ers in the playoff race in 2021.

He then started two games during his second year before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks.

Ahead of his third year, Lance lost the starting job to 2022 seventh-round pick Brock Purdy, who led the 49ers to the playoffs after both he and Garoppolo got injured, helping the team make the NFC Championship Game.

Competing for the backup quarterback spot that offseason, Lance was traded to the Cowboys for a fourth-round pick after losing the job to Sam Darnold.

Now, on his third team in the NFL, Lance will be a part of a quarterback room with Justin Herbert and Taylor Heinecke, making up to $6.2 million on a one-year deal.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...ey-lance-signs-deal-with-los-angeles-chargers

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Will the 49ers bring in competition for Jake Moody in 2025?

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The 49ers kicker struggled in his 2nd year in the NFL.

It’s safe to say that 2024 was a disappointing year for the San Francisco 49ers, who went 6-11 one season after making the Super Bowl.

Several players dealt with injuries, while others didn’t play to the standard they set in 2023. Among the group? Kicker Jake Moody, who was one of the worst kickers in the NFL last season, converting just 70.6 percent of his field goals.

Moody finished 39th in field goal rate and 21st in extra point rate after a rookie year where he was outside the Top 15 in field goal percentage. That wasn’t the step that San Francisco was looking for their 2023 third-rounder to take during his sophomore season.

Moody especially struggled from 40 yards and beyond, hitting just 10/20 field goals from that distance, while going a perfect 14/14 inside 40 yards.

The 49ers made a significant investment in the former Michigan Wolverine, taking him with the No. 99 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, which was the highest a team took a kicker in seven years.

But, kicker is one of the lone positions in the NFL where a team can’t afford to wait on development, given how a single kick can change the outcome of a game.

So, will the 49ers bring in competition for Moody in 2025?

“Yeah, we’re going to bring someone else in [to compete at kicker],” head coach Kyle Shanahan said at the NFL’s annual meetings. “I know we weren’t going to go out and sign a guy right away in free agency, but I know [special teams coordinator] Brant [Boyer] and [assistant special teams coach] Colt [Anderson] are looking into some kickers throughout all these kicking camps, throughout the colleges and stuff. But we’d more likely like to add in a veteran, and hopefully, get him in here after draft time.”

The 49ers were linked to Miami kicker Andres Borregales early in the pre-draft process, but a veteran seems like the likelier approach, given the need for security at the position.

Moody started off the year hot in 2024, hitting 13 of his first 14 field goals, with the lone miss being a 55-yarder in a close 27-24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3.

But, he suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals, prompting him to miss over a month before returning in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where his struggles started to come together.

Moody hit just three of his six field goals in his first game back, missing from 49, 50, and 44 yards.

Overall, during the second half of the season, the kicker went just 11 of 20 on field goals, missing multiple kicks in three separate games, which was a serious concern for Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers.

This offseason, Moody will get a fresh slate and a chance to prove himself being fully healthy with a new special-teams staff, but his roster spot could very well be on the line if he loses the kicking competition to a veteran.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...l-have-kicker-competition-with-veteran-kicker

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: The ides of pre-draft April

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Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Sunday, April 6th, 2025

Report: 49ers to Host Marshall DE Mike Green on Top-30 Visit

“Green might be the second-best pass rusher in the draft after Abdul Carter. He has an explosive first few steps and can bend extremely well which allows him to turn the corner and sack the quarterback. He’s similar to a young Dee Ford.

Keep in mind, the 49ers once traded a second-round pick for an older, broken-down Dee Ford. That’s because Robert Saleh wants a speed rusher to complement Nick Bosa, who’s a methodical power rusher. When Ford was on the field, he frequently would be the first defensive lineman in the backfield so he would force the quarterback to move and hold the ball an extra beat which would give Bosa and the other defensive linemen more time to make the sack.

This was an effective formula. Don’t be surprised if the 49ers try to recreate it.

They already know Green because 49ers defensive quality control coach K.J. Wright worked with him at the Senior Bowl in January.”

49ers hold pre-draft visit, workout with Pitt OL Branson Taylor

“Taylor (6-6, 321) appeared in 45 games (21 starts) with the Pitt Panthers over five seasons. In 2024, he posted a career-high 76.4 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF) as a starter, though that came in a limited sample of just 343 snaps. He started the first six games at left tackle, surrendering nine pressures and two sacks, before a knee injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

“He has average foot quickness and struggles to redirect defenders who get on his edges,” wrote NFL Media analyst Lance Zierlein in his draft profile. “He has shorter arms, with pass sets that are vulnerable to speed outside and counters inside. A move to guard could clear up those issues and give him a chance to fight for playing time in a power-based running scheme.”

Taylor also played in 11 games in 2023, earning a solid 73.1 PFF pass-blocking grade while allowing 11 pressures and two sacks over 640 snaps. However, his run-blocking grades have lagged behind, failing to top 57.9 in either of the past two seasons.”

The 49ers seem intent on breaking the bank for Brock Purdy

“York treats it as an inevitability, as a subject on which the team has no choice. The quarterback has earned a massive, market-level contract. Which means they have to tighten the belt elsewhere. And they’re saying so.

It doesn’t have to be that way. The 49ers have leverage. Purdy is under contract for $5.3 million this year. The franchise tag for the quarterback position is currently $40.241 million.

The 49ers could do what the Cowboys did with Dak Prescott. Squat on the fourth year of his contract, tag him once, and then either pay him or tag him twice, knowing that he’ll become a free agent after the second tag.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...-brock-purdy-contract-extension-trade-acl-nfl

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

2025 draft could be a referendum on 49ers’ 2024 selection

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The 49ers may look to find some additional insurance at wide receiver in the draft. How do they so may give a window into their thoughts on a 2024 selection.

Since Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch took charge of the 49ers, there has been one draft in which they have not selected a wide receiver.

The 2021 draft is the only draft in the Shanahan-Lynch era that has seem them eschew the chance to take a wideout, their commitment to adding at the position perhaps reflective of a head coach who spent his college career as a wideout at Texas.

While there have been misses, Shanahan has had a good eye for the position in which he operated for the Longhorns, finding stars in the form of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, while there were very positive signs from first-round pick Ricky Pearsall down the stretch last season.

Yet with Samuel traded to the Washington Commanders and Aiyuk’s status for Week 1 up in the air as he continues to recover from a torn ACL and MCL suffered in Week 7 last season, the depth on the 49ers’ wide receiver depth chart does not look as strong as it once did.

San Francisco will be hoping for further strides from Pearsall and for Jauan Jennings to make further progress after falling agonizingly shy of a first 1,000-yard season in 2024.

Though the 49ers have the best tight end in football in George Kittle and, when healthy, the most well-rounded running back in the NFL in Christian McCaffrey, the situation surrounding their wide receiver corps suggests they may have to add to it in the draft.

San Francisco already bolstered their options at the position by signing veteran Demarcus Robinson to a two-year, $8 million contract. Given their history, the likelihood is they will select another receiver in the draft. When they do so will give a major clue as to their opinion of the second wideout they took last year after picking Pearsall.

Jacob Cowing received very sparing playing time in his rookie year after being taken in the fourth round, featuring on just 11 percent (106) of the offensive snaps. He received only six targets, catching four of them, with three of them going for first downs.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan was quizzed on Cowing’s lack of playing time following a Week 3 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, a game in which he largely watched from the sidelines, including when Ronnie Bell committed a key drop that helped cost San Francisco the game.

Shanahan said:

“He’s still working to get out there. He is trying to get more comfortable with the offense and just earn a role with it, gets closer and closer each week. Still got a bit to go, though. There’s lots of reasons that go into it, but he hasn’t been able to make his way into that group yet, and the more he gets comfortable with the offense and the more consistent he gets, then he’ll earn those opportunities.”

Those opportunities were few, however, with Cowing remaining at the bottom of the depth chart behind Bell until November, when the former seventh-round pick was released.

Cowing’s limited role came despite him flashing an intriguing blend of speed and route-running ability when he did get chances to play. He shone in the preseason games with the New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders, and flashed his ability to create downfield separation when forced into action in the game that saw Aiyuk lost for the year, breaking free down the right sideline on a stop-and-go double move. His 41-yard reception would have been a touchdown had Brock Purdy produced a more accurate ball.

With Aiyuk – the 49ers’ best downfield weapon – on the shelf, it would have made sense for Cowing to move into a significantly increased role thereafter.

Yet that did not happen and the signing of Robinson – who ranked 14th in passer rating when targeted (89.0) on deep targets (min. 20) among wideouts last season, per PFF – could be interpreted as a lack of faith in Cowing to step into a role as the 49ers’ primary downfield threat in Aiyuk’s potential absence to start the year.

The 49ers taking a receiver early does not seem likely given their significant other needs in the trenches, but it would not be a surprise to see them select another as extra insurance given the uncertainty around Aiyuk.

For Cowing, the best-case scenario in that sense would be the 49ers waiting until the seventh round or perhaps even to undrafted free agents to fill out the depth chart. However, should they take the approach of using one of their four picks across the fourth and fifth rounds on a wideout, it would be a poor reflection on Cowing and Shanahan’s opinion of him as a potential difference-maker for the Niners going forward.

Cowing’s hopes of a larger role will be dented further if the 49ers repeat the move of selecting a receiver early on day three. Few people outside of the prospects still available watch the final day of the draft with much anxiety, but Cowing would be forgiven for feeling at least a little nervous in just under three weeks.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4/6/24402358/2025-nfl-draft-referendum-49ers-2024-selection

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: Trey Area has a nice ring to it

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Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Sunday, April 7th, 2025

49ers Named As Potential Trade Destination for All-Pro DE Trey Hendrickson

“Knox sees the 49ers as a solid fit, both in terms of banked draft capital and in positional need.

“San Francisco is equipped with two third-round [compensatory] picks awarded for the external hirings of DeMeco Ryans and Ran Carthon,” Knox wrote. “It could offer both selections, along with a fairly sizeable first-round jump, to Cincinnati for Hendrickson.”

Hendrickson, a third-round draft pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2017, has been with the Bengals since 2021, and is entering the final year of his contract with Cincinnati. His stock as a starting pass rusher has steadily risen over the past several years, culminating with an All-Pro season last year.”

How Shanahan envisions 49ers benefiting from Farrell addition

“We really needed a No. 2 blocking tight end,” Shanahan said. “Losing Charlie, we thought we haven’t been able to replace him yet. Eric came in and did some good things for us last year, but for Luke to be available where we got him price-wise, I thought we got one of the better blockers in this league and someone who can also bring something in the pass game also.”

Shanahan has had a consistently successful run-game, even before his arrival in the Bay Area, and having a second blocking tight end has been a large part of that production.

“I think it’s one of the critical things in running the ball,” Shanahan said. “To balance out the offensive line, to balance out two sides of the formation, when you have the threat to go to the defensive end on both sides of the ball is a big deal.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...ck-offseason-mock-draft-farrell-tight-end-nfl

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Report: 49ers to host a pair of SEC defensive linemen projected to go in the 1st round on top 30 visits

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Ole Miss’s Walter Nolen and Georgia’s Mykel Williams are the 49ers latest top 30 visits

As the NFL Draft sneaks up on us, we’ll find out more and more about the San Francisco 49ers' top 30 visits. We had one already on Monday, with a defensive tackle from the SEC who is projected to be drafted anywhere from the middle of the third round to the fourth.

The Athletic’s Matt Barrows confirmed NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport’s tweet that the Niners will host a pair of defensive tackles from the SEC. This duo is projected to go as early as the first round but not fall out of the top 50.

These are names we’re familiar with. One is Ole Miss’s Walter Nolen. Nolen’s ceiling rivals any player in the class. But there are stretches where he disappears, plays too high, and gets out of position. Suppose Kris Kocurek can harness Nolen’s discipline and turn him into an aggressive, penetrating butt-kicker that relies on strength and causes chaos in the backfield. In that case, we’re looking at the most complete defensive tackle on the roster since DeForest Buckner.

The other prospect is Mykel Williams. At Georgia, Williams was used on the edge on early downs, but would either come off the field on obvious passing downs or kick inside at defensive tackle.

Williams is only 260 pounds, which puts him in the 40th percentile for edge rushers, but he is in the upper echelon in height, wingspan, arm length, and hand size. And you’d assume he was 280, considering how stout Williams is as a run defender. From a pound-for-pound perspective, he’s arguably one of the strongest defensive linemen in the class. Not only is he strong at the point of attack, but he’s the opposite of Nolen when it comes to discipline and understanding your role.

Williams is a three-year junior who has played at Georgia in each season. Experience isn’t an issue. Because of his size, Williams covers ground quickly and fires off the ball, but when it comes to winning as a pass rusher with moves or hand usage, Williams leaves plenty to be desired. That’s not to say he can’t learn, but he shouldn’t be expected to produce early on in the passing game, which is why he might be available at pick No. 43.

A defensive line with Nolen and Williams would be an immense upgrade from what the 49ers fielded last year.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4/7/24403261/49ers-walter-nolen-mykel-williams-nfl-draft-top-30

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Can you guess this 49ers lineman 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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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.

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Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4/8/24403716/sb-nation-49ers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers take a big injury risk in first round in NFL Network’s latest mock draft

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The 49ers need a left tackle. But, at what cost?

With the 2025 NFL Draft just a little over two weeks away, it’s mock draft season for the San Francisco 49ers, who have a chance to make a franchise-changing pick at No. 11.

There are a lot of positions the 49ers could target early, but many mock drafts have pointed the 49ers to the trenches, where they could use help on both sides of the ball.

It’s an area that makes sense, as there are several offensive and defensive linemen projected to go in the first round of the draft that could be instant impact players for the 49ers.

NFL Network’s Rhett Lewis released his first mock draft on Tuesday and had an intriguing candidate for the 49ers at No. 11: Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons.

“If not for the patellar tendon injury suffered last fall, Simmons likely would be the top tackle in this draft,” Lewis wrote. “With Brock Purdy’s contract extension looming and Trent Williams turning 37 in July, Simmons provides future LT security at the bargain rate of a rookie contract.”

Simmons’s patellar tendon injury has been one of the biggest question marks of the draft cycle. The talent is undeniable, but the season-ending injury has prompted questions around the medicals, given the severity of the issue.

At the combine, the offensive tackle told reporters that he was ‘way ahead of schedule’ in his recovery, even suggesting that a potential Pro Day in mid-April was a possibility.

“I’ll probably be cut loose mid-April to give everybody a good pro day,” Simmons said, via Eleven Warriors.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later reported that Simmons is expected to be ready for the start of the 2025 NFL season, adding more optimism to his timeline. Still, there are questions about his readiness and availability for the upcoming year.

Here’s what NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein wrote about Simmons as a prospect.

“An athletic tackle prospect with adequate size and length, Simmons has experience starting on both sides,” Zierlein wrote. “He suffered a season-ending knee injury in mid-October, so his recovery and timetable for return will need to be vetted. He’s a consistently fluid mover both inside the box and when asked to play in space, and he has the slide quickness to compete against NFL edge speed.

“He’s more positional than powerful in completing his run-blocking tasks, but he can fit into all schemes. Improved hand placement and latch-in strength can help better control opponents in both the run and pass games. Simmons can still be susceptible to twists and counters in pass pro, so he might need a year to continue honing his craft in that area before he is ready to take on NFL pocket hunters.”

There are ample risks with taking Simmons as high as No. 11, but the talent is there. The 49ers are searching for a future left tackle and don’t necessarily need an offensive lineman to start in 2025, so the Ohio State standout could be a realistic possibility.

It all depends on the medicals.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...ckle-josh-simmons-first-round-2025-mock-draft

 

[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.

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​

Tuesday, April 8, 2025
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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/2025/4/9/24404544/sb-nation-49ers-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

A 49ers top-30 visit could be a direct replacement for player they let go this offseason

Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 49ers’ apparent focus on defensive line prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft is unsurprising, and they are doing their homework on a player who compares well with a departed veteran.

The 49ers are going to add on the defensive line in the 2025 NFL Draft. That much has been clear for a long time, with San Francisco moving on from several veterans in the trenches after a hugely disappointing season for the D-Line in 2024.

What is still a mystery is how the 49ers will attack the crucial task of restocking their depth at defensive tackle and on the edge.

Top-30 visits are not necessarily an indication of who a team is looking to draft, but they have provided a very useful guide when projecting who the 49ers will select in the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch era.

Last year, the 49ers selected two players whom they hosted for visits – Jacob Cowing and Tathum Bethune – and signed another, Evan Anderson, as an undrafted free agent. In the years prior the 2024 draft — excluding 2020 and 2021 when in-person visits were not permitted — the 49ers drafted 18 players with whom they held visits from 2017 onwards.

Several top-30 visits were reported on Monday, including one with a defensive tackle who projects as a direct replacement for one of the veterans the 49ers let go this offseason.

The 49ers, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reported, scheduled a top-30 visit with Tennessee defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott.

Norman-Lott was the most productive pass rushing interior defensive lineman in the FBS by pass rush win rate last season. Per Pro Football Focus, Norman-Lott posted a win rate of 18.9 percent, the highest among interior D-Linemen with at least 100 pass rush snaps.

There is concern around a potentially chronic knee issue that was flagged up during his medical recheck at the Combine, per Ryan Roberts of A to Z Sports. By bringing Norman-Lott in for a visit, the 49ers are giving themselves the opportunity to find out more about the injury troubles of a player who has the talent to be a productive interior pass rusher right off the bat if healthy as a rookie.

Norman-Lott fits what the 49ers have typically looked for in their defensive linemen with Kris Kocurek coaching the position group. He is an aggressive, attack-minded player who consistently displays explosiveness that was illustrated by his testing performance in the broad jump (85th percentile) and vertical (76th percentile).

The combination of that explosiveness, impressive hand usage and a high motor allowed Norman-Lott to consistently create interior disruption, his pass-rush skill set already featuring an effective forklift move and a club-swim move.

Perhaps the most intriguing trait Norman-Lott possesses is the flexibility he has in his lower body. He boasts an innate ability to bend and flatten at the top of his rush, an attribute that can prevent Norman-Lott from being taken out of the play when quarterbacks step up in the pocket.

His flexibility and proficiency in moving well laterally also makes Norman-Lott a potential asset on stunts. Yet for all the pass-rush upside in Norman-Lott’s locker, there is work that needs to be done from a run defense perspective.

Indeed, he was primarily used in subpackages by the Volunteers and, though he has shown he can stack and shed defenders, at 291 pounds he did not display the strength to consistently avoid being washed out or an ability to hold his own against double teams.

As an explosive pass rusher with an already encouraging stable of moves, Norman-Lott compares well to Maliek Collins, whose one season with San Francisco last year saw him regularly find ways to win his pass-rush matchups with a well-rounded arsenal of weapons.

However, with Javon Hargrave removed from the picture early in the season, Collins proved ill-equipped to give San Francisco what was required in run defense, with those struggles likely a factor in him being released.

Collins had just 11 run stops that represented a failure for the offense last year, per PFF, a tally he managed while playing 279 run defense snaps. It’s an imperfect comparison given the differences in their skill sets, but that number was fewer than the 12 rookie Evan Anderson totaled in 152 snaps.

In an ideal world in which the 49ers had better depth on the defensive line, Collins would have been able to flourish as a rotational interior pass rusher, and that is the role to which Norman-Lott would be best suited as a rookie.

The 49ers desperately need defensive linemen who can help improve their dreadful 2024 run defense while also impacting the quarterback in the passing game.

As such, Norman-Lott is unlikely to be near the top of the list of defensive line targets for San Francisco. However, he could still be part of the redesigned puzzle in the trenches as a late day two or early day-three pick as a Collins replacement operating in the role the veteran journeyman probably should have occupied.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...t-nfl-draft-direct-replacement-maliek-collins

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers draft scenarios: A few different options for the Niners at pick No. 11

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

From trading up to standing pat, and which prospects could be available for the 49ers, we look at a few different scenarios for the Niners in the first round of the NFL Draft.

We are now two weeks away from the San Francisco 49ers making their first selection of the 2025 NFL Draft.

With San Francisco currently slated to make the 11th selection, the 49ers could face many scenarios depending on how the board falls. Our goal over the next couple of weeks is to examine as many of those scenarios as possible.

Let’s start with the most basic scenario: the 49ers stand pat and make their selection at 11. It’s a tricky spot to navigate from, especially in this draft. A few standouts could fall, but if selected before the 49ers are on the clock, the leftovers are players who don’t feel as sure of a selection.

The trio of players the 49ers should hope to fall are Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou, and LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell. All three are favorites to mock inside the top ten, with Campbell and Membou popular at fourth to New England and seventh to the Jets, and Graham rarely getting past Jacksonville with the fifth pick. But occasionally, you’ll run into a mock with either of the three available at 11.

Graham would fit the most pressing need for the 49ers, who lack bodies on the defensive line. Graham offers a pass-rushing threat on the interior and has a run-defense skill set that San Francisco hasn’t seen in a few years from their defensive tackles. Not only that, Graham is a sure tackler, something the 49ers’ lacking run defense could use.

Membou and Campbell can offer a short-term solution at guard while providing a long-term solution at either tackle. Membou is built more like a tackle and probably can play on the edge in the NFL – although he only has experience on the right side, some project him to be more of a guard at the next level. Campbell’s arms are considered too short – depending on which measurement you believe – but his athleticism and motor could make him viable at tackle, where he only has experience on the left side. Both can help on the offensive line, so if either is available at 11, either would make sense with where the 49ers’ offensive line is.

If those three targets are gone by the time the Niners are up as expected, pass rusher Mykel Williams out of Georgia makes sense across Nick Bosa. Williams has extraordinary length on the edge with NFL strength and could be a solution at a position the 49ers have struggled to fill since Dee Ford. Shemar Stewart could also be a target if San Francisco goes on the edge here, but Stewart’s production in college is a concern and could be too much of a project for a team desperate for a quick impact pass rusher.

If the 49ers are more focused on the best player available instead of need, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson could be available to add to an already solid cornerback room. With Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green, cornerback isn’t a pressing need, but the addition of Johnson would solidify the secondary for the foreseeable future. He has good NFL size, great coverage IQ, and is solid in both man and zone coverage – most of his snaps last season were in zone coverage. Johnson projects to be a day-one starter at the next level and a player San Francisco should strongly consider.

There are other options for the 49ers at 11—Stewart, Mike Green, Walter Nolen, and Kelvin Banks, to name a few—but they could be considered a reach for where San Francisco picks. However, they could be trade-back options if the 49ers go that route. The best-case scenario is that either Graham, Membou, or Campbell is available, but in the likely case they are gone, Williams and Johnson are more than viable options.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...arios-armand-membu-will-campbell-kelvin-banks

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

49ers’ belief in 2022 selection could influence their plans at premium position in 2025 draft

David Gonzales-Imagn Images

The 49ers enter the 2025 NFL Draft with tackle a clear need, but they may not address it early in part because of their belief in a 2022 selection.

While it’s pretty obvious the 49ers are going to invest, and invest heavily, in the defensive line in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Their intentions with the offensive line are less clear.

With Trent Williams coming off a season ruined by injury and the 49ers boasting no obvious successor to the future Hall of Famer, they would clearly benefit from spending an early pick on the position.

Colton McKivitz gave the 49ers at best average right tackle play last season after an unconvincing 2023 and, with swing tackle Jaylon Moore departing in free agency, most would accept that leaving the draft without extra tackle depth would be ill-advised on San Francisco’s part.

But the 49ers might not be compelled to use one of their higher picks on the position, with head coach Kyle Shanahan hinting at the recent owners’ meetings that their belief in the versatility of a 2022 draft pick might lead them to place less emphasis on the tackle spot.

Spencer Burford, a fourth-round pick in 2022, played tackle in Week 16 against the Miami Dolphins last season as the 49ers dealt with injuries at the position.

Shanahan was asked whether swing tackle might be his role going forward, or if he will instead stick at guard, where he started games in 2022 and 2023.

Shanahan replied:

“He’s capable of playing really all the positions. So it’s really where he can help us out the most, where he can get the most comfortable at. You know, I think as he’s showed us, especially his rookie year, he has starting ability at guard, we believe he has that at tackle too. It’s really where he’s going to balance out the most and where he can come in and compete and give himself a chance to possibly earn a starting spot, but also to possibly be a swing tackle or anything, because he’s got that type of ability.”

Burford was a right tackle in college at UTSA and played on the left side in the loss to the Dolphins.

His 31 snaps in the game were not a big enough sample size to judge whether Burford could be a potential successor to Moore at swing tackle.

However, the 49ers clearly still have a lot of faith in his ability to help the Niners in several spots up front and may have seen enough in practice over the years to be comfortable inserting Burford as their swing tackle for 2025.

Given Burford’s inability to make one of the two guard spots his own and his key protection failure in Super Bowl 58, it’s not a solution that would inspire much external confidence. Yet in a year in which the 49ers appear likely to prioritize rebuilding the other side of the trenches, it may be the one on which the 49ers settle.

And if it comes to day three of the draft and the 49ers have still not picked a tackle, that can be interpreted as a clear sign that Burford is in the mix to be the primary backup to both Williams and McKivitz.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...n-influence-plans-premium-position-2025-draft

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

From Tight End to Turnbuckle: George Kittle’s Epic Wrestling Journey

From childhood WWE superfan to WrestleMania standout, 49ers tight end George Kittle is living every wrestling fan’s dream—with no signs of slowing down.

George Kittle isn’t just a beast on the football field—he’s a lifelong wrestling fanatic with a passion that runs as deep as a WrestleMania main event. From growing up idolizing WWE legends to jumping in the ring at WrestleMania 39, Kittle has blurred the line between gridiron hero and sports entertainment showman.

Long before he was throwing blocks for the 49ers, he was throwing imaginary elbows off the couch in his living room. Like millions of ‘90s kids, he grew up watching Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and The Undertaker.

In countless interviews, Kittle has expressed his love with wrestling asa kid and never outgrew it.

Within the 49ers locker room, Kittle is THE wrestling guy. With his pure energy, he is a walking wrestling promo. His aura Stone Cold Steve meets The People’s Champion—with a little Ric Flair “WOOOO” thrown in.

George Kittle has been known to bring fellow teammates out to every WWE event he has gotten a chance to attend. His reciprocation of the love has been infectious. Kittle has even worn a Lucha Libre mask during press conferences and frequently name-drops wrestling stars on Social Media when possible. The guy doesn’t hide it—he celebrates it.

In April 2023, George Kittle got his big moment at WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles. Sitting ringside during Pat McAfee’s impromptu match against The Miz, Kittle got involved in the action. After a quick staredown, he jumped the barricade (with WWE’s blessing), leveled The Miz with a clean clothesline, and helped McAfee score the win.

The crowd erupted. WWE legends praised it. Kittle’s form? Spot on.

No suplexes were thrown, but Kittle made a big-time impact—and added his name to the short list of NFL stars who’ve gotten physical at WrestleMania.

WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas: KittleMania Is Coming

George Kittle won’t be in the ring at WrestleMania 41, but he’ll be making his presence felt in Las Vegas during the weekend.

Kittle is hosting a fan event called “KittleMania” at Caesars Palace—an interactive wrestling-themed celebration for fans of both WWE and football. While details are still under wraps, the event is expected to include appearances, giveaways, games, and, of course, lots of wrestling flair.

“I won’t be jumping in the ring this year,” Kittle told local media, “but you better believe I’ll be around for the fun. Vegas is about to get loud.”

In November 2022, ahead of a Monday Night Football game in Mexico City, Penta gifted Kittle a custom 49ers-themed lucha mask. Kittle proudly wore it into Estadio Azteca, embracing the lucha libre culture and showcasing their friendship.

Their collaboration didn’t stop there. In October 2023, Kittle and Penta teamed up with lifestyle brand Chubbies to launch a wrestling-inspired clothing line, blending Kittle’s football fame with Penta’s lucha libre flair.

Kittle’s love for wrestling has extended beyond WWE as he’s formed even a friendship with WWE star Penta El Zero Miedo, known for his “Cero Miedo” (Zero Fear) mantra. Their bond began in 2018 when Kittle attended WrestleMania 34 and was captivated by Penta’s performances at WrestleCon events. The two connected backstage, sharing mutual respect for each other’s crafts, with Penta referring to Kittle as his ‘brother’.

Will Kittle join the WWE after his NFL career?

It’s a question Kittle gets asked often—and he’s not ruling it out.

“Triple H has my number,” he joked in 2024 when asked about a future in pro wrestling.

Kittle’s combination of charisma, physicality, and passion makes him an ideal fit for WWE if he ever decides to pursue it post-NFL. He’s already one of the NFL’s most marketable stars. In WWE? He’d be a natural.

George Kittle’s wrestling journey is one of pure love—for the showmanship, the storytelling, and the spectacle. From childhood superfan to WrestleMania moment-maker, he’s living the dream most wrestling fans only imagine.

Whether he’s hauling in touchdowns at Levi’s Stadium or hyping a crowd for WrestleMania in Las Vegas, one thing’s clear: Kittle was built for big moments—and wrestling is in his blood.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...nbuckle-george-kittles-epic-wrestling-journey

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: “Gold Rush” looks like a must-watch

Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images

Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Saturday, April 12th, 2025

Tom Brady teams up with AMC Networks for 49ers docuseries ‘Gold Rush’ (paywall)

“The docuseries, set to premiere in 2026, is a co-production of AMC Studios, Skydance Sports, NFL Films, Religion of Sports and Brady’s 199 Productions. Brady, who grew up in San Mateo a 49ers fan but later won championships with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is an executive producer and appears in the series....“Gold Rush” will feature interviews with 49ers greats such as Montana, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Ronnie Lott, former owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. and many others. It also boasts of previously unseen footage from NFL Films and traces the franchise’s lasting impact on the league.”

49ers Draft Crush: After losing Dre Greenlaw, the 49ers defense needs a dose of feistiness (paywall)

“One of the things that distinguishes Greenlaw is the amount of film he watches. Paul is the same way. It’s the reason he plays faster than he actually runs...

Paul also has a tendency to play on the edge and picked up a pair of roughing-the-passer penalties, a horsecollar tackle and a late hit out of bounds last season alone.

As noted above, he’s also no stranger to post-play dustups, including with players who outweigh him by 100 pounds. He might be the lightest guy in the front seven, but like Greenlaw he has no qualms about being the enforcer. Quipped one scout: “Someone forgot to tell Pooh how big he is.”....Dane Brugler, who writes in “The Beast” that Paul “always had the dirtiest jersey on each tape studied.”

How the 49ers plan to replace linebacker Dre Greenlaw

“Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell is considered the best player, but Georgia’s Jalon Walker could also play off the ball in base downs with edge rusher ability on passing downs. UCLA’s Carson Schwesinger, Oregon’s Jeffrey Bassa, South Carolina’s Demetrius Knight Jr. and Mississippi’s Chris Paul Jr. are other options expected to be available after the first round.”

Derek Carr news adds draft twist that could help 49ers

“Saints quarterback Derek Carr is reportedly dealing with a shoulder injury that could threaten his availability for the 2025 season. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Carr is weighing his options, including possibly undergoing surgery....If the Saints do select a quarterback at No. 9, it could push another top non-quarterback prospect down the board—giving the 49ers even more attractive options at No. 11.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...erek-carr-injury-shoulder-surgery-brock-aiyuk

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Realistic targets for the 49ers in the 2025 NFL Draft: Running Backs

Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Niners seem very likely to take a running back in 2025.

The 2025 NFL Draft is less than two weeks away, as the San Francisco 49ers currently have the No. 11 overall pick.

Most of the discourse has been around the 49ers’ first-round pick, and rightfully so, as the team needs instant impact rookies after a quiet offseason.

But, there are several needs that San Francisco could address in this draft, so let’s go through every position and find realistic targets for the 49ers. We started with quarterbacks, so let’s move on to running backs.

Day 2​

Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson

At the top of the spectrum is Henderson, who could be a first-round pick later this month.

But, given the uncertainty around running backs and the depth in the class, there’s a chance the Ohio State star falls to No. 43, and head coach Kyle Shanahan could find his next gem at the position.

There are several needs that the 49ers have to address in this class, and running back is one of them after the team traded Jordan Mason to the Minnesota Vikings. Christian McCaffrey’s health is a concern, so depth is needed.

Henderson has great athleticism at 5’10, 202 pounds, and he’s a pure three-down back. He displays great vision, has good juice, and can work on both inside and outside runs. Moreover, Henderson is the best pass-protecting running back in the class and is very capable as a pass-catcher.

If there’s a back that San Francisco takes really early, Henderson is the most realistic option.

UCF RB RJ Harvey

Looking much deeper on Day 2, the 49ers could target RJ Harvey in the third or fourth round. I expect a run on tailbacks to happen sometime on Day 2, so San Francisco could get in the action, with Harvey making sense as a target.

Harvey also has good athleticism at 5’8, 205 pounds, and he’s strong and tough as a runner. He has pass-catching chops as well, but will have to develop in pass protection to be a reliable third-down option.

In a way, he’s similar to Jordan Mason. Not the most explosive athlete, but a tough runner with a low center of gravity that leads to missed tackles.

Kansas RB Devin Neal

Neal has been connected to the 49ers a few times during the pre-draft process, as he has good vision at 5’11, 213 pounds.

While not as good of an athlete as the other options, Neal is decisive and could be that short-down back for the 49ers with good pass-catching and protection abilities to get on the field on third downs.

In a way, he’d be a good complement to Isaac Guerendo and his home-run hitting speed, and he seems like a good fit in the one-cut offense.

Day 3​

Texas RB Jaydon Blue

If you want a home-run hitter, Blue possesses the breakaway speed for that as a late Day 2/early Day 3 option.

While he doesn’t have as much experience as other backs, the talent is there on both inside and outside runs. He also possesses the ability to be a receiver out of the backfield or even in the slot, which allows for matchup advantages for head coach Kyle Shanahan.

He’s not the biggest back and will need some development, but the talent and traits are there as a Day 3 option.

Arizona State RB Bhayshul Tuten

Circling back on explosive Day 3 options, look no further than Arizona State’s Bhayshul Tuten, who ran a blazing 4.32 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.

Tuten has good enough size at 5’9, 206 pounds and can cut well to match his elite linear speed. His size also allows him to be more physical on top of his explosiveness, although he has had fumble issues at times in college.

Development will be needed with vision and the hands, but Tuten is a willing pass protector as well, and projects like a slightly smaller Isaac Guerendo with returner potential as well.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...-2025-nfl-draft-treveyon-henderson-devin-neal

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Golden Nuggets: Yet another Sunday without NFL football

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Sunday, April 13th, 2025

Our favorite prospect for the 49ers in this year’s NFL draft

“Ezeiruaku checks virtually every box a team looking for an edge rusher could want. He measured in at 6-2, 248 pounds which is a little light for a 4-3 defensive end, but he has 34-inch arms and uses them to effectively mitigate some of the problems caused by his lack of desirable size. Ezeiruaku is also not an elite athlete on paper, but he flashes good explosiveness, balance, bend and motor on film.

He used those athletic tools to rack up a whopping 16.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss last season, giving him 47 TFLs and 30.0 sacks in 47 games across four college seasons.

While the pass rushing tools and production line up, one of the most encouraging things about Ezeiruaku as a prospect is how well he held up against the run.”

49ers conduct pre-draft meeting with Georgia DT Warren Brinson

“Brinson earned a Pro Football Focus defensive grade of 72.3 or higher in each of the past three seasons, including a career-best 79.1 in 2023. He also posted run-defense grades of 75.5 or better in the last two years, with a career-high mark of 80.5 in 2023.”

49ers hold virtual meeting with projected Day 3 WR prospect Kyle Shanahan may love

“Mumpfield doesn’t bring any of the measurables we typically associate with strong WR prospects, but that makes what he does on tape more impressive. He is open a lot thanks to some nasty route running that highlights his game. When he is forced to make contested catches he does so more effectively than his frame suggests he might, and his body control shines on throws down the field. Mumpfield also has a really good feel to find soft spots in zones when lining up both outside and in the slot.”

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...-purdy-contract-trade-offseason-kyle-jed-john

 

[San Francisco 49ers]

Would Jahdae Barron make sense for the 49ers as a surprise selection at No. 11?

Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 49ers are widely expected to target the trenches in the 2025 NFL Draft, but there is some wisdom to the idea of building on the strength they have at cornerback.

The NFL Draft is as much about finding ways to build on strengths as it is about trying to address holes on the roster, while the smartest teams with the best track records in the annual selection meeting are those who have the foresight to anticipate future needs and draft a year ahead so they are well prepared for potential departures.

In the 2024 draft, the 49ers did a decent job of drafting a year ahead. Renardo Green and Malik Mustapha are poised to move into starting roles at cornerback and safety respectively and, though Ricky Pearsall boasts a different skill set to Deebo Samuel, there will be hope that last year’s first-round pick can at least help to fill the void left by the departed former first-team All-Pro.

This year, the conventional wisdom is that the 49ers are likely to be focused on draft picks that can help them immediately on a defensive line that has shed a lot of veteran talent this offseason.

Yet several mock drafts have the 49ers eschewing their obvious need in the trenches to add to a cornerback depth chart that already features an exciting young talent in Green and one of the best and most versatile players at that position in the form of Deommodore Lenoir.

The cornerback in the class most connected with the 49ers and the 11th overall pick is Texas’ Jahdae Barron. While defensive tackle and defensive end both stand as bigger needs for the Niners, there is wisdom to the notion of San Francisco selecting its secondary up for long-term success. Though the 49ers are fans of 2023 fifth-round pick Darrell Luter Jr, their options behind Green and Lenoir are not plentiful, with recently signed former Seattle Seahawk Tre Brown likely the favorite to be their third corner in 2025.

Barron ticks most of the boxes for what the 49ers are looking for in their defensive backfield. In coverage, he offers man and zone flexibility, playing with impressive eyes to the ball in zone while displaying excellent composure in man, in which his stop-start quickness, fluid hips and usage of his hands to stay in phase downfield aid him significantly.

Blessed with superb ball skills, Barron does a consistently superb job of driving on the ball to recover separation and make plays at the catch point. He has the ability to elevate and compete for the ball at its highest point, with his prowess in that regard reflected by him racking up 11 pass breakups and five interceptions in a 2024 season that saw him win the Jim Thorpe Award for the best defensive back in the country.

A forceful and reliable open-field hitter — with his abilities in that area encapsulated by this hit on Cam Skattebo — the 49ers do not need to have any concerns about Barron meeting their non-negotiable of contributing in run defense, but the most intriguing aspect of a potential fit between Barron and San Francisco is his versatility.

Barron played 679 snaps in the outside corner role last season, per Pro Football Focus, but he also played 122 in the slot and 142 in the box and has displayed the ability to play the deep middle as a free safety.

Wearing so many hats at the pro level is a different challenge entirely to doing that in college, but the comfort Barron consistently displayed in communicating before the snap and adjusting his and his teammates’ assignments in response to pre-snap movement is a positive sign that he is someone on whom the 49ers can rely to handle a lot of responsibilities right off the bat as a rookie.

Used as a blitzer from the slot and the box and perfectly at home playing the hook-curl area in coverage, what Barron would give the 49ers is a potentially crucial element of disguise, creating more possible opportunities for San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to confuse opposing quarterbacks with different looks.

Lenoir has solidified the slot as a home, but Barron’s capability to play inside and out gives the 49ers more scope for rotation in that spot, enabling them to potentially play the matchups a little more. On top of that, his familiarity with the safety position could be useful in freeing up Mustapha to operate closer to the line of scrimmage more regularly and make an impact rushing the passer and breaking into the backfield against the run.

Selecting Barron is a move that, in short, would give the 49ers more answers to the test in the secondary through his playmaking ability and through the expanded menu his versatility could offer Saleh.

The issue is that, during Saleh’s first spell as defensive coordinator and for most of the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch era, the solutions have predominantly come from a domineering defensive front.

As the 49ers look to attempt to restore their defense to the glories of Saleh’s first spell and the 2022 season under DeMeco Ryans, an investment in the trenches still feels far more likely than a selection in the defensive backfield. Still, it would not be an eyebrow-raiser of a pick if the 49ers decide to supercharge their secondary by bringing Barron into the mix.

Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/4...nse-49ers-surprise-selection-no-11-2025-draft