The San Francisco 49ers have their offering of six picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, but they’re scattered about in a unique way. General manager John Lynch and Co. have first- and second-rounders, no third-rounder, and a whopping four selections in Round 4 to wrap things up.
This gives the Niners a pun-intended golden opportunity to build depth at key positions.
They’ve been ravaged by injuries throughout head coach Kyle Shanahan’s tenure, putting his staff under tons of pressure to get the most out of their roster’s unheralded reserves.
First order of business in this four-round mock draft? Add some fresh young talent to the offense with a new blocker and a dynamic pass-catcher for Brock Purdy.
Picking all the way down at No. 27 overall presents a challenge that comes with achieving the standard the Niners have set in the Shanahan era, yet the stars just might align nicely for them in Round 1.
49ers mock draft headlined by intriguing upgrade to the offensive line
Round 1, Pick 27 — Emmanuel Pregnon, OL, Oregon
Reigning first-team All-American Emmanuel Pregnon is one of the cleanest prospects in the entire class. The position he plays is bound to push him down the draft board, as is the presence of the one guard who may be selected before him, Penn State’s Vega Ioane.
But Pregnon isn’t some chopped-liver consolation prize for the Niners. He’d lift the entire offensive line to another level, and give the unit a devastating combination on the left side next to legendary left tackle Trent Williams (assuming his contract spat is resolved in due time).
All-world tailback Christian McCaffrey would love to have the Williams-Pregnon tandem paving running lanes for him. Pregnon logged a 93.0 PFF zone-blocking grade last year, which makes him a perfect fit for Shanahan’s scheme.
Six years of college ball gave Pregnon plenty of reps and developmental time. He’d ready to step in as the starting left guard in Week 1. Oh, and he surrendered only one sack and two QB pressures in 2025.
One last note: Pregnon has experience at both guard spots. If injuries hit the interior o-line, he can kick over to right guard if need be.
