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San Francisco 49ers’ head coach Kyl Shanahan looks on during the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium
The San Francisco 49ers have a busy offseason ahead. They must negotiate a lucrative contract extension with Brock Purdy, and knowing the team’s propensity to let things linger, it could take a while. San Francisco also needs to decide the future of 24 impending agents, including linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga. The 49ers have already nailed the offseason thus far by reuniting with defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and hiring Brant Boyer as special teams coordinator.
Yet, the most important choice San Francisco will make is with the 10 selections they are scheduled to have in the 2025 NFL Draft. This year is the first time since 2021 that the team has picked just outside the top ten. Possessing the 11th overall pick following a 6-11 record, mostly marred by injuries, the 49ers can give their roster a necessary jolt of energy. But, questions remain as to what they will do with such a high pick.
Will head coach Kyle Shanahan continue hoarding offensive weapons in hopes of creating an unparalleled offense? Or does the return of Robert Saleh shift their draft focus to the defensive side of the first round for the first time since 2020?
One analyst believes he has the answers to the San Francisco 49ers draft blueprint.
49ers’ 2025 Draft Strategy
In the latest rendition of his ‘ Winter Mailbag ’ for the San Francisco Standard, Tim Kawakami shares insights into the 49ers draft strategy.
When asked if the 49ers will draft a tackle to play on the right side and then inevitably replace Trent Williams, Kawakami answered candidly.
“If Shanahan and [John] Lynch fall in love with an OT who’s available at No. 11, they’ll take him, plop him at RT, and consider him a long-range LT for whenever Williams retires. But they’ve been very clear — to take an offensive lineman that high, it has to be a slam-dunk guy, somebody like Penei Sewell (seventh in 2021) or Joe Alt (fourth in 2024).” Kawakami continues, “But those kinds of talents usually aren’t there past the top seven or eight. Maybe if LSU’s Will Campbell starts to slip, the 49ers can jump up from 11. Or if they decide that Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. is an immediate starter.
Improving the offensive line is a top priority for many 49ers fans and should be near the top of the organization’s list as well. However, Kawakami sheds more light on what the 49ers will likely do with the 11th overall pick.
“But more likely, the 49ers will go with their basic plan: Take somebody who can rush the passer or score touchdowns. One or the other. And the likeliest position for No. 11 in this draft seems like it’ll be [Defensive Tackle].”
San Francisco’s Draft Needs
Yes, the 49ers need to revamp the offensive line in order to correctly run Shanahan’s offense and protect Brock Purdy. However, the 49ers’ defense needs restoration, hence the return of Saleh.
Under Nick Sorensen, the 49ers saw their sack total and takeaways drop by double-digit points. Most astonishingly, San Francisco gave up nearly 125 rushing yards per game this season.
With Saleh in 2019, the 49ers were sixth in the league in forced turnovers (27), second in total defense (281.8 yards per game), first in passing defense (169.2 yards per game), and fourth in sacks (48). During Saleh’s four-year tenure, San Francisco’s run defenses never allowed more than 116 yards per game.
A big reason for Saleh’s success was the 49ers star-level personnel at defensive tackle. The 2019 was stacked with talent such as perennial Pro Bowl candidate DeForest Buckner, double-digit sack-getter Arik Armstead, and consistent starter D.J Jones.
If Shanahan desires to see a resurgence for the defense, giving Saleh the tools to succeed is a must. According to Pro Football Focus , the top defensive tackle prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft are Michigan’s Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, Walter Nolen from Ole Miss, and Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams.
As Kawakami alludes to, expect one of the listed players to be dawning Red and Gold in 2025, barring the fall of a top-tier tackle in the NFL Draft.
Sterling Bennett is a Heavy.com contributor covering the NFL. He has half a decade of experience as a sports broadcaster at 95.7 The Game covering the San Francisco 49ers as part of the weekly “Overtime” show, where he covered Super Bowl 58. Bennett was the Golden State Warriors Network Coordinator from 2020-2024, where he was responsible for all gameday radio broadcasts, including the 2022 NBA Finals. More about Sterling Bennett
