San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan needs to get it right in this year’s NFL draft if his team wants to return to challenging for the Super Bowl. As per the latest NFL mock draft by analyst Field Yates, the 49ers are projected to take an offensive lineman in the second round, who could be the apparent heir to Trent Williams.
Yates has predicted San Francisco to draft Minnesota Golden Gophers’ star offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery with the No. 43 pick. The 6-foot-6, 331-pound OT had an excellent final collegiate season, where he was named the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year.
Ersery’s fame helps him fit in well in any offensive line and makes it difficult for pass rushers to get around him. He allowed only four sacks in 39 starts for Minnesota.
Ersery committed to the Golden Gophers in 2020 but was trusted with a starting role from the 2022 season. He was named to the Second-Team All-Big Ten in 2023 and the First-Team All-Big Ten in 2024.
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The 49ers could look at Ersery as a long-term successor to Williams, who will be 37 when the 2025 season begins. However, it will be interesting to see if San Francisco makes a move for the Minnesota star in this year’s draft.
The 49ers are reportedly looking to bolster their offensive and defensive lines in the draft after a mass exodus at the start of the free agency market.
Kyle Shanahan plays down expectations for 49ers’ 2025 season
San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is looking forward to the draft but has played down the team’s expectations for the season.
“I don’t think about the season’s expectations,” Shanahan said via the Mercury News. “I think about how good we can get in the draft and how many people we can add. Then you try to build it throughout Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3. It’s all about practicing and getting back to just focusing on that, not focusing on trying to make up for a Super Bowl loss or make up for anything. It’s about being the best football team you can be and nothing else.
“When I do believe we get to Week 1, I believe everyone in our building will be confident we can win that Sunday, and I believe we’ll be that the next week.”
Kyle Shanahan took charge of San Francisco in 2017 and has led the 49ers to the Super Bowls in 2020 and 2024 but ended up losing both. Last season, Shanahan’s 49ers team posted a dismal 6-11 record, finishing last in the NFC West.
