Daniel Jeremiah’s final mock draft is an exercise in disaster for the San Francisco 49ers.
Jeremiah eschews conventional wisdom on the 49ers’ selection at No. 11 overall and instead of an offensive tackle or defensive linemen, the NFL Media draft analyst had San Francisco selecting North Dakota State interior offensive lineman Grey Zabel.
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Zabel is a versatile O-lineman at 6-6, 312-pounds, and he played three positions on the offensive front for the Bison. The fit in a vacuum isn’t bad. He’d start right away at left guard. His 32-inch arms would likely be prohibitive in moving him to left tackle as a pro. That makes the pick more outside the box than other possible OL selections for San Francisco.
It’s an outside the box pick not just because Zabel and the 49ers haven’t been connected at any point in the pre-draft process, but it goes against everything the club has done philosophically in building its offensive line.
They’ve typically waited until Days 2 and 3 to find interior offensive linemen they believe can be starting-caliber players in the NFL. Head coach Kyle Shanahan prefers finding playmakers early and stacking offensive linemen late. Offensive line coach Chris Foerster also subscribes to this theory.
Drafts are nigh impossible to predict, but it would be the upset of the three-day process if the 49ers select Zabel or any interior OL with the No. 11 pick.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 2025 NFL draft: 49ers make insane pick in Daniel Jeremiah final mock
