49ers Mock Draft 1: The First 100

A pivotal draft as the team needs a future star to build on and help in the trenches.

Tennessee defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. (27) sacks UTEP quarterback JP Pickles (19) during a college football game between Tennessee and UTEP at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. / Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The draft, the annual rite of spring where The Faithful demand an offensive lineman with the first pick and Kyle Shanahan takes another position. Might as well get the bad news out of the way, Shanahan probably won’t take an OL in the first this year either.

Why does he pass? The top two tackles, Will Campbell of LSU and Kelvin Banks of Texas, have short arms and the talk has already begun that both are guards in the NFL. Most teams don’t draft interior offensive linemen early in the first. The Niners pick 11th if they lose to Arizona.

Pick 11

Players they’d love are off the board in Michigan DT Mason Graham and DB Will Johnson, along with Penn State Edge Abdul Carter. Quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are gone. I doubt they trade up. If they did, Graham or Carter would be the target.

At defensive tackle, the Niners are better off in free agency, led by Chargers DT Poona Ford posting 80+ PFF ratings against the run and the pass. Former Niner D.J Jones also hits free agency. In the draft, Kenneth Grant of Michigan is a boulder on run defense but not a dynamic pass rusher. Walter Nolen of Ole Miss can get to the QB but has short arms and stands up out of his stance.

This mock is what I predict the Niners consider, not necessarily what I would do. Keep in mind this is early in the process and subject to change.

James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee) Edge 6-5/243. He has the burst off the line Niners DL Coach Kris Kocurek values most, good speed, long arms, and converts speed to power well. However, he’s light and needs to fill out his frame, can struggle at times finishing. High ceiling player. 38 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble.

Nick Scourton (Texas A&M) DL/Edge 6-4/280. He has the power to play inside and the technique to play outside. More physically mature than Pearce but not as fast or long. Scourton’s versatility along the line and to stop run or pass adds to his value, more so if they don’t add a run stopper in free agency. 37 tackles, 5 sacks, 1 forced fumble.

Jalon Walker (Georgia) LB/Edge 6-2/245. A weapon that a great defensive coordinator uses as his unpredictable tip of the spear. A pure playmaker. Whether the Niners hire that DC, to be determined. Walker keeps opposing offensive coordinators up at night. 57 tackles, 6.5 sacks.

Ashton Jeanty (Boise State) RB 5-9/215. A shifty breakaway threat averaging 7.3 yards per carry, and coming into today’s Fiesta Bowl with 2,497 yards rushing. He's also a threat as a receiver, 43 catches for 569 yards last year. Brock Purdy was best with peak Christian McCaffrey, Jeanty would provide a reload. Kyle Shanahan would need to re-discover balancing two backs at once.

Tyler Warren (Penn State) TE 6-6/261. A Swiss army knife with 92 catches for 1,095 yards and nearly 200 yards rushing. Warren can be the eventual replacement for 31-year old George Kittle and play alongside him in a dominant 12 personnel set next year. He may be the safest pick of the five, and teams may be looking at him as their version of Brock Bowers.

Prediction: 1) Pearce, a speed edge is proven effective to pair with Bosa, great edges are hard to find, and he may be BPA at 11. 2) Warren, a sure thing that fills a lot of needs immediately and long term. 3) Jeanty, a dominant two-way back is proven to make Shanahan’s scheme effective.

Fans will want an offensive lineman, but it’s not warranted at 11 if the consensus is Banks is a guard. Shanahan will get the inside scoop on Banks from his close friend Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian.

Pick 43, 75, and 100

I see them hoping to fill the position needs this way: defensive tackle (FA – Ford or Jones, and a pick 2nd-7th), pass rusher (1st-2nd), center (Matt Hennessy), tight end (within first three picks), defensive back (2nd-4th), running back (2nd-4th), linebacker (2nd-6th), edge setter (FA DeMarcus Lawrence or a pick), left guard (FA – Ben Bartch) and tackle (FA – Jaylon Moore and a pick (3rd-7th). They also re-sign Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, and restricted free agent Jordan Mason.

Pick Combinations:

Edge in 1st:
11. Pearce (Tenn) Edge
43. Amos (Ole Miss) DB
75. Taylor (LSU) TE
100. Sampson (Tenn) RB

TE in 1st:
11. Warren (Penn St) TE
43. Kennard (S Car) Edge
75. Burke (Ohio St) DB
100. Sampson (Tenn) RB

RB in 1st:
11. Jeanty (Boise St) RB
43. Kennard (S Car) Edge
75. Taylor (LSU) TE
100. Strong (VA Tech) DB

No OL? It’s Kyle. With luck the Niners make one OL pick in the draft, but the primary moves are in free agency. Hennessy already signed as the starting center, keep Bartch and Moore. The fans hate it, but this is Shanahan's standard operating procedure.

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