Draft day is very tricky. Players who were slam dunks for certain draft slots in the draft fall, teams reach for players who were considered available later, and there is always the crazy draft-day trade for extra picks or to move up.
The San Francisco 49ers haven’t been shy about trading up or back under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan. They have been so aggressive that they moved up to pick number three before knowing who they wanted to select.
But what about the other trades on draft day to move up
or down? How have they fared, and what players were selected by both sides?
2017 was Lynch and Shanahan’s first draft, and boy, were they active.
First, the Chicago Bears moved ahead of the 49ers for the second pick to draft Mitch Trubisky. The trade netted the 49ers a 2017 third-round pick (67th overall), a 2017 fourth-round pick (111th overall), and a 2018 third-round pick (70th overall, Fred Warner). The result of this trade could have been one of the biggest heists in NFL history. Let’s say the 49ers selected, oh, I don’t know, Patrick Mahomes and turned that third rounder in 2018 into Warner.
The 49ers would turn the 67th overall pick into a 2017 seventh-round pick (229th overall, Adrian Colbert) and a 2018 second-round pick (59th overall) with the New Orleans Saints, who used the 67th pick on Alvin Kamara. Don’t worry, the 49ers would use the added 59th overall pick in 2018 in a trade up with Washington for the 44th overall pick (Dante Pettis) and 142nd overall pick (D.J. Reed). The 49ers would also send the 74th overall pick to Washington. They would turn both picks into Derrius Guice and Geron Christian.
Let’s get back to 2017. Blood rivals would make a draft-day trade: the 49ers would receive the 31st overall pick (Reuben Foster) from Seattle for the 34th overall pick (Seattle moved the pick, Cam Robinson) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (111th overall, Tedric Thompson).
Wait, there’s more. The 49ers traded up with the Minnesota Vikings, sending the 104th overall pick to the 49ers (C.J. Beathard) for the 109th (Jaleel Johnson) and the 219th overall pick (Stacy Coley).
The 49ers weren’t done trading up in 2017, as the Colts sent the 121st overall pick (Joe Williams) to San Francisco for the 143rd overall (Marlon Mack) and 161st overall pick (Anthony Walker). There was one final trade as the 49ers allowed the Broncos to move up for Kapri Bibbs and the 177th overall pick (Trent Taylor). The Broncos received the 109th overall pick, which they traded for to select Troy Apke.
Whew, alright, 2017 was a doozy. 2018 saw only the trade-up for Pettis and a deal with New England, where the 49ers sent Trent Brown and the 143rd overall pick (Ja’Whuan Bentley) for the 95th overall pick (Tarvarius Moore).
2019 had two trades as well. The Bengals jumped up to the 104th pick (Ryan Finley) for the 110th overall pick (Mitch Wishnowsky) and 183rd overall pick (Justin Skule). Gross.
However, 2019 also saw the 49ers draft Dre Greenlaw with the 148th overall pick after sending the 212th overall pick (Dennis Daley) and Dekoda Watson to Denver.
2020 was a busy year, so I’ll list the moves in bullet points.
Trent Williams Trade: Acquired from Washington for 2020 pick No. 156 and a 2021 3rd-round pick.
Brandon Aiyuk Trade: Traded up from No. 31 to No. 25 with the Minnesota Vikings (sending Nos. 31, 117, and 176).
Javon Kinlaw Trade: Traded DeForest Buckner to the Colts for No. 13, then traded No. 13 and No. 245 to the Buccaneers for No. 14 and No. 117.
Matt Breida Trade: Traded to the Miami Dolphins for pick No. 153.
Marquise Goodwin Trade: Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for pick No. 190.
2021 had two draft-day trades.
Round 2: The 49ers traded pick No. 43 and a 2021 7th-round pick (No. 230) to the Las Vegas Raiders for the 48th overall pick (used on OL Aaron Banks) and a 4th-round pick (No. 121).
Round 4: The 49ers traded pick No. 117 and pick No. 121 (from the Raiders) to the Los Angeles Rams for the 88th overall pick (used on RB Trey Sermon).
In 2023, the 49ers sent the 102nd (Mekhi Blackmon), 164th (Jaren Hall), and 222nd (DeWayne McBride) overall picks to Minnesota for the 87th pick, which the 49ers used on Ji’Ayir Brown.
2024 was a busy year for the 49ers, with trades.
Round 2 (Trade with Chiefs): The 49ers traded picks No. 63 and No. 211 to the Kansas City Chiefs for picks No. 64 and No. 173. The 49ers used the 64th pick on cornerback Renardo Green.
Round 3 (Trade with Eagles): The 49ers traded picks No. 94 and No. 132 to the Philadelphia Eagles to move up to pick No. 86, which was used to select offensive lineman Dominick Puni.
Round 5 (Trade with Jets): The 49ers traded picks No. 173 and No. 176 to the New York Jets for pick No. 129 in the fourth round, used to select running back Isaac Guerendo.
Ok, I think that’s all of them. What do you think? Should the 49ers keep being aggressive? Let us know in the comments!
