We’re just one week away from the 2026 NFL Draft, and the question surrounding the San Francisco 49ers is who they’ll take with the No. 27 pick in the first round.
There’ve been quite a few prospects mocked to the 49ers, with wide receivers and offensive linemen being the most frequent, but San Francisco has the chance to cover a few bases with their six draft picks, all of which are in the first four rounds.
So, let’s go position-by-position and see what chance there is that the 49ers look to target
a player there.
Quarterback
After spending a seventh-round pick on a quarterback last offseason with Kurtis Rourke, it feels quite unlikely the 49ers will go for a quarterback in the draft, even on Day 3, with the room feeling set.
San Francisco obviously has Brock Purdy leading the way. Mac Jones is still in San Francisco despite trade rumors, and Rourke is ready to compete after sitting last year due to a torn ACL he sustained in his final game of college football.
There’s also Adrian Martinez, who’s been in San Francisco for a year now and is a comfortable No. 4 quarterback.
Confidence Meter: Very Low
Running Back
The 49ers have Christian McCaffrey back, but the picture behind him is unclear. They’ve been drafting quite a few running backs over the years, spending a pick on the position in four of their last five drafts.
The issue? Those players have yet to pan out. Two (Trey Sermon, Tyrion Davis-Price) are no longer with the team. San Francisco also didn’t have much confidence in Isaac Guerendo last year, and Jordan James is an unknown after dealing with injuries as a rookie.
San Francisco’s No. 2 running back last year, Brian Robinson, signed with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency as well.
Kyle Shanahan has talked about wanting to share the load more for Christian McCaffrey. With San Francisco’s propensity to draft running backs and the quality of this class, it makes sense to draft one this year.
Confidence Meter: High
Wide Receiver
This has been one of the most-mocked positions for the 49ers this year. And it makes sense why. The 49ers don’t have much trust yet in their depth. Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing have struggled to stay on the field or get on it when healthy. Demarcus Robinson didn’t have a great season in 2025.
As for the starters, there are questions about them all. Mike Evans is on the wrong side of 30 and coming off an injury-riddled campaign. He’s still a heck of a player, but he isn’t the future of the position for San Francisco. Christian Kirk should have a solid role this year, but he’s on a one-year deal. And Ricky Pearsall has dealt with a couple of injuries.
With all the visits and the future need, feels like a good bet wide receiver is a position of interest in this draft.
Confidence Meter: High
Tight End
The 49ers are pretty set at tight end. George Kittle, Luke Farrell, and Jake Tonges are all back. Kyle Juszczyk can fill in at the position. Brayden Willis is still on the team. And there are some other needs on the roster.
But the 49ers could spend a lower-round draft pick on a flyer and develop them. I just wouldn’t count on a higher-round pick here.
Confidence Meter: Low to Medium
Offensive Line
This is another position where the 49ers have done their due diligence, especially with players projected around No. 27. It feels like a certainty that San Francisco will draft an offensive lineman. John Lynch mentioned the goal of adding competition at left guard through the draft, and the 49ers also have a need for a future tackle.
A couple of San Francisco’s offensive linemen are getting older. It’d make sense to add some depth and potential future starters here in the draft.
Confidence Meter: High
Defensive Line
San Francisco could use depth along the defensive line. And they like to rotate players. But they’ve built a pretty solid foundation on the defensive line.
On the interior, they have Osa Odighizuwa, Alfred Collins, and C.J. West as the key three. Evan Anderson and Sebastian Valdez are back-of-the-roster players who could compete for roster spots.
On the edge, Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams are coming back from torn ACLs. Sam Okuayinonu remains a player with inside-outside versatility. Keion White had a quality year for San Francisco last season. And the team just signed Cam Sample, who could compete for a roster spot as well.
But more depth could be had at both spots, especially after Bryce Huff’s retirement. So, it’d make sense to draft at least one lineman in the class.
Confidence Meter: Medium
Linebacker
If there’s a position San Francisco is set at apart from quarterback, it’s linebacker.
The 49ers made the move to add Dre Greenlaw in free agency, bringing him back to complement Fred Warner on a one-year deal. There’s still Tatum Bethune and Dee Winters. Luke Gifford signed a two-year deal to return as a key special-teamer. And Nick Martin was a third-round pick last year.
A late-round pick could be used, but this room seems quite set heading into the offseason.
Confidence Meter: Low
Cornerback
The 49ers have invested quite a bit in corners. They notably signed Deommdore Lenoir to a five-year extension. They spent a second-round pick on Renardo Green in 2024. Upton Stout was a revelation as a rookie in the slot last year. And they’ve signed Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs this offseason.
Those guys pair with reserve Darrell Luter Jr. to form a group with some depth. Corner is an option, but I’m not sure how much San Francisco will prioritize it with their current investments.
Safety
The 49ers have a packed safety room. The question is: are the players good enough?
Ji’Ayir Brown, Malik Mustapha, and Marques Sigle are all back. The team also added Siran Neal to compete. But I would not be surprised if the 49ers looked to upgrade this room in the draft. This is a room that needs some work and consistency, and that hasn’t been there the last two years.
Confidence Meter: Medium
