The San Francisco 49ers had an eventful first round in the 2026 NFL Draft, but for different reasons than you’d expect: they made multiple trades and eventually traded out of the round entirely.
San Francisco started things off by moving back from No. 27 to No. 30 with the Miami Dolphins. In that trade, the 49ers swapped the No. 138 pick for the No. 90 pick, sending one of their compensatory fourth-rounders to move up 48 spots into the third round.
Then, on the clock at No. 30, the 49ers moved out
of the first round altogether, trading the pick to the New York Jets, who held the first pick of the second round at No. 33. In return, San Francisco got a fifth-round pick at No. 179.
Compiling both trades together, here’s what the 49ers got for moving from No. 27 to No. 33.
49ers get: No. 33, No. 90, No. 179
49ers trade: No. 27, No. 138
How did the 49ers do in the first round with their decision to trade back and get additional draft capital?
Well, when considering the trades, you have to look at who was on the board for the 49ers. Heading into the draft, the 49ers were mocked to several offensive tackles. But that didn’t come to fruition on Thursday night, as most of those tackles were taken far earlier in the draft.
The tackle run started at No. 9 when the Cleveland Browns took Spencer Fano. Francis Mauigoa went one pick later to the New York Giants at No. 10. Kadyn Proctor went to the Miami Dolphins at No. 12. Then, in the back half of the teens, we saw the run continue.
Blake Miller went off the board at No. 17 to the Detroit Lions. Monroe Freeling went at No. 19 to the Carolina Panthers. And Max Iheanachor went at No. 21 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Those were the six tackles that it seemed San Francisco would consider in the first round, with Iheanachor being the most realistic, but none of them fell near the 49ers’ range.
Caleb Lomu was available when the 49ers traded out of No. 27, but it seemed like the 49ers didn’t have interest in him, despite mocks linking the two together during the pre-draft process.
Elsewhere, there were wide receivers available with Omar Cooper Jr. and Denzel Boston available, but neither was a surefire first-round talent. In fact, Boston is available at No. 33 and could be in consideration for the 49ers there.
When you look at the players taken from No. 27 to No. 32, the one player that would’ve made sense for San Francisco is Keldric Faulk. But, on the edge, the 49ers need a more proven pass rusher to add to their group. Faulk wasn’t the best fit with a similar archetype (Mykel Williams) already on the roster.
So, when you consider who the 49ers could’ve taken, there aren’t really any players that they really missed out on at the end of the first round. That’s why it made sense to trade back, which many reporters had said was a possibility heading into the draft.
The 49ers also needed additional capital. They had six draft picks, but four were in the fourth round. And they were very close to each other. Spreading out their capital and adding a third-round pick was important, and the 49ers did that with their move back with the Dolphins.
Then, with their second trade, they added a fifth-round pick. Heading into the draft, the 49ers didn’t have a fifth, sixth, or seventh-round pick.
When looking at the Jimmy Johnson trade chart, the 49ers come away with slightly more value than they had with the extra third and fifth-round picks. So, it’s not like they were at a disadvantage there.
At No. 33, the 49ers should have a very similar board of players that they had at No. 27. Wide receiver could be in play with Boston and Louisville’s Chris Bell on the board. Safety could be a wildcard option with Emmanuel McNeil-Warren falling out of the first round. There are some edge prospects with T.J. Parker, Zion Young, and Cashius Howell. There are also some interior defensive line and cornerback options.
Safe to say, the 49ers have some options. And at No. 33, they’re in a great spot to kick off Day 2. The first pick of the second round can be valuable because a ton of teams will want to inquire about trading up to get their guy. So, I wouldn’t rule out a third trade back here.
Regardless, even without getting a player, it was a pretty successful day for the 49ers, considering how the board fell before and after their selection. Now, it’s onto Day 2.
