The San Francisco 49ers selected eight players in the 2026 NFL Draft, using a couple of trades to move down the board and take their guys in a unique draft class without much depth.
The 49ers entered the draft holding only six selections, but moved back in the first and second rounds to acquire more capital for the 2026 draft and for 2027. The headliner was wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, who was taken at No. 33 after San Francisco went back from No. 27 to No. 30 and then No. 33.
The Stribling pick
was seen as one of the more polarizing ones for the 49ers in the draft, with many pushing back on it as a perceived reach, given that he was seen as a consensus late second-round pick. But, head coach Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers staff were quite high on the Ole Miss product, who seems to be a quality fit in the offense with his size, play style, and athletic profile.
Behind him, San Francisco took Texas Tech edge rusher Romello Height, Indiana running back Kaelon Black, Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton, Washington offensive lineman Carver Willis, Washington cornerback Ephesians Prysock, Louisiana linebacker Jaden Dugger, and Kansas offensive lineman Enrique Cruz.
Could any of them realistically start for the 49ers in 2026?
Stribling’s case is interesting because he feels like a pick for the future with San Francisco having Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall, and Christian Kirk in the fold currently. The 49ers had a similar selection with Ricky Pearsall in 2024 when they still had Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and Jauan Jennings on the roster, but injuries prompted Pearsall to start four games as a rookie before starting in nine last season.
Stribling feels better suited to take on the Mike Evans role in the future, but he could also earn some slot reps alongside Christian Kirk. At the moment, he feels like San Francisco’s No. 4 or No. 5 receiver heading into the season.
San Francisco’s second pick, edge rusher Romello Height, is more of a situational pass-rusher with his current speed and size. The 49ers have Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams on the edge, so Height likely won’t start any games in 2025. But he could fill the Bryce Huff role as a speedy pass rusher who could impact passing downs in a situational setting.
Kaelon Black, the 49ers’ polarizing third-round pick, likely won’t start either, as he slots behind Christian McCaffrey in the backfield. The better question, however, is if he’ll push Jordan James and/or Isaac Guerendo for the No. 2 running back role.
Carver Willis probably has the best shot of any rookie to start for the 49ers, given the vacancy at left guard. The 49ers should have an open competition there, with free agent signees Brett Toth and Robert Jones fighting with 2025 seventh-round pick Connor Colby for the starting spot. Willis could figure in that mix, and several have projected him in that role.
But he’s also harder to project as a tackle converting to guard ahead of his first NFL season.
Gracen Halton was universally lauded as a player drafted later than where the consensus had him, but he’s also likely to compete for a situational role at defensive tackle behind Osa Odighizuwa, Alfred Collins, C.J. West, Kalia Davis, and others as a rookie.
As for San Francisco’s other Day 3 picks, none of them look like immediate plug-and-play starters, but Prysock and Dugger could earn early snaps on special teams with their athletic profiles.
The 49ers will need rookies and younger players to contribute as they look to compete for a championship again in 2026. So we’ll see who emerges from the group, but the 49ers were looking fairly complete before the draft, so there aren’t many starting spots available for rookies this offseason.
