It's only been two weeks, but the San Francisco 49ers could be looking at another late pick in the first round after starting 2-0. While the team will likely have a few different needs this offseason, Sports Illustrated's latest 2027 NFL mock draft projects them to address a long-standing hole at linebacker.
SI's Gilberto Manzano has San Francisco taking Georgia's Chris Cole at No. 28 to pair with All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner.
The 49ers have had somewhat of a revolving door next to Fred Warner, having gone back to Dre Greenlaw this season to be one of their starters. Cole can fill that void as an off-ball linebacker, with great instincts and enticing sideline-to-sideline speed.
At 6-foot-3 and 234 pounds, Cole offers exactly the kind of range
the 49ers need. He's tallied six tackles and half a sack through three games this season. As a sophomore in 2025, Cole started to show real playmaking ability and racked up 59 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and two pass breakups across 14 games. He also flashed ball skills as a true freshman in 2024, recovering two fumbles and returning one for a touchdown.
For his career so far, Cole has totaled 85 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, five sacks and four pass breakups across 31 games at Georgia.
If the 49ers do find themselves picking in the back half of Round 1 next April, a sideline-to-sideline linebacker like Cole would give San Francisco a long-term running mate for Warner — and eventually, a successor at the position.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 2027 mock draft: 49ers take LB in Round 1
