The 49ers wouldn’t have an interest in drafting him, but Shedeur Sanders potentially slipping in Round 1 would carry massive ramifications.
Unless the San Francisco 49ers opt to drop a bomb in Round 1 of the NFL Draft, they won’t be selecting a quarterback with the No. 11 overall pick.
All signs point to them being fully committed to Brock Purdy, and the two parties are moving well toward what’ll be a lucrative contract extension for the final pick of the 2022 draft. Unless things fall apart on that front between now and day one of the 2025 draft, one can effectively cross off a quarterback being the Niners’ primary target with their first pick.
Round 1 quarterback prospects still have a possible impact on San Francisco, though, namely Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders’ landing spot is becoming more and more difficult to assess. For much of the offseason draft lead-up, he’d been speculated as a top-three selection, but more recent developments suggest Sanders could slip.
Case in point, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. mocked him to No. 9 overall where the New Orleans Saints are currently slated to pick. Additionally, the No. 2 overall-drafting Cleveland Browns just inked veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, which suggests they won’t be overly aggressive in making Sanders their top pick.
Even if they wouldn’t be interested in picking Sanders, the 49ers would love nothing more than a drop down the big board.
49ers benefit if Shedeur Sanders falls in NFL Draft
A would-be Sanders fall opens up the door for a number of different possibilities. On the surface, it might potentially push other non-quarterback prospects further down the board, too.
That’s a plus. Perhaps the Niners have a greater shot at landing a standout player like Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, who should be a top-five pick but could see his own fall, given the fluidity of Sanders’ uncertainty.
However, the bigger potential benefit is if another team begins to lick its chops at Sanders dropping, namely if that team is poised to select much later in the first round.
For example, the Pittsburgh Steelers have an uncertain quarterbacking future and are poised to pick at No. 21 overall. If they see Sanders as a long-term fix and are willing to be aggressive enough to trade up with San Francisco to obtain the No. 11 overall pick, the 49ers might be able to recoup a significant amount of draft capital even if it means missing out on a possible blue-chip prospect.
Given the plethora of Niners roster holes, that might be the smarter play, and they could hope Sanders dropping in the draft might lead to that.
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The 49ers may have the opportunity to draft one of these three prospects when their number is called in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The San Francisco 49ers don’t have to overthink their initial actions in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Following a large-scale exodus of well-known talent earlier in the offseason, general manager John Lynch has openly admitted to needing the draft to infuse talent and replenish a diminished roster.
With 11 picks total, including the No. 11 overall selection, Lynch and Co. don’t necessarily have to draft for need. At the same time, they’re not in a position to make luxury picks either.
The Niners’ plethora of needs pretty much covers all positions on the field, save at quarterback, provided Brock Purdy receives what’ll be a lucrative contract extension. However, the defensive and offensive lines appear to be the most pressing, while holes at linebacker and within the secondary can’t be overlooked either.
Combing through the latest speculative reports, analysis and suggestions, one might conclude San Francisco’s top selection later this April winds up being one of these three prospects.
No. 1: OT Will Campbell, LSU
Arm length aside, LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell appears pegged for superstardom at the NFL level, and there’s no shortage of draft pundits who feel his shortish arms will cause any sort of problems.
In the words told to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, “don’t overthink it.”
On the surface, it doesn’t appear as if Campbell would fit an immediate need. San Francisco boasts a future Hall of Famer in left tackle Trent Williams, and it likes right tackle Colton McKivitz more than the fanbase would like to admit.
That said, Williams will turn 37 years old this offseason, and McKivitz is entering a contract year.
If the opportunity to land a day-one potential perennial Pro Bowler who can anchor an O-line for the next five years presents itself, it’d be hard for the 49ers to pass it up.
No. 2: DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
As NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco suggested in a recent mock draft, the Niners being in a position to draft Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen at No. 11 overall would be where “board and need could match up.”
San Francisco’s top priority in the draft is the D-line, namely after offseason departures like Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins and Leonard Floyd, leaving defensive end Nick Bosa as the lone established player with any name recognition.
Nolen, as Maiocco described, is a pure disruptor on the inside and would fill a void the 49ers haven’t had since now-Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead departed after 2023, arguably since Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner left in 2020.
No. 3: CB Will Johnson, Michigan
On the surface, grabbing Michigan cornerback Will Johnson makes less sense than addressing the trenches, particularly when acknowledging the Niners already have two starting-caliber corners in Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green.
That said, Johnson projects to be one of the two best defensive backs in this year’s class. And it should be noted how ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. mocked the former Wolverine to San Francisco in back-to-back mocks.
There’s logic to selecting a cornerback first, too, then worrying about the line of scrimmage later.
The 2025 draft class isn’t wholly deep at cornerback. There are plenty of good-quality D-linemen, however, and a modestly solid crop of offensive tackles and guards who could be had on day two.
Grabbing Johnsonl suggests the 49ers would be comfortable with that mid-round talent, whereas the need for a day-one starter on the boundary would be much harder to find once Round 1 is complete.