With the belief that their Super Bowl window remains open, the San Francisco 49ers enter the 2024 NFL Draft holding a first-round pick for the first time since they moved up to select quarterback Trey Lance at No. 3 overall in 2021.
And while that pick didn’t pan out, the 49ers were fortunate enough to draft an MVP candidate and franchise quarterback in Brock Purdy in the seventh round of the 2022 draft.
So no one understands the importance of every pick more than 49ers general manager John Lynch, particularly with San Francisco paying several homegrown players top dollar in Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel.
“We’ve got a first-round pick for the first time in a long while,” Lynch said at this year’s combine. “That’s nice. But we really try to focus on making them all count. They’re all an opportunity to improve your organization.
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“And we look at each one of those as such. And you know, we pride ourselves on putting as much into the late rounds as we do into the early [rounds]. And so, we’ll take them where they come and we’ll try to make the most of them.”
The 49ers hold the No. 31 pick overall and have 10 selections total in this year’s draft, including four compensatory picks. Here is FOX Sports’ seven-round mock draft for San Francisco.
Round 1, Pick No. 31: WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
The rumblings that Brandon Aiyuk has asked for a trade have been refuted by his agent, and the two sides are still working on an extension. However, Aiyuk did unfollow the 49ers on social media and has only one year remaining on his rookie contract.
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The Arizona State product was San Francisco’s No. 1 receiver in 2023, but the 49ers have been successful at finding and developing young talent in the receiver room. Michigan product Ronnie Bell is the latest example; during his rookie year, he showed flashes at training camp and in the limited snaps he got during the regular season.
The addition of Mitchell would certainly not replace someone as skilled a route-runner as Aiyuk. However, with a 4.35-second 40-yard time, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound Mitchell could stretch the field vertically while developing as a route-runner and chain-mover.
And as a bigger receiver with good hands, he’s shown the ability to win contested catches. Plus, according to Pro Football Focus, Mitchell had just one drop in his last two seasons in college.
While serving as offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, Niners coach Kyle Shanahan had an explosive, physical receiver in Julio Jones. Mitchell isn’t as dominant an athlete as Jones, but he could develop into a physical presence on the perimeter for the 49ers.
Round 2, Pick 63: OT Roger Rosengarten, Washington
With All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams turning 36 in July, the 49ers could use some help along the offensive line to protect Purdy, and Rosengarten provides that at either offensive tackle position. He attended Valor Christian High in Colorado, where he played with Christian McCaffrey’s younger brothers, Dylan and Luke McCaffrey. Rosengarten was coached by family patriarch Ed McCaffrey in high school.
The 6-foot-5, 308-pound lineman is an easy mover and didn’t give up a sack during the regular season, according to Pro Football Focus. He did, however, struggle in pass protection against Michigan in the National Championship Game.
Former San Francisco tackle Joe Staley reportedly trained Rosengarten during the pre-draft process.
Round 3, Pick 94: CB Decamerion Richardson, Mississippi State
Richardson ran a 4.34 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine. He started two seasons for the Bulldogs, finishing his career with 177 combined tackles, a sack and 10 pass breakups. According to ESPN, Richardson had a pre-draft visit with San Francisco.
Round 4, Pick 124: WR Luke McCaffrey, Rice
McCaffrey is a sudden mover with great hands and the ability to make defenders miss after the catch. Sound familiar? McCaffrey finished with 71 receptions for 992 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in his final season for the Owls. He also beat older brother Christian’s time in the 40-yard dash at the combine (4.46 seconds compared to 4.48 for Christian).
Round 4, Pick 132: DT McKinnley Jackson, Texas A&M
A run-stuffing interior defensive lineman makes sense at this point of the draft for a team that struggled at times to stop the run last season up front. The 326-pound Jackson totaled three sacks and 27 combined tackles (5 tackles for loss) for the Aggies in 2023.
Round 4, Pick 135: LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson
Son of legendary Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, the younger Trotter is a bit light for the position (6-foot, 226 pounds). However, he moves well and filled up the stat sheet his final year at Clemson, finishing with 88 combined tackles — including 15 tackles for loss — five sacks and two interceptions. The 49ers could use depth at linebacker with Dre Greenlaw recovering from an Achilles injury suffered in the Super Bowl.
Round 5, Pick 176: TE Erick All, Iowa
At a program known for producing NFL-ready tight ends, All finished with 21 receptions for 299 yards and three touchdowns in seven games for the Hawkeyes.
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Round 6, Pick 211: RB Isaiah Davis, South Dakota State
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Davis had 1,578 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns for the Jackrabbits, the 2023 FCS National Champions.
Round 6, Pick 215: DE Eric Watts, Connecticut
He had only two sacks his final year for the Huskies, but at 6-foot-6 and 274 pounds, Watts ran a 4.68 40. So there is potential there for San Francisco defensive line coach Kris Kocurek to develop.
Round 7, Pick 251: CB Chau Smith-Wade, Washington State
He finished with 35 tackles and six pass breakups for the Cougars in 2023. Smith-Wade reportedly had a pre-draft visit with San Francisco and talked with the 49ers at the combine.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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