Fans may not yet be ready to look toward the San Francisco 49ers' next steps, but the offseason is here regardless. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said after Sunday's disappointing Super Bowl LIV loss to the Kansas City Chiefs that he would take some time to move past the defeat, and then shift focus to improving and challenging again next season.
The 2020 NFL Draft will be a big part of the team's ability to improve. San Francisco, having lost the Super Bowl, will select at the second-to-last spot in the first round, pending any trades.
Why would the 49ers want to trade the selection? Because they don't own another one until the fifth round. Their second-round pick went to, of all teams, the Chiefs in exchange for pass rusher Dee Ford. Their third- and fourth-round picks went to the Denver Broncos in exchange for veteran wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who is scheduled to become a free agent.
That makes the first-round selection a must-hit for the 49ers unless the team can turn it into multiple picks in later rounds. As it stands right now, general manager John Lynch and company don't have a Day 2 selection with which to work.
The 2020 NFL Draft will be held from April 23–25 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Below is the first-round draft order, which is entirely known now that the 2019 season is officially complete.
- Cincinnati Bengals (2-14)
- Washington Redskins (3-13)
- Detroit Lions (3-12-1)
- New York Giants (4-12)
- Miami Dolphins (5-11)
- Los Angeles Chargers (5-11)
- Carolina Panthers (5-11)
- Arizona Cardinals (5-10-1)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10)
- Cleveland Browns (6-10)
- New York Jets (7-9)
- Las Vegas Raiders (7-9)
- Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
- Denver Broncos (7-9)
- Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (8-8)
- Miami Dolphins (via Steelers 8-8)
- Las Vegas Raiders (via Bears 8-8)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (via Rams 9-7)
- Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
- Buffalo Bills (10-6)
- New England Patriots (12-4)
- New Orleans Saints (13-3)
- Minnesota Vikings (10-6)
- Miami Dolphins (via Texans 10-6)
- Seattle Seahawks (11-5)
- Baltimore Ravens (14-2)
- Tennessee Titans (9-7)
- Green Bay Packers (13-3)
- San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
- Kansas City Chiefs (12-4)
