Update: This article has been edited to reflect the NFL's mistake while awarding compensatory picks.
The NFL goofed. The league initially awarded two third-round compensatory picks—three total compensatory picks—to the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday. One of those two third-rounders was a mistake, the league admits. The 49ers are only receiving two total compensatory picks. The first is a third-round selection—No. 102 overall— that is awarded via the NFL's minority-hiring program. It is due to the New York Jets hiring former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as their head coach.
The NFL initially awarded an additional third-round pick to the 49ers for the Washington Football Team's hiring of former 49ers executive Martin Mayhew as their general manager. That one was a mistake, and will actually be a third-round pick in 2023, as it was expected to be.
The fifth-round selection—No. 180 overall—is for the loss of wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders last offseason. That gives the team three fifth-round selections, and 10 total picks in 2021. Sanders joined the 2019 San Francisco squad via a mid-season trade with the Denver Broncos. He then signed with the New Orleans Saints last year via free agency. The salary-cap strapped Saints are releasing him.
San Francisco lost its original third-round pick as part of last year's trade with Washington for offensive tackle Trent Williams.
One of the 49ers' fifth-round picks was acquired via the trade that sent linebacker Kwon Alexander to the Saints. New Orleans is also releasing Alexander.
The extra seventh-round pick comes from the Jets as part of the trade for defensive end Jordan Willis.
49ers Draft Picks
- Round 1, Pick 12
- Round 2, Pick 43
- Round 3, Pick 102 (compensatory pick)
- Round 4, Pick 117
- Round 5, Pick 155
- Round 5, Pick 172 (from NO)
- Round 5, Pick 180 (compensatory pick)
- Round 6, Pick 193
- Round 7, Pick 228 (from NYJ)
- Round 7, Pick 237