The San Francisco 49ers have overhauled their defensive line in free agency, bidding farewell to defensive tackle Arik Armstead and defensive end Chase Young while bolstering their ranks with the signings of defensive ends Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos. Additionally, they acquired defensive tackle Maliek Collins via trade.
Having focused primarily on the defensive side of the ball in free agency, the 49ers are widely anticipated to turn their attention to the offensive side in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Long-standing ESPN analyst Mel Kiper unveiled his latest mock draft, this time going two rounds deep. True to expectations, Kiper predicts that general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan will opt for an offensive lineman with the No. 31 overall pick. He projects former Washington tackle Roger Rosengarten to be the selection, aiming to provide competition for the inconsistent Colton McKivitz.
"I'm going to stick with my projection from Mock Draft 3.0, as Rosengarten could challenge Colton McKivitz for snaps at right tackle," Kiper wrote. "Rosengarten didn't allow any sacks in his 1,158 pass-blocking snaps for the Huskies. He also has some familiarity with one of San Francisco's stars, as Christian McCaffrey's dad, Ed, was his high school coach for two seasons at Valor Christian in Colorado."
Rosengarten allowed only 27 total pressures over his last two seasons with the Huskies. By comparison, McKivitz tied the NFL high with 59 allowed last season alone, including the playoffs, and was responsible for nine sacks. Rosengarten earned a career-high 80.8 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus in 2023.
Kiper has the 49ers selecting former Kentucky cornerback Andru Phillips in the second round with pick No. 63.
"I thought about defensive line for the 49ers, but Phillips could add immediate depth to a secondary that needs a talent infusion," Kiper explained. "He allowed just a single touchdown catch as the nearest defender in coverage over the past two seasons. He has intriguing physical traits, but he's a little raw as a cover corner."
Phillips recorded 47 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss, and five passes defensed as a senior in 2023. Over the past two seasons, he has logged 78 tackles, including three for a loss, and 10 passes defensed.