Draft upgrades: 49ers’ biggest need is obvious

The San Francisco 49ers mainly focused on fortifying their defense in free agency, leaving many to believe that the 2024 NFL Draft will be their chance to upgrade the offensive line.

Most mock drafts predict the 49ers will select the best offensive tackle available to bolster the line's weak link—the right side—and potentially provide a succession plan for 35-year-old left tackle Trent Williams.

Pro Football Focus recently examined each team's biggest need heading into the draft's first round and unsurprisingly listed offensive line for the 49ers.

"The 49ers likely won't have the luxury of selecting the top offensive lineman with the 31st pick, but they can still find a quality player to improve a unit that was inconsistent in pass protection," Dalton Wasserman wrote. "Duke's Graham Barton is an athletic player who could help them at any position. Whether it's him or someone else, the 49ers won't win a Super Bowl until they improve up front."

Although the team came close in February, losing the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime, enhancing the play in the trenches could be significant for last season's second-ranked offense, providing more protection for third-year quarterback Brock Purdy.

Barton is ranked 23rd on Pro Football Focus' big board. While his 2023 grades from the analytics site saw a slight dip, his 2022 marks—88.2 overall, 86.9 run-blocking, and 85.1 pass-blocking grades—were career highs.

In this week's draft, San Francisco is also expected to address its secondary, defensive line, wide receiver, tight end, and linebacker groups.