NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah ranked all 32 NFL draft classes based on the value each team received from its selections, and the San Francisco 49ers landed at the bottom of the list at No. 32.
Jeremiah's rankings were based on where each player appeared within his top-150 prospect rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft. For example, quarterback Fernando Mendoza was Jeremiah's top-ranked prospect, giving him a value of 150 points. The Las Vegas Raiders owned the No. 1 overall pick, which was worth 150 points, matching the expected value exactly.
From there, the No. 2 overall pick was worth 149 points, the No. 3 pick was worth 148 points, and so on throughout the draft.
Any player selected outside Jeremiah's top 150 was assigned zero points, as were draft slots outside the top 150.
The Indianapolis Colts finished atop the rankings, earning 392 total points from their draft selections despite having picks valued at 225 expected points. That gave Indianapolis a return of 174.2% above expected value.
Meanwhile, the 49ers totaled 172 points from their draft class, while their draft slots carried an expected value of 340 points. That significant gap left San Francisco with roughly half of the expected return, placing the team last in Jeremiah's rankings.
The 49ers have faced criticism from analysts for what many viewed as reaches throughout the draft, and Jeremiah's evaluation reflected that sentiment. However, projecting draft value remains highly subjective, especially before any of the prospects have played an NFL snap.
Which Teams Made Most of Their Picks?
- 150 points for player ranked 1st overall, 149 for player ranked 2nd …- Players outside Top 150 = 0 points
- 150 expected points for 1st overall pick, 149 for 2nd overall pick …- Picks outside Top 150 = 0 expected points pic.twitter.com/GD59Fn4S7l
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) May 8, 2026
Last week, analytics site Pro Football Focus (PFF) released its own evaluation of the 2026 NFL Draft classes, focusing on each team's reach-to-steal ratio. PFF labeled seven of the 49ers' eight draft picks as reaches—several by substantial margins—resulting in a "D" grade for San Francisco.
When asked about the perception that the 49ers frequently reach on draft picks and deviate from outside consensus boards, general manager John Lynch offered a blunt response.
"Well, I appreciate that you think that," Lynch said. "It depends on whose consensus. We've got consensus in this building, and that's the consensus that I care about."
Comments