9ersLiferInChicago 2025 Mock Draft

I haven't done a mock in a few years. But this year I felt compelled. My mock has changed 5 times leading up to posting it. With all of the departure due to the Yorks mandated, shameful strip down I predict that we'll end up with at least 14 – 16 picks in this draft, and I expect them all to make the team, plus several undrafted players. Since Lynch has been forced to shed so much talent, and only has signed basically special teamers, expect 6 – 7 starters out of this draft class, if not more, even if they're not ready. If you're getting cheaper and younger, taking 2025 to eat dead cap, and bringing in nobody to actually be starters, that means they're starting a lot from this draft. The way I see it, the playoffs is a crack pipe dream, at least this year. (I so hope to be wrong on this.) I see this draft being a heavy on defense and in the trenches because that's where we were glaringly weak. I see us trading down a few times. But for mock purposes I mocked the original 11 picks. In my opinion, our first 6 picks need to be starters. We don't need to taking "developmental" picks until the 7th round. This is not a year that we can afford to be taking a bunch player who'll take a year or two to contribute. If all 11 don't make the 53 we're in trouble.

Round 1, No. ? – Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan (trade down)
I'll be shocked if we don't trade down here (unless Armand Membou falls, in which case we should take him here). But I'm predicting one here, though I don't know with whom and to what pick. We'll likely move down a few spots, say down to picks between 17 and 25. I don't care what the draft boards say, Kenneth Grant isn't lasting beyond 25. He absolutely destroyed interior lineman. If no trade partner can be found, then we take Walter Nolan at #11 if Armand Membou is gone.


Round 2, No. 43 – Landon Jackson, 6-6, 264, EDGE, Arkansas
Very high motor, very productive. At 6-6, 264, this kid is actually still growing into his body. So with all this talent he still has a very high ceiling. Go look at that Alabama game in 2023. He was an absolute nightmare for Alabama's protection gameplan. Sets a hard edge in the run game. He will need to learn to stay under control. He'll benefit from going up against Trent in practice.


Round 3, No. 75 – Jared Wilson, 6-3, 310lbs, C, Georgia
I'm not buying that Shanny & Co. are happy with Jake Brendel at Center for 2025. If they are then we have bigger problems. Since the York's are punting on 2025 and forcing Shanny's hand this is a great time to truly invest in the O-line, particularly at center. The interior of the O-line was horrible; I don't care what Shanny & Co. says, my eye's didn't lie to me. Jared Wilson is very smart and freakishly athletic and strong at the POA. Day one starter over Brendel.


Round 3, No. 100 – Joshua Farmer, 6-3, 305lbs, DT, Florida St.
This kid will be a real problem for interior O-lineman in the run game. He will require a double-team, so look for Fred Warner to eat. Better run defender than pass defender (he's more of a pocket pusher), but if we draft Grant and Jackson we really won't need him to rush the passer. He'll likely come out on obvious pass downs like 3rd and longs. He will need coaching on how to handle zone blocking schemes.


Round 4, No. 113 – Chris Paul Jr., 6-1, 222LB, Ol' Miss
Would like for Demetrius Knight Jr. to fall here, but I doubt he will. If he does I say we take him. But Chris Paul Jr. would be a day-one off-ball Greenlaw replacement. Very instinctive. Plays the pass very well. Brings the wood. Fights off blockers very well. His 40 time did him no justice because he plays way faster than what he ran at the combine, 4.63. His instincts and play recognition has him playing at a 4.3 rate. His sideline-to-sideline game is excellent.


Round 4, No. 138 – Caleb Rogers, OT/G, 6-5, 312lbs, Texas Tech
This is a very productive, durable kid that's had multiple starts at every position in the O-line but Center. In 2021 he had 13 starts at RT. In 2022 he had 13 starts at LT. In 2023 13 starts at RT. In 2024 13 starts – 2 at LG, 1 at RG, 10 at RT. No missed games in all that time. At worse he comes in and is our day-one swing man. But I'd make him our day-one LG and when Trent retires make him our LT.


Round 5, No. 147 – Tajh Brooks, RB, Texas Tech
Most have Tajh Brooks as the top blocking back in the draft. He's perfect for Shanny's scheme, and an ideal CMC replacement when it's time. Great hands out of the backfield, but even better natural vision as a pure runner. Very patient runner, but at times too patient. Not a burner but very good in the open field. A Brooks/CMC/Guerendo backfield will be the most lethal in the league.


Round 5, No. 160 – Jordan Hancock, 6-0, 195lbs, CB, Ohio St.
We have to get at least one CB in this draft. While we're set at the top 2 CB spots we do need depth, and competition at the slot CB spot. Jordan Hancock projects as a slot and nickel CB. He excels in the short and intermediate routs but will need to get better in the deeper routes. Extremely athletic, so he has a high ceiling. One of the best things about Hancock is that he's an above average tackler, so he's definitely gonna stir up competition day-one.


Round 7, No. 227 – Shilo Sanders, 6-0, 195lbs, S, Colorado
I don't see Shilo as a developmental pick at all. I see him as a day-one contributor, at the very least on ST. Plus, the pedigree is there. He's a pretty good, very hard-hitting cover FS. This kid will come up and knock the snot out you (I just wish he'd wrap up more). I watched every Colorado game in 2024. He's pretty versatile, I think we can have compete at the slot CB, box safety, can be used as a blitzer, and he has very good football IQ. Shilo Sanders in the 7th round is an absolute steal, but if we pick up a 6th round pick from the 1st round trade-down deal I say we get Shilo in the 6th. I think he's gonna be an impact player with playmaking abilities.


Round 7, No. 249 – Jay Toia, 6-2, 342lbs, DT, UCLA
We have to get better against the run. This isn't much of a project either. Toia will come in on obvious run downs, 3rd/4th and short, goal-line, and tush-push situations. A 3-year starter at UCLA. He's a violent space eater and an unmovable force that WILL require a double team, allowing our LB's to run free. Centers and OG's aren't getting to the 2nd level in front of him. This is great value for a very good rotational/situational chess piece.


Round 7, No. 252 – Rivaldo Fairweather, 6-4, 252lbs, TE, Auburn
This will be a projects, the only project I have us taking. We need another pass-catching TE who can teach to block. Very rare, but talented player. Learning under Kittle will be very good for him.


Toughts?

Good draft ; however, Pick 252 should be Eric Phoenix QB South Carolina State!
youtu.be/qEQcv__5BLU?si…
💯

Originally posted by CoachPhoenix:
Good draft ; however, Pick 252 should be Eric Phoenix QB South Carolina State!
youtu.be/qEQcv__5BLU?si…
💯

I wouldn't be totally against that. But I doubt Shanny & Co. spend any draft picks on players who won't contribute day-one given the holes on the roster. A 7th round QB won't be contributing unless it's a desater.

Nice draft. Love the big DT from UCLA in round 7.

Originally posted by MinerForty-Niner:
Nice draft. Love the big DT from UCLA in round 7.

I think we need to really address these shirt yardage, goal-line, and tush-push situations. This pick helps our D get off the field.

Love it. Addresses biggest weaknesses.

Sorry I can't get on board with just drafting a center in the third round. We don't have a left guard. We don't know if Trent's gonna play this season. All we can do is hope if I were him I'm playing all the way through the off-season seeing if we have a chance to win a Super Bowl and then making my decision. And with only two good offer of lineman. I don't know how we're winning a Super Bowl wouldn't you for once in your life like Brock to not have to scramble how about choosing to scramble if Brock wasn't a scrambler Colton would've allowed 10 sacks plus. If you would've spent pick 100 on Charles Grant, I might've been with you. But you just like Kyle and John could care less about the offensive line. They never wanna prioritize it ever.

Originally posted by fan49:
Sorry I can't get on board with just drafting a center in the third round. We don't have a left guard. We don't know if Trent's gonna play this season. All we can do is hope if I were him I'm playing all the way through the off-season seeing if we have a chance to win a Super Bowl and then making my decision. And with only two good offer of lineman. I don't know how we're winning a Super Bowl wouldn't you for once in your life like Brock to not have to scramble how about choosing to scramble if Brock wasn't a scrambler Colton would've allowed 10 sacks plus. If you would've spent pick 100 on Charles Grant, I might've been with you. But you just like Kyle and John could care less about the offensive line. They never wanna prioritize it ever.

Trust me, I totally understand. But we're not winning the SB anytime soon. And that's why I said that if Armand Membou falls to #11 I say we take him. Honestly though, while we do need a LG (which I actually address at pick 138) our biggest needs are on the defensive side of the ball. We need at least 4 starters on defense out of this draft (3 on the D-line). I totally understand your take on the O-line. It's been one of my grips about how Shanny views the O-line and how he rosters it. Clearly, the fans see our O-line entirely different than Shanny does. He loves McKivitz. And for the life of me I cannot understand why they are singing the praises of Jake Brendel. It's like we're watching completely different games. This is why I'm not buying the praises and predict that we're gonna draft a center, early too.

Originally posted by 9ersLiferInChicago:

Originally posted by fan49:
Sorry I can't get on board with just drafting a center in the third round. We don't have a left guard. We don't know if Trent's gonna play this season. All we can do is hope if I were him I'm playing all the way through the off-season seeing if we have a chance to win a Super Bowl and then making my decision. And with only two good offer of lineman. I don't know how we're winning a Super Bowl wouldn't you for once in your life like Brock to not have to scramble how about choosing to scramble if Brock wasn't a scrambler Colton would've allowed 10 sacks plus. If you would've spent pick 100 on Charles Grant, I might've been with you. But you just like Kyle and John could care less about the offensive line. They never wanna prioritize it ever.

Trust me, I totally understand. But we're not winning the SB anytime soon. And that's why I said that if Armand Membou falls to #11 I say we take him. Honestly though, while we do need a LG (which I actually address at pick 138) our biggest needs are on the defensive side of the ball. We need at least 4 starters on defense out of this draft (3 on the D-line). I totally understand your take on the O-line. It's been one of my grips about how Shanny views the O-line and how he rosters it. Clearly, the fans see our O-line entirely different than Shanny does. He loves McKivitz. And for the life of me I cannot understand why they are singing the praises of Jake Brendel. It's like we're watching completely different games. This is why I'm not buying the praises and predict that we're gonna draft a center, early too.

I can agree with your sentiment. I just really don't want to pass up on Charles Grant either. I think he has a possibility of being better than everybody in the first round. It's just it's gonna take two years for him and he could start at left guard.

Originally posted by fan49:

Originally posted by 9ersLiferInChicago:

Originally posted by fan49:
Sorry I can't get on board with just drafting a center in the third round. We don't have a left guard. We don't know if Trent's gonna play this season. All we can do is hope if I were him I'm playing all the way through the off-season seeing if we have a chance to win a Super Bowl and then making my decision. And with only two good offer of lineman. I don't know how we're winning a Super Bowl wouldn't you for once in your life like Brock to not have to scramble how about choosing to scramble if Brock wasn't a scrambler Colton would've allowed 10 sacks plus. If you would've spent pick 100 on Charles Grant, I might've been with you. But you just like Kyle and John could care less about the offensive line. They never wanna prioritize it ever.

Trust me, I totally understand. But we're not winning the SB anytime soon. And that's why I said that if Armand Membou falls to #11 I say we take him. Honestly though, while we do need a LG (which I actually address at pick 138) our biggest needs are on the defensive side of the ball. We need at least 4 starters on defense out of this draft (3 on the D-line). I totally understand your take on the O-line. It's been one of my grips about how Shanny views the O-line and how he rosters it. Clearly, the fans see our O-line entirely different than Shanny does. He loves McKivitz. And for the life of me I cannot understand why they are singing the praises of Jake Brendel. It's like we're watching completely different games. This is why I'm not buying the praises and predict that we're gonna draft a center, early too.

I can agree with your sentiment. I just really don't want to pass up on Charles Grant either. I think he has a possibility of being better than everybody in the first round. It's just it's gonna take two years for him and he could start at left guard.

Firstly, Grant has a 3rd round grade on him, the 11th ranked OT, and that's generous. There's no way that he's a better prospect than Armand Membou, Will Cambell, Kelvin Banks Jr., or Josh Simmons, all going in the first round. Also, I see Grant slipping to the 4th or even the 5th due mostly to his level of competition. IMHO, Grant is a risk in the top 100 for a team with a lot of defensive holes, particularly in the trenches.

Finally, you mentioned that it's gonna take him a few years. I mentioned in my mock that this is not a year the 49ers can afford to take players who can't be at least day-one contributors. In my mock the 1st 6 picks are starters. I also said that we should not be taking projects before the 7th round. Grant is a bit of a project. We simply don't have time for 3rd, 4th round project. This is the most critical draft in Shanny's coaching career. Caleb Rogers in has far better value than Grant because, as I said, at worst he'll be our swing man on day-one. He's started multiple games over multiple seasons at every position on the O-line but center. He can START at LG day-one, and when Trent retires he can move to LT. Grant is only a OT, and hasn't faced anywhere near the level of talent that Rogers has.