49ers could be in position to trade down in first round again

The San Francisco 49ers first selection in next week's draft comes at No. 31 overall. However, NFL Media analyst Chad Reuter doesn't have the Bay Area team remaining at that spot in the first round. In his seven-round mock draft, he envisions the 49ers striking a deal with the Green Bay Packers to move up six spots to No. 25 overall, where they select former Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry. Reuter notes, "Whether it's for a cornerback like McKinstry, an offensive lineman or a receiver, the 49ers could very well give up a mid-round pick to acquire one of the few missing pieces on an otherwise potent roster." The rest of the mock draft reveals at least part of the

The San Francisco 49ers are likely hoping that a top offensive lineman drops to them at No. 31 in the first round of this month's draft. Fans would like to see the team add someone to compete with Colton McKivitz for the right tackle spot and potentially take over for Trent Williams when the future Hall of Famer decides to retire. Having two studs bookending the offensive line would go a long way in protecting franchise quarterback Brock Purdy. While tackle may be the first-round target, depending on how the first 30 selections play out, San Francisco might have to trade up to get a genuinely impactful

It is less than two weeks away from the 2024 NFL Draft, and the San Francisco 49ers finally have a first-round draft pick, after not having one the last two years. Who will they select? Will it be a defensive player? An offensive player? They could use help on the offensive line and in the secondary and defensive line. And they may also have multiple holes to fill a year from now. Either way, the 49ers need to hit on these draft picks, especially in the early rounds, where they haven't always been at their best. John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan have some first-round misses, like DT Solomon Thomas and LB Rueben Foster. But are those the worst first-round picks in team history? Neither made this list, though some will argue that Thomas should be on it, mainly because he was taken

Analyst Dane Brugler recently revealed his seven-round mock draft for The Athletic, forecasting all 257 selections in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, set to kick off next week. "Piecing together a mock like this is time consuming, but I enjoy the exercise, because it allows me to focus on each team's needs, organizational trends and prospect-team pairings that make sense based on '30' visits, league buzz and overall interest," Brugler wrote. Most expect the 49ers to address the trenches early in the draft, and Brugler has the team doing that. It's just not on the offensive side of the football. In fact, Brugler doesn't have San Francisco