A fresh crop of a NFL talent will soon grace the league as the 2026 NFL Draft is just days away. The San Francisco 49ers have to figure out which direction they plan to head going into the draft.
San Francisco has a total of six draft picks in the upcoming draft, including the No. 27 pick in the first round. The 2026 NFL Draft is April 23-25 at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Arguably, the top position they need to address is the offensive line, and particularly the tackle position. Pro Bowl offensive lineman Trent Williams turns 38 this summer, and at some point, San Francisco will have to begin to think of his replacement.
They will need more receiving options, whether at wideout or tight end. George Kittle suffered an Achilles injury that kept him out of postseason play, but the team expects him to be available at the start of the 2026 season.
However, it wouldn't be crazy for them to lean towards finding two weapons for Brock Purdy, especially after the season-long fiasco with Brandon Aiyuk. They've added Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, but they could be out to get more.
Defensively, they need to improve their secondary at the safety positions. They have Ji'Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha but could look to bring in more talent at strong safety and free safety positions. Their front seven or eight could use some patching up, especially on the defensive line.
They will need to beef up their D-line and find a backup answer for Nick Bosa. Bosa played three games before he missed the season with a torn ACL. It was a huge loss for the 49ers and finding an insurance plan would benefit them in case more unfortunate events persist.
Here's what experts are saying about the 49ers and who they should target in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft:
1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana2. New York Jets – David Bailey, OLB/DE, Texas Tech
3. Arizona Cardinals – Arvell Reese, LB/DE, Ohio State
5. New York Giants – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
7. Washington Commanders – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
10. Cincinnati Bengals – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
11. Miami Dolphins – Francis Mauigoa, OT/G, Miami (Fla.)
12. Dallas Cowboys – Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)
13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn
16. New York Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) – Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
18. Minnesota Vikings – Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
20. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers) – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson