49ers still have two starting spots to fill after questionable NFL Draft class originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The San Francisco 49ers went into the 2026 NFL Draft with a few clear needs at wide receiver, edge rusher, safety, interior defensive line, and along the offensive line.
While they added a few players across those needs in the draft, their picks did not sit well with many fans and media, especially in relation to consensus boards from scouts and analysts alike.
After such a questionable draft class, ESPN's Nick Wagoner highlighted how the 49ers still have two starting spots they have yet to address this offseason: left guard and safety.
"Who will the 49ers start at left guard and safety?" Wagoner writes. "Safety and left guard were the positions in obvious need of starting-caliber players, but the 49ers didn't address the offensive line until late in the fourth round and didn't select a safety."
San Francisco's lack of starting-caliber upgrades at safety and left guard has two spots on the starting roster very much up for grabs after the draft.
Following their lackluster draft class, which did not adequately address their starting safety or guard spots, the 49ers now have to scour free agency and the trade market for options.
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But the 49ers had a prime chance to add a top-tier safety in Emmanuel McNeill-Warren during the draft, but traded the pick to the Cleveland Browns for one of the biggest steals of the draft.
Missing out on safety during the draft was their own fault, and combined with the lack of a true interior offensive line upgrade, the 49ers are set for position battles at two key spots entering offseason camp.
Between the two clear holes on the roster that have yet to be filled, and the 49ers' questionable draft class, there are some lingering questions about the 49ers' plan for the 2026 season and beyond when it comes to roster construction.
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