San Francisco, CA

ESPN analytics predicts likeliest players to go with 49ers' draft pick

Published

2 years ago

April 21, 2024

ESPN analytics predicts likeliest players to go with 49ers' draft pick

Trading back has always been an intriguing draft strategy for the 49ers in a year where they’re unlikely to find a top-end player at their biggest position of need with the 31st overall pick. Moving back a few spots and stockpiling more picks while also not needing to reach for a player in Round 1 could ultimately be more beneficial in the immediate and long-term futures for San Francisco.

A good illustration of why there could be several opportunities for the 49ers to trade back comes via ESPN analytics’ draft predictor, which laid out the players most likely to be taken with the 31st overall selection. That doesn’t mean San Francisco will definitely be making the pick, this is just the player most likely to go with that pick regardless of which team ultimately makes it.

Here are the 10 players most likely to go 31st overall per ESPN:

(Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

Would the 49ers pick him?
Yes. Mitchell has some high-end traits that could be enticing to the 49ers, especially if they wind up moving Brandon Aiyuk in this year’s draft. Not that Mitchell is a similar player, but Aiyuk’s exit would create a pretty gaping hole on the depth chart.

Chance he’s taken: ~ 7.75 percent

Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Would the 49ers pick him?
Probably not. They’ve never taken a cornerback earlier than the third round under general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. If McKinstry’s name gets called with the 31st pick it likely means the 49ers have traded out.

Chance he’s taken: ~ 7.25 percent

(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Would the 49ers pick him?
Worthy has different, game-changing speed the 49ers don’t really have in their receiving corps. It’s easy to see how Shanahan could fall in love with what Worthy can do with the ball in his hands. On the other hand, this might be a bit of a reach even after Worthy set the NFL combine record with a 4.21 40-yard dash.

Chance he’s taken: ~ 6.25 percent

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Would the 49ers pick him?
Definitely! Of all the WRs who might fall to San Francisco, McConkey is the one who makes the most sense for them. He can play outside or in the slot, and he’s almost always open which would give quarterback Brock Purdy another go-to pass catcher in big situations.

Chances he’s taken: ~ 5.0 percent

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Would the 49ers pick him?
Absolutely! Guyton is in the second tier of this tackle class, but he has good enough size and athleticism to hang in Shanahan’s offense. If San Francisco is set on picking an OT in the first round it’s easy to see them liking what Guyton brings now and in the future.

Chances he’s taken: ~ 4.5 percent

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Would the 49ers pick him?
In theory they could, but it’s hard to envision them going with a defensive back in Round 1 with so many other needs stacked up. Perhaps they really like a player with DeJean’s athleticism as a safety with Talanoa Hufanga entering the final year of his contract. If DeJean is the pick though the 49ers have likely traded out.

Chances he’s taken: ~ 4.3 percent

Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Would the 49ers pick him?
Rakestraw is a really fun player who fits the 49ers’ defensive ethos. They don’t take CBs in Round 1 though historically, and it’s unlikely they’d start with Rakestraw.

Chance he’s taken: ~ 4.3 percent

Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Would the 49ers pick him?
Absolutely. They might even run to the podium to turn in the draft card. Newton is a force as a pass rusher with enough run-stuffing chops to work as a potential Arik Armstead replacement in the next couple of seasons.

Chance he’s taken: ~ 4.25 percent

Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Would the 49ers pick him?
They sure would. Robinson has an elite first step that might make defensive line coach Kris Kocurek salivate. There’s some required development for Robinson, but he’s at minimum a rotational pass rusher out the gate for the 49ers.

Chances he’s taken: ~4.1 percent

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Would the 49ers pick him?
Yes, for sure. Morgan is an interesting prospect since some analysts project him as a guard in the NFL. If that’s the case for the 49ers they may want to trade back and see if Morgan is still around in the second sometime. If they view him as a long-term tackle on either the right or left side though they’d not hesitate to call his name on Draft Night.

Chances he’s taken: ~ 4.0 percent

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San Francisco, CA

What Gonzaga coach Mark Few said after dominant win over San Francisco

Published

8 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Press Room

What Gonzaga coach Mark Few said after dominant win over San Francisco

Gonzaga’s third and final time facing San Francisco inside the home of the Golden State Warriors played out similarly to their previous two meetings in the Bay Area.

For the third year in a row, the Bulldogs (26-2, 14-1 West Coast Conference) left the Chase Center with a decisive thanks in large part to Graham Ike, who finished Wednesday’s contest with a game-high 22 points to lead his team to an 80-59 victory over the Dons (15-14, 7-9 WCC).

A concerted group effort on the defensive end of the floor, holding San Francisco to 9-for-26 shooting in the second half, and contributions from Ike’s supporting cast also helped the Zags extend their win streak over San Francisco to 35 games. Mario Saint-Supéry had 14 points, six assists and four rebounds; Emmanuel Innocenti provided a necessary spark in the first half and finished with 12 points and eight rebounds; and Jalen Warley battled through a bruised thigh to chip in 11 points on 5-for-9 shooting.

Here’s what Mark Few had to say after the game.

On the balanced offensive attack

“It was good. It was very, very good and spread out. I thought Mario was really, really solid. He played heavy minutes tonight. I thought he did a really nice job. Six assists, one turnover, made shots and was pretty solid on the defensive end.”

On playing in the Bay Area, potentially playing games there in the future

“It’s a great stop on the circuit, and it’s a great city to hang out. I got some great friends here now with Steve [Kerr] and Steph, all these guys that I have some great experiences with.”

Feb 18, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; General view of the court before the start of the game between the San Francisco Dons and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Chase Center. | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

“We’ll play some one-off games here, and we’ll be around for sure. NCAA Tournament games are coming very soon, there’s all of that. So I think we’ll be back in the Bay Area at some point.”

On Gonzaga’s win streak over San Francisco

“It’s unbelievable. Our guys deserve all the credit for being up and ready to go. We started a little slow today, but then we finally got cooking.”

Feb 18, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Dons guard Legend Smiley (13) and Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Emmanuel Innocenti (5) reach for the ball during the second half at Chase Center. | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

“They’ve had some great teams and great coaches, and Chris does a really, really good job; does a lot of different things offensively, a lot of different things defensively that you don’t see. To be able to handle that throughout all these years, when [the streak] goes back to Kyle Smith and Todd Golden.”

On Emmanuel Innocenti’s play as of late

“He’s finding timely baskets off cuts and off smart spacing, and hitting some 3s, but also making plays. It’s helping us go from defense to offense. I thought he had several of them tonight.”

On Graham Ike’s shooting

“There’s a lot of traffic in the paint right now and a lot of different coverages are in there. So he’s stepping out and showing he can make those shots. And for the most part, most of them were pretty good shots. There at the end, he went back to kind of his bread and butter and got in there and got himself some shots around the basket.”

MORE GONZAGA NEWS & ANALYSIS

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San Francisco, CA

Gonzaga vs. San Francisco Prediction, Odds for College Basketball on Wednesday, Feb. 18

Published

20 hours ago

February 18, 2026

Press Room

Gonzaga vs. San Francisco Prediction, Odds for College Basketball on Wednesday, Feb. 18

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are in control of the West Coast Conference once again, boasting a 13-1 record with their only loss coming in an inexplicable loss to Portland.

They hit the road tonight to take on the San Francisco Dons, who are just 7-8 in conference play, and as you’d expect, Gonzaga is set as a heavy favorite. Let’s take a look.

Gonzaga vs. San Francisco Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

Gonzaga -14.5 (-115)
San Francisco +14.5 (-105)

Moneyline

Gonzaga -1700
San Francisco +890

Total

OVER 148.5 (-110)
UNDER 148.5 (-110)

Gonzaga vs. San Francisco How to Watch

Date: Wednesday, February 18
Game Time: 11:00 pm ET
Venue: The Sobrato Center
How to Watch (TV): ESPN2
Gonzaga Record: 25-2 (13-1 in WCC)
San Francisco Record: 15-13 (7-8 in WCC)

Gonzaga vs. San Francisco Betting Trends

The UNDER is 7-2 in Gonzaga’s last nine games
Gonzaga has won 10 straight games against San Francisco
Gonzaga is 1-7 ATS in its last eight games played on a Wednesday
San Francisco is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games
The OVER is 5-1 in San Francisco’s alst six games

Gonzaga vs. San Francisco Key Player to Watch

Tyon Grant-Foster, G – Gonzaga Bulldogs

Gonzaga’s two big men, Graham Ike and Braden Huff, are the two best players on this Bulldogs team, but Tyon Grant-Foster may be the most important tonight. San Francisco is primarily a three-point shooting team, so if Gonzaga wants to win comfortably, it needs to find a way to defend the perimeter. That’s where Grant-Foster comes in. He’s averaging 1.1 blocks per game, so that level of defensive play will need to hold up tonight.

Gonzaga vs. San Francisco Prediction and Pick

It’s a brave call to make, but I’m going to take the points with San Francisco on its home court. I think San Francisco’s style of play matches up well with Gonzaga. The Dons likely won’t win, but they can do enough to cover this big spread.

Gonzaga allows teams to shoot 30.9% from beyond the arc. That mark has gotten worse lately, up to 36.4% over its last three games. Now, they take on a San Francisco team that’s 47th in the country in 3-point shot rate, with 45.7% of their shots coming from beyond the arc.

Defensively, San Francisco can slow down Gonzaga’s front court. They rank 95th in opponent two-point field goal percentage, keeping teams to shooting just 49.7% from two-point range.

Let’s also remember the last time these two teams played this season, Gonzaga escaped with a narrow 68-66 win. Now, with the Dons hosting the Bulldogs, we could be in for another close one.

Pick: San Francisco +14.5 (-105)

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San Francisco, CA

San Francisco mayor advances legislation for new sobering center in SoMA neighborhood

Published

1 day ago

February 18, 2026

Press Room

San Francisco mayor advances legislation for new sobering center in SoMA neighborhood

SF Mayor Lurie advances new sober center

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie signed new legislation on Tuesday advancing a program aimed at getting people addicted to drugs off the streets and connected to treatment. This legislation authorizes the sheriffs office to contract with an LLC to operate the so-called RESET center.

SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie on Tuesday signed new legislation, advancing a program aimed at getting drug users off the streets and connecting them to treatment.

A new sobering center in SF

What we know:

The legislation authorizes the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office to contract with Connections California LLC to operate the city’s new Rapid Enforcement, Support, Evaluation and Triage or RESET center.

The center will open this spring at 444 Sixth Street in the city’s South of Market neighborhood and will act as an alternative to jail or hospitalization for individuals with substance use disorders and who are arrested for public intoxication.

RESET will provide more mental health and substance-use treatment services than what nurses in the jails are able to provide, according to the mayor’s office.

Connections Health Solutions, a crisis care company, will provide care at the facility and connect those brought in to appropriate treatments. The facility will be overseen by the Sheriff’s Office and the city’s Department of Public Health. Connections has facilities in at least five states, including Arizona and Washington, according to their website.

RESET is part of Lurie’s “Breaking the Cycle” initiative to tackle the city’s homelessness and behavioral health crisis. A 24/7 crisis stabilization center and three recovery-focused interim housing programs were launched in San Francisco in 2025 as part of this initiative.

After signing the legislation, Lurie posted to social media to say, “For too long, San Franciscans have been told that we must choose between clean, safe neighborhoods and compassion for those struggling on our streets.” Lurie added that he ran for mayor because, “I believed we can – and should – do both,” and that the city doen’t have to choose between compassion and accountability.

He also offered a stern warning to those who use drugs openly in San Francisco’s public spaces. “The RESET Center allows our officers to arrest those engaged in public drug use at a speed and volume we have never seen before. If you use drugs on our streets, we will arrest you.”

He said this new approach offers a chance at recovery.

“The RESET Center is a health-focused facility designed to care for publicly intoxicated individuals by moving them off the streets and into a safe and controlled environment,” Lurie said.

San FranciscoDaniel LurieOpioid EpidemicNewsCrime and Public Safety

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