San Francisco 49ers NFL Draft 2023 guide: Picks, predictions and key needs

The San Francisco 49ers will not be scheduled to select till the 99th choice within the NFL Draft when it begins on April 27 in Kansas Metropolis. The 49ers nonetheless personal 11 whole picks although within the seven-round draft, together with a league-high seven compensatory choices.

49ers’ draft picks

Full draft order

Each choose within the seven-round NFL Draft.

NFL Draft particulars

• Spherical 1: April 27, 8 p.m. ET
• Rounds 2-3: April 28, 7 p.m. ET
• Rounds 4-7: April 29, Midday ET

All rounds will probably be televised on ESPN/ABC and NFL Community and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.

In regards to the 49ers

• Head coach: Kyle Shanahan (seventh season)
• Basic supervisor: John Lynch
• Final yr’s file: 13-4, misplaced in NFC Championship Recreation

The San Francisco 49ers have reached no less than the NFC title sport in three of the previous 4 seasons, however they’ve but to win a Tremendous Bowl beneath the management of Shanahan and Lynch. It appears like they’ll once more area among the finest rosters in soccer, and the objective for the 2023 season will probably be about harnessing that expertise and at last pushing it to a Lombardi Trophy. This draft will probably be important for the 49ers on the subject of replenishing their roster depth. The staff has managed to retain primarily all of its A-list gamers — 19 of 23 starters from the 2022 staff are slated to return — however free company noticed a slew of key reserves depart. The 49ers have loved notable success drafting within the mid-to-late rounds beneath this present regime, and extra hits there this time round can permit the roster to maintain churning because it takes one other shot at a championship.

49ers’ key place wants 

Cornerback: High quality depth is obligatory for high-level success right here within the NFL. The 49ers realized this the arduous method two seasons in the past, after they grew to become a manufacturing facility that churned out cross interference penalties earlier than struggling to cowl wideouts in an NFC title sport loss. They labored to deal with the issue by signing Charvarius Ward final yr, however nonetheless want extra depth behind him and Deommodore Lenoir.

Edge: Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead are set to anchor the within of the 49ers’ entrance. That needs to be a formidable duo to enhance Nick Bosa, however the 49ers nonetheless want extra bookending expertise for his or her famous person edge rusher. In the intervening time, they’re very reliant on a second-year soar from Drake Jackson and manufacturing from current pickup Clelin Ferrell.

Linebacker: Azeez Al-Shaair’s departure in free company has definitely thinned the 49ers out at linebacker. Certain, they’ve a succesful third linebacker in Oren Burks and a developmental piece in Marcelino McCrary-Ball, however they will work to replenish the effectively of depth by way of the draft.

Inside defensive position: Hargrave is undoubtedly a premium piece. Armstead is superb when he’s wholesome. However the 49ers aren’t precisely loaded right here past these two. Javon Kinlaw has been disappointing to this point and is coming into the final yr of his contract, whereas Kalia Davis has promising athleticism however has but to play a down within the NFL. Cultivating extra choices right here can be sensible.

Quarterback: The 49ers ran out of wholesome quarterbacks to finish final season. It solely is smart to stockpile as a lot succesful expertise as attainable on the place. They’ve already added Sam Darnold to a room that includes Brock Purdy and Trey Lance. A rookie might probably begin the 2023 season on the staff’s follow squad.

49ers draft evaluation

Subsequent steps in 49ers’ roster constructing: Why the draft goes to carry the important thing to the remaining additions.

Largest wants remaining: The departure of Mike McGlinchey leaves the 49ers in place to improve at proper sort out.

Assistant GM Adam Peters: The draft is deep at tight finish, however total has fewer blue-chip gamers.

The Athletic’s most up-to-date mock drafts

March 22: Beat Author Mock Draft: QBs go shortly, a shock commerce
BYU’s Blake Freeland is Matt Barrows’ choose as beat writers make their choices.

March 9: Construct your individual 49ers rosters: Are you able to do higher than our beat writers?

Feb. 20: 49ers 2023 mock draft 1.0: Protection will get 2 beefy linemen, George Kittle will get protege

49ers’ final 5 high picks

2022: DE Drake Jackson, choose No. 61 — The 49ers suppose Jackson can turn into a bookend for Bosa and there have been promising glimpses of his athleticism and elasticity early in 2022. Late within the season, nevertheless, Jackson was on the bench. The 49ers made him a wholesome scratch for 5 of the final six video games of the season, driving residence a message that he wants so as to add power and stamina in 12 months 2.

2021: QB Trey Lance, choose No. 3 —  Lance’s greatest shortcoming upon coming into the league was the scant variety of cross makes an attempt he made at North Dakota State. Two years later, taking part in time stays a difficulty. Although the 49ers by no means deliberate for him to play a lot as a rookie, his popping out celebration in 12 months 2 was minimize brief by a fractured ankle in Week 2. Lance guarantees to get the majority of the first-string repetitions all through the upcoming offseason and sure will start the season because the starter for the second straight yr.

2020: DT Javon Kinlaw, choose No. 14 — The 49ers proceed to talk optimistically about Kinlaw, however the true litmus check is available in Could after they should determine whether or not to select up his fifth-year possibility. Contemplating that knee points have restricted Kinlaw to 10 video games during the last two seasons, that he has no sacks in that span, that the staff simply signed Hargrave to a four-year deal and that the fifth-year possibility will price greater than $10 million, it’s arduous to see Kinlaw getting an additional season with San Francisco.

2019: DE Nick Bosa, choose No. 2 — Bosa is arguably the perfect draft choose of the Kyle Shanahan period, and he appears poised to hitch Frank Gore and Patrick Willis as one of many staff’s high picks this century. Bosa was excellent early on and was named Defensive Rookie of the 12 months on the finish of the 2019 season. What’s most spectacular is that he’s managed to get somewhat higher each full season since, culminating with a Defensive Participant of the 12 months award this previous season.

2018: OT Mike McGlinchey, choose No. 9 — McGlinchey was a Day 1 starter, which is uncommon for a 49ers rookie beneath Shanahan. And whereas his cross safety drew all types of criticism over the previous 5 seasons, he was in style on the open market this month and signed a five-year, $87.5 million take care of Denver. Previously the 49ers have used first-round draft picks to bolster the sort out spots. With no first-rounder this yr (See: Lance, Trey; collection of), they’ll look to switch McGlinchey with a former fifth-rounder, Colton McKivitz, and whoever else they will discover within the draft.

(Photograph of Blake Freeland: Stacy Revere / Getty Photos)