The 49ers on Thursday filled two of their top needs in the first round of the NFL draft. They aren’t slated to pick again until Round 5, and they hold one pick in each of the final three rounds.
Going into the draft San Francisco had two sizable holes to fill on the defensive line and wide receiver. They addressed their defensive line when they took Javon Kinlaw No. 14 overall. They added a receiver by trading up to No. 25 and selecting Brandon Aiyuk.
With those two holes filled and most of their Super Bowl roster returning, there aren’t many major needs left for the 49ers to address, which is probably why they were comfortable unloading three picks to move up to take Aiyuk.
Here are the positions they could aim for with their final three picks:
Cornerback
With Richard Sherman, Ahkello Witherspoon and Emmanuel Moseley all due to hit free agency next season, the 49ers could opt to add a cornerback later in the draft to see if they can snag a late-round gem. Any draft pick this year wouldn’t need to start right away, so a late-round flier on a corner with good physical traits would make a lot of sense.
Safety
The 49ers have similar long-term questions at safety. Jimmie Ward is signed on a three-year deal, but Jaquiski Tartt is on the final year of his contract and the depth behind him is uncertain. It’d be worth adding a late pick to play special teams early on and work as a reserve to see if he can develop into a long-term option.
Tight end
It’s a good sign for where San Francisco’s roster is that they should add more tight end depth behind George Kittle. They don’t necessarily need a player who can overtake Ross Dwelley as the TE2 right away, but inserting a better athlete who can be a bigger threat as a pass catcher would upgrade the roster at that spot.
Linebacker
There’s not really a starting role available, but the 49ers let Elijah Lee walk in free agency which opens a roster spot at linebacker. With Kwon Alexander suffering major injuries in back-to-back seasons, it’s worth adding some additional bodies to compete for reserve roles and special teams jobs. Finding a good athlete who can perhaps carve out a role behind NFL coaching makes sense
Offensive line
There’s a hole at right guard on San Francisco’s offensive line, so a draft pick could get added to the mix in that competition. There’s also a chance they try and scoop a tackle prospect with good physical tools to try and groom to compete for the starting job once Joe Staley retires. The 49ers may wind up waiting until next year to draft a tackle early though if they do need to replace their left tackle.
