49ers seven-round mock draft: Let’s make some trades

The 2025 NFL Draft is finally here, but there’s still enough time for one outlandish 49ers mock draft.

Mock drafts are inherently divisive. Many love them, just as many loathe them, and the picks made him always split opinion. What everyone can agree on, however, is that they are essentially always wrong.

Nobody is ever nailing every pick in the first round or every pick for a team across the seven rounds, especially not a team mock that features 14 player selections and three trades.

Yes, you read that right. I’ve gone very, very big with my one and only 49ers mock. It will be wrong, but that’s not the point of the exercise. The point is to explore the avenues the 49ers could go down and look at the potential profile of player they might select. More than anything else, the point is for it to be fun.

So join me in the chaos that is this madcap mock. I’ve attempted to essentially address every need the 49ers have, and marked some players with an asterisk, which donates a ‘my guy’. In other words, a player that I would stand up and pound the table for if I was inside the 49er draft room.

The overwhelming likelihood is that I’ll never be in that position, but there is at least a chance that one of these picks, if probably not the trades, ends up being correct.

Round 1, Pick 20: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss

49ers trade pick 11 to Denver for pick 20, Pick 51 and Pick 122

So first, the trade. It’s become clear the 49ers would dearly love to move back from 11 and general manager indicated as such publicly in his pre-draft press conference. Right now, it doesn’t sound like there’s the potential for a lot of movement on Thursday night, but there seems a high probability Lynch will at least check in with his friends in Denver to gauge the possibility of a deal, with the Broncos seemingly very keen on adding an offensive playmaker.

Usuing the DraftTek trade value chart, Denver’s first and second-round picks don’t quite get the job done, so I had the Broncos throw in a little something extra in the fourth round.

The 49ers would be delighted with that haul, and would surely be even more thrilled to still land Nolen, the book on whom has been out for some time.

He’s a player who would instantly improve what was a dire 49er run defense in 2024. Nolen plays with great leverage, blending a strong and flexible lower half that helps him to consistently hold his ground with violent and powerful hands that facilitate quick disengagement from blocks.

Nolen can play the role of both clogger and penetrator, with his skills in the latter regard also evident in the significant flashes he has demonstrated as a pass rusher.

The epitome of a Kris Kocurek defensive lineman, Nolen fires off the ball and can push the pocket with sheer power and leg drive. Blessed with effective rip and swim moves, Nolen also has the flexibility to attack off the edge and turn the corner.

And yet the most exciting about Nolen is that there is so much that can be added to turn the boyhood 49ers fan into an elite defensive lineman at the highest level. There is some projection involved with Nolen, but in Robert Saleh’s system and with Kocurek coaching him, you don’t have to squint to see the kind of disruptive force he could very quickly become for the 49ers.

Round 2, Pick 45: Princely Umanmielen*, EDGE, Ole Miss

49ers trade pick 43 to the Colts for pick 45 and pick 117

I’ve got the 49ers make another move to take advantage of the depth of this draft, of which Lynch spoke effusively on Tuesday, with another fourth more than enough to get them to drop back two spots.

Lynch also spoke about prioritizing defensive ends who can set an edge in the run game. For many that might not scream Umanmielen, but to disregard his play in the run game would be to do a disservice to him. Simply put, there’s no prospect in this class whose tape I’ve enjoyed more than that of Umanmielen.

Let’s get the run game stuff out of the way first. Is it his forte, no. But, at 24x pounds, is it a weakness? Emphatically not.

Umanmielen plays with superb awareness and eyes to the football in the run game, excelling at the reading the mesh point and not taking the bait on zone-reads. Despite being undersized, he has no problem disengaging from tight ends and has shown a prowess for setting the edge and working off blocks from much bigger linemen.

But the reason you buy the ticket with Umanmielen is his pass-rushing tools. His get-off is outstanding, and he can win with speed to power and an ability to turn the corner and bend, a skill the 49ers have famously not had on their defensive front since Dee Ford’s time with the team came to an end.

There is an intriguing variance to his plan of attack. Umanmielen regularly uses a spine move at the top of his rush and marries his hands and feet together well as a pass rusher, incorporating hesitation moves and jab steps into his approach to get offensive tackles to turn their shoulders.

Going with Umanmielen would mean going with a slight departure from the archetype 49ers defensive end. However, in a draft where the 49ers need a lot of help on the defensive front, they can complement his selection with that of a bigger defensive end later in the draft (more on that soon). The reward for taking him, though, is an instant impact designated pass rusher with the upside to become a lot more in the not too distant future.

Round 2, Pick 51: Quinshon Judkins*, RB, Ohio State

Yeah, I know you probably hate this pick, and I get it. That said, the 49ers are almost certainly going to take a running back in a very deep draft at the position and I can think of no better back for what they need on day two than Judkins.

The simplest way to sum up Judkins is that he was considered the thumper in his backfield timeshare with Tre’Veyon Henderson last season, yet it was he who had an 86-yard touchdown run for the Buckeyes in 2024.

He’s an incredible blend of 221-pound size with home-run speed. Think of a souped-up Jordan Mason, and you’ve got Judkins.

Decisive with great burst to the second level, Judkins has the lateral quickness to make defenders miss in a phonebooth and the power and contact balance to run them over. Christian McCaffrey is healthy for now, but by adding Judkins to Isaac Guerendo, the 49ers would be putting the backfield in an excellent position for the long term in the backfield and giving themselves substantial protection against further injury to the former Offensive Player of the Year.

Round 3, Pick 75: CJ West, DT, Indiana

San Francisco can’t just invest a premium pick on Nolen and expect their woes on the interior defensive line to be resolved. They need to take multiple bets on defensive tackles, and West is a very safe one on day two.

The elite athleticism he displayed in the pre-draft process did not manifest itself in terms of pass-rush production in college, but West would give the 49ers another high-floor run defender who plays with natural leverage and can hold his own against single and double-team blocks.

West can win with hand-quickness as a pass rusher, with rip and club-swim moves at his disposal. He also has the combination of lateral agility and awareness to be able to move into throwing lanes in an attempt to affect the throw if he cannot pressure the passer. Picking West would place the onus on Kocurek to unlock him as a pass-rusher, but it would also give the 49ers another reliable early-down player whom they could be confident in leaning on early in his career.

Round 3, Pick 100: Anthony Belton, OT, NC State*

49ers trade a 2026 third-round pick, a 2026 sixth-round pick and pick 252 this year to the Rams for Pick 100 and a 2026 fourth-rounder

So, first, the trade. Is it unlikely? Probably, but the 49ers will have more compensatory selections next year, so do have the flexibility to flip some future assets to improve the team now. Would the Rams be willing to facilitate such a move to help the Niners get better? That’s a more difficult question to answer.

I wrote extensively on Belton a few days ago, so I won’t spend too much time on the pick itself. In short, he’s an ultra-experienced tackle with a high floor in pass protection who is a great fit as a gap scheme blocker with room to improve in zone blocking. He’s exactly the kind of bet the 49ers like to make on the offensive line. It would be no surprise to see them back Chris Foerster to turn Belton from a reliable starting college left tackle into a pro right tackle who can quickly challenge Colton McKivitz for a starting spot.

Round 3, Pick 101: Harold Fannin Jr, TE, Bowling Green

The 49ers have shown significant interest in Fannin in the pre-draft process, and with good reason.

If San Francisco is going to risk draft capital on a tight end again after striking out on both Cameron Latu and Brayden Willis in 2023, it needs to be on a player who has proven he has upside as both a blocker and a receiver.

Both Latu and Willis were significant projections, neither of which worked out. Fannin is not.

To the contrary, he is a versatile tight end comfortable operating in-line, in the backfield as a de-facto fullback and in the formation as a Y. Fannin is a smooth route-runner and focused pass-catcher who can make receptions in traffic and has the body control to adjust to off-target passes.

On top of that, his effort as a blocker jumps off the tape, with Fannin showing great commitment to downfield blocking and a desire to finish blocks emphatically. The 49ers would hugely benefit from increasing their pass-game flexibility out of two-tight end sets, Fannin would allow them to do that.

Round 4, Pick 113: Elijah Roberts, EDGE, SMU

Here’s the complement to that earlier Umanmielen pick.

Roberts is an outstanding edge-setter in the run game and brings the ability to win inside and out as a pass rusher. His pass-rush armoury is an impressive one, with rip, club-swim, forklift and cross-chop moves in his repertoire. With 24 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks in his last two seasons, this is a high-floor, high-upside selection.

Round 4, Pick 117: Jeffrey Bassa*, LB, Oregon

Ole Miss’ Chris Paul, with whom the 49ers had a top-30 visit, is a favorite of many, but I think it’s realistic they could wait until later in the draft and get a player with comparable skills in Bassa.

He’s another I’ve already written about in depth, so I won’t go too long on him. However, Bassa has the communication skills, awareness in coverage and, most importantly, the aggressive downhill playing style, to succeed in a hurry with the 49ers and become a key part of their long-term future at the second level of the defense.

Round 4, Pick 122: Nohl Williams, CB, Cal

There’s a lot of love for Cobee Bryant, the Kansas corner with whom the 49ers had a visit, but Williams also fits them to a tee.

Williams is a superb competitor who is comfortable playing both zone and press-man, offers impressive movement skills and on-ball production, and will bring the thump in run defense.

After leading the FBS with seven interceptions in his final year with the Golden Bears, SoCal native Williams could trade the East Bay for the South Bay and quickly compete to start on the outside on base downs.

Round 4, Pick 138: Ty Robinson, DL, Nebraska

A bet on traits, but also on some impressive recent production. Robinson is a hugely explosive and versatile defender who has played every alignment on the front. He comes off the ball with often frightening get-off and transforms speed to power very well to push the pocket. Robinson can also win with quickness and cross the face of opposing linemen, while he also boats club-swim, rip and forklift moves.

He is less consistent against the run, but plays with good low pad level and can access the pads of his opponent to stack and shed blockers despite below average arm length. Coming off a 2024 season with 13 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Robinson is the kind of early-day three gift Kocurek should really appreciate.

Round 5, Pick 147: Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, DL, Georgia

This is another bet on athletic traits, but without the production.

Ingram-Dawkins had 13 tackles for loss and four sacks in four seasons with Georgia. He’s as raw as they come as a pass rusher, but the combination of physical gifts and versatility is an alluring one.

Ingram-Dawkins posted a 9.79 Relative Athletic Score, earning elite grades in speed, explosiveness and agility. In addition, he’s played everywhere from 0-tech to wide 9 in his career at Georgia and, at very least, has proven himself as an edge-setting run defender when lined up outside.

It remains to be seen whether that will be enough for the 49ers to take a day-three flier on a prospect who is still only 21, but the untapped potential and experience in a variety of positions up front should make it a conversation.

Round 5, Pick 160: Dylan Fairchild, OL, Georgia

The likelihood seems to be that the 49ers will roll with Ben Bartch at left guard in 2025. Bartch has previous starting experience from his time with the Jaguars and looked impressive in a very limited sample size for the Niners last year.

But the depth behind Bartch and Dominick Puni at both guard spots is shaky. Fairchild has over 1,300 snaps at left guard in his college career and also has 134 at right guard under his belt. He surrendered just one sack in three seasons at Georgia.

Round 7, Pick 227: Jordan Watkins, WR, Ole Miss

I understand, to a degree, the mass online clamor for Kyle Williams, but I think the 49ers grabbing Watkins — a receiver they also hosted for a top-30 visit — at some stage on day three is a more realistic possibility.

And they would be getting a wideout with a similar skill set to Williams.

One of the critiques of Watkins from the 2024 season is that a staggering 254 of his 906 yards came in one game against Arkansas, a game in which he also scored five touchdowns.

But holding that against him ignores the fact he had at least four catches in seven of his final nine games, going for 72 yards against South Carolina, 68 in the win over Georgia, 70 against Florida, and 180 and two touchdowns in the bowl game with Duke.

He delivered that production in the SEC while showing significant promise as a route-runner who can create leverage with his release and stack defenders with explosive vertical speed.

Watkins has stop-start quickness that makes him a threat on double moves and is fluid in and out of his breaks. He’s an impressive ball tracker who can adjust to inaccurate passes and has some — albeit very limited — experience as a ball-carrier out of the backfield.

While there is a clear willingness to block on his tape, Watkins would need to improve in that area to see snaps early in his career for the 49ers, but he ticks a lot of boxes for a Shanahan receiver and has the potential to be a tremendous value pick at this stage in the draft.

Round 7, Pick 249: Rayuan Lane, S, Navy

A backup safety remains a sneaky need for the 49ers, and there will be many who view the position as one they should address much earlier than this. Lane had at least four pass breakups in each of his four years with Navy and recorded seven interceptions in his college career with two returned for touchdowns.

More significantly for his hopes of getting on the field as a rookie, Lane had nine special teams tackles last year, the fourth-most in the FBS among players eligible for the 2025 draft class, per Pro Football Focus.