Athlon Sports’ Luke Easterling unveiled his latest three-round 2025 NFL mock draft on Thursday morning.
Easterling’s latest mock sees the San Francisco 49ers address a series of key needs.
While former Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks has been a trendy projected first-round selection for the 49ers, Easterling forecasts San Francisco to head in a different direction up front with their first-round pick.
Easterling has San Francisco drafting former Alabama guard Tyler Booker with the No. 11 overall selection.
Here’s Easterling’s full list of 49ers picks in his latest mock draft. Plus, a more detailed look at each below:
49ers’ projected draft picks per Easterling
- First Round (No. 11 overall): Alabama IOL, Tyler Booker
- Second Round (No. 43 overall): Ohio State EDGE, Jack Sawyer
- Third Round (No. 75 overall): Virginia Tech CB, Dorian Strong
- Third Round (No. 99 overall): Ohio State S, Lathan Ransom
Alabama IOL, Tyler Booker
Booker is quite the specimen on the inside. The 6-foot-5, 325 pound mauler was recognized as a first-team All-American by both CBS Sports and USA TODAY Sports for his efforts during the 2024 season.
Booker earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors three times last season in games against Missouri, LSU and Auburn. Booker’s football IQ is high and he looks like a high-floor selection with upside to morph into a perennial All-Pro staple on the 49ers’ interior.
The New Haven, Conn., product made 37 appearances and started 27 games at Alabama. Booker earned an 86.5 pass blocking grade with the Crimson Tide last season per Pro Football Focus. Booker arrived in Tuscaloosa, Ala., as a four-star signee in the 2022 class per 247Sports.
Ohio State EDGE, Jack Sawyer
Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer made one of the biggest plays of the college football season when he stripped the football away from Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and then scooped it up and raced down the sideline for a game-sealing, 83-yard defensive score in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Sawyer finished his final season in Columbus with 59 tackles, nine tackles for loss, nine sacks, eight quarterback hurries, six pass breakups, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one interception. The 6-foot-5, 260 pound defensive end tallied 138 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss and 20 sacks during his Buckeye career.
Sawyer was Ohio State’s highest-graded defensive player per PFF with an overall defensive grade of 90.5. PFF credited Sawyer with an astounding 64 total pressures last season.
Virginia Tech CB, Dorian Strong
Virginia Tech cornerback Dorian Strong would bring a wealth of playing experience to San Francisco. Strong appeared in 53 games and started 44 over his five years with the Hokies, including 25 starts over the past two seasons.
Strong would also bring a large frame to San Francisco’s secondary. Listed at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, that height should help covering larger NFL wide receivers on the outside.
Strong totaled 32 tackles, six passes defensed and intercepted a pair of passes last season. The Upper Marlboro, Md., native allowed just 27 receptions on 58 targets during the 2024 season and earned a 73.9 defensive grade from PFF.
Strong earned third-team All-ACC honors in 2023.
Ohio State S, Lathan Ransom
The 49ers use their third-round compensatory pick to go back to that Ohio State well. Ransom garnered an 82.1 defensive grade and a 93.5 run defense grade from PFF last season with the Buckeyes.
Ransom checks in as a 6-foot-1, 210 pound safety. The Tucson, Ariz., product registered 75 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two pass breakups, one interception and one sack last year with the Buckeyes.
The takeaways
San Francisco gets offensive line help that it needs with the top selection of Alabama’s Booker. Booker’s presence should help keep 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy clean as he only surrendered one sack in his three years with the Crimson Tide.
Then, San Francisco turns to the defensive side of the football with its next three selections. The 49ers add Sawyer to help star edge rusher Nick Bosa pressure opposing quarterbacks.
Lastly, the 49ers find potential replacements on the back end for cornerback Charvarius Ward and safety Talanoa Hufanga if the franchise can’t bring back one or both.