The Niners addressed one need in Round 1. What else remains for the 49ers to draft?
The San Francisco 49ers made a trenches pick on Day 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting Georgia Bulldogs defensive end Mykel Williams at No. 11 overall, taking one of the youngest players in the draft to fill a need.
The 49ers seemed to be enamored with Williams, even considering a trade-up for him before ultimately landing him at No. 11, as they got a player with a relatively safe floor and upside as a pass-rusher.
Now, it’s on to Day 2 of the draft, where the 49ers are in position to land several potential starters in what is considered to be a deep class. San Francisco currently picks at No. 43, No. 75, and No. 100 in the second and third rounds, where they’ll look to address more needs and take the top players on their boards.
After Day 1, what are the biggest needs remaining for the 49ers in the 2025 NFL Draft?
Defensive Tackle
Heading into the draft, it felt like the 49ers were either going to target a defensive end or a defensive tackle, given how the board was expected to fall. And that’s exactly what happened.
Three offensive tackles, a tight end, and a wide receiver were selected before the 49ers, giving them a wide array of players to choose from at either spot along the defensive line at No. 11.
Ultimately, they took defensive end Mykel Williams, which shored up one need and left another even more pressing: defensive tackle.
The 49ers are in dire need of starting-caliber talent and depth on the interior after releasing Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins this offseason. Nonetheless, they’re in a great position to add talent, even with a number of players gone in Round 1, as this draft class is deep at defensive tackle.
That pick could come as early as No. 43, with players such as Toledo’s Darius Alexander, South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders, Texas’s Alfred Collins, and Tennessee’s Omarr Norman-Lott as potential options. But, given the depth and the number of selections San Francisco has, they don’t have to force a pick until the value is right.
Cornerback
The 49ers are still looking for a third cornerback alongside Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green.
While they signed Tre Brown in the offseason and have younger options like Darrell Luter, adding depth and competition at the position is still a priority, and could be addressed in the draft.
There is ample cornerback talent to be had at No. 43, such as Ole Miss’s Trey Amos, Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas, East Carolina’s Shavon Revel, and even Michigan’s Will Johnson, who fell entirely out of the first round.
If a corner ends up being the best player on the board for the 49ers in the second round, they could take a BPA approach and address a need at the same time.
Running Back
When will the 49ers draft a running back? Heading into Day 2, it’s more a question of when, rather than if, San Francisco will take the position in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Now, fans have been spurned by poor running back selections early in the past, so there’s reason for concern, but this is one of the deepest classes at the position, so there should be talent across the board at all three of San Francisco’s Day 2 picks.
If TreVeyon Henderson somehow falls to No. 43, he very well could be the best player on the board for the 49ers. But, options like Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, Kansas State’s DJ Giddens, Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins, and Arizona State’s Bhayshul Tuten could all be potential Day 2 options for San Francisco.
The 49ers need a running back after losing Elijah Mitchell to free agency and trading Jordan Mason to Minnesota. Currently, they have Christian McCaffrey and Isaac Guerendo as the lead backs, while Patrick Taylor is solid depth as an RB4. But, they still need one more piece, and that could come on Day 2, should the cards fall that way.