The San Francisco 49ers are placing a significant bet on the 2025 NFL Draft, hoping to uncover impactful contributors like they did a year ago. However, the heavy reliance on the 2024 rookie class came mainly out of necessity. Injuries ahead of them on the depth chart left head coach Kyle Shanahan with little choice but to thrust young players into the starting lineup, likely earlier than anticipated.

With a long-term contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy on the horizon, the 49ers were forced to rethink their roster-building strategy. That shift meant letting several veterans walk in free agency and making tough decisions to part ways with others.


The defensive line took a significant hit with the departures of Javon Hargrave, Leonard Floyd, and Maliek Collins, making it a prime area of need heading into the draft. Rebuilding the defensive front will almost certainly be a priority in the 49ers' draft war room in just a few weeks.

The offensive line also needs attention. Left guard Aaron Banks left in free agency, and All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams will turn 37 before the 2025 season kicks off. Additionally, many believe the team could upgrade at right tackle, where Colton McKivitz remains the starter.

In a feature for NFL.com, Eric Edholm listed nine teams that "need to ace their picks" in the upcoming draft. The 49ers came in at No. 7 within his ranking.

"Both lines of scrimmage and the secondary were hit hard (this offseason), but almost no position group was spared from some kind of attrition," Edholm noted.

While Edholm acknowledged the 49ers' strong track record in the later rounds—finding talent like Purdy, George Kittle, Jauan Jennings, and Deommodore Lenoir—he also pointed out their less impressive first-round history. Of course, some of that can be attributed to the costly 2021 trade-up for quarterback Trey Lance, which didn't pan out.


While the needs along the defensive line are hard to ignore, Shanahan and Lynch have tried to convince the media—and fans—that their offensive line is better than it's given credit for.

"We like our right tackle. We like our center," Lynch said last week. "Left guard, we have some candidates in-house right now. But will we look to add in the draft? Certainly."

Still, Edholm believes San Francisco may have no choice but to address the trenches with its first-round selection.

"The oddity is that, even with obvious hits such as Nick Bosa, the 49ers' Round 1 returns have been far less enticing in the Lynch-Shanahan era," Edholm wrote. "The No. 11 overall pick will be a key one, and the 49ers almost have to address either line of scrimmage. They have short- and long-term needs at offensive tackle and were gutted on the defensive line this offseason."

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