The San Francisco 49ers lost more in the offseason than any other team in the league.
They lost several key free agents on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball including All-Pros such as Javon Hargrave and Deebo Samuel. They've had to play catchup ever since.
With little cap space to work with (most of it will go to a Brock Purdy extension), the 49ers needed to use a massive draft haul to improve their stock. San Fran did just that with 11 picks.
And ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. made it clear that the 49ers' total draft was worth a final grade of a strong "B." ... which we find to be a bit shocking.
What's his thinking?
"This class likely will hinge on whether Mykel Williams can become a force on the other side of Nick Bosa. The 49ers ranked 28th in pressure rate last season (27.7%) and have to figure out ways to take pressure off their defensive backs," Kiper said. "Williams is extremely explosive, but his modest sack totals (five in 2024) scared away some teams. Can San Francisco figure out how to get the best out of him on every snap? He has elite upside.
"I like a few of the players Lynch took, but the value was questionable. Again, that matters in an exercise like this because you want to see organizations maneuver the board and add extra capital."
San Francisco has done enough to bolster the team through the draft. That much has been clear to this point.
Will it be enough to get to the playoffs after a 6-11 disaster? That remains to be seen at this point. But an 11-player draft should certainly help.
