The San Francisco 49ers have had a quiet offseason on the free agency front. It seems like they are going to try to improve their team through the NFL Draft, which is why it makes sense that eight Niners scouts were at Oregon's pro day.
Many scouts from a host of NFL teams were at the University of Oregon's pro day, but the Niners sent a lot of scouts, which makes one believe San Francisco may go "duck hunting" in the 2025 NFL Draft.
It makes sense considering the Oregon Ducks were one of the best teams in all of college football last season. They went undefeated in the regular season but lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Nonetheless, they had a great season and have plenty of players who could make an impact in the NFL.
There are exciting prospects like the speedy wide receiver Tez Johnson, who had 83 receptions for 898 yards and 10 touchdowns catches in the 2024 season. With the 49ers looking to get more separation from defenders, it would make sense to target a receiver with speed who can blow guys away.
On the defensive side of the ball, cornerback Jabbar Muhammad is another interesting prospect who could potentially help San Francisco's secondary. Despite his smaller size at 5-foot-10, his speed could make him a formidable defender.
There are also several interesting offensive and defensive linemen the 49ers could be interested in as they look to improve in the trenches.
San Francisco has had some good luck with drafting players out of Oregon the past decade or so. Both Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner played collegiately at U of O and were key members of the 49ers' defensive line even though Buckner was traded and Armstead was eventually released. Nonetheless, both were great picks by the Niners.
More recently, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir has become an elite presence in the team's secondary after his college days in Eugene. He was rewarded with a large contract extension during the 2024 season as San Francisco rewarded him for being one of the team's few bright spots last season. He figures to be a key part of the team's defense for the rest of the decade.
Given this history, it makes sense that the 49ers are having their scouts focus on products out of Oregon ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. Perhaps the Niners can strike gold with yet another Duck as they try to improve their team by getting younger and cheaper in 2025.
