With the 2025 NFL Draft just a little over two weeks away, it’s mock draft season for the San Francisco 49ers, who have a chance to make a franchise-changing pick at No. 11.
There are a lot of positions the 49ers could target early, but many mock drafts have pointed the 49ers to the trenches, where they could use help on both sides of the ball.
It’s an area that makes sense, as there are several offensive and defensive linemen projected to go in the first round of the draft that could be instant impact players for the 49ers.
NFL Network’s Rhett Lewis released his first mock draft on Tuesday and had an intriguing candidate for the 49ers at No. 11: Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons.
“If not for the patellar tendon injury suffered last fall, Simmons likely would be the top tackle in this draft,” Lewis wrote. “With Brock Purdy’s contract extension looming and Trent Williams turning 37 in July, Simmons provides future LT security at the bargain rate of a rookie contract.”
Simmons’s patellar tendon injury has been one of the biggest question marks of the draft cycle. The talent is undeniable, but the season-ending injury has prompted questions around the medicals, given the severity of the issue.
At the combine, the offensive tackle told reporters that he was ‘way ahead of schedule’ in his recovery, even suggesting that a potential Pro Day in mid-April was a possibility.
“I’ll probably be cut loose mid-April to give everybody a good pro day,” Simmons said, via Eleven Warriors.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport later reported that Simmons is expected to be ready for the start of the 2025 NFL season, adding more optimism to his timeline. Still, there are questions about his readiness and availability for the upcoming year.
Here’s what NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein wrote about Simmons as a prospect.
“An athletic tackle prospect with adequate size and length, Simmons has experience starting on both sides,” Zierlein wrote. “He suffered a season-ending knee injury in mid-October, so his recovery and timetable for return will need to be vetted. He’s a consistently fluid mover both inside the box and when asked to play in space, and he has the slide quickness to compete against NFL edge speed.
“He’s more positional than powerful in completing his run-blocking tasks, but he can fit into all schemes. Improved hand placement and latch-in strength can help better control opponents in both the run and pass games. Simmons can still be susceptible to twists and counters in pass pro, so he might need a year to continue honing his craft in that area before he is ready to take on NFL pocket hunters.”
There are ample risks with taking Simmons as high as No. 11, but the talent is there. The 49ers are searching for a future left tackle and don’t necessarily need an offensive lineman to start in 2025, so the Ohio State standout could be a realistic possibility.
It all depends on the medicals.
