The 49ers may have the opportunity to draft one of these three prospects when their number is called in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The San Francisco 49ers don't have to overthink their initial actions in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Following a large-scale exodus of well-known talent earlier in the offseason, general manager John Lynch has openly admitted to needing the draft to infuse talent and replenish a diminished roster.
With 11 picks total, including the No. 11 overall selection, Lynch and Co. don't necessarily have to draft for need. At the same time, they're not in a position to make luxury picks either.
The Niners' plethora of needs pretty much covers all positions on the field, save at quarterback, provided Brock Purdy receives what'll be a lucrative contract extension. However, the defensive and offensive lines appear to be the most pressing, while holes at linebacker and within the secondary can't be overlooked either.
Combing through the latest speculative reports, analysis and suggestions, one might conclude San Francisco's top selection later this April winds up being one of these three prospects.
No. 1: OT Will Campbell, LSU
Arm length aside, LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell appears pegged for superstardom at the NFL level, and there's no shortage of draft pundits who feel his shortish arms will cause any sort of problems.
In the words told to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, "don't overthink it."
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 9, 2025League intel:
-Why Jalen Milroe reminds many of Justin Fields
-Walter Nolen 'highest ceiling in entire draft' but has concerns
-Will Campbell 'can be All-Pro...Don't overthink it'
-Riley Leonard: More love in NFL circles than in media
-Tet McMillan: Shades of Michael Thomas https://t.co/zO29dE7q65
On the surface, it doesn't appear as if Campbell would fit an immediate need. San Francisco boasts a future Hall of Famer in left tackle Trent Williams, and it likes right tackle Colton McKivitz more than the fanbase would like to admit.
That said, Williams will turn 37 years old this offseason, and McKivitz is entering a contract year.
If the opportunity to land a day-one potential perennial Pro Bowler who can anchor an O-line for the next five years presents itself, it'd be hard for the 49ers to pass it up.
No. 2: DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
As NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco suggested in a recent mock draft, the Niners being in a position to draft Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen at No. 11 overall would be where "board and need could match up."
San Francisco's top priority in the draft is the D-line, namely after offseason departures like Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins and Leonard Floyd, leaving defensive end Nick Bosa as the lone established player with any name recognition.
Nolen, as Maiocco described, is a pure disruptor on the inside and would fill a void the 49ers haven't had since now-Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead departed after 2023, arguably since Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner left in 2020.
No. 3: CB Will Johnson, Michigan
On the surface, grabbing Michigan cornerback Will Johnson makes less sense than addressing the trenches, particularly when acknowledging the Niners already have two starting-caliber corners in Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green.
That said, Johnson projects to be one of the two best defensive backs in this year's class. And it should be noted how ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. mocked the former Wolverine to San Francisco in back-to-back mocks.
There's logic to selecting a cornerback first, too, then worrying about the line of scrimmage later.
The 2025 draft class isn't wholly deep at cornerback. There are plenty of good-quality D-linemen, however, and a modestly solid crop of offensive tackles and guards who could be had on day two.
Grabbing Johnsonl suggests the 49ers would be comfortable with that mid-round talent, whereas the need for a day-one starter on the boundary would be much harder to find once Round 1 is complete.
