49ers Expert Reveals the Truth About Their 2026 Draft Selections

No lies detected.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers’ 2026 draft picks have received a lot of heat from a lot of NFL pundits.

The front office went from having six picks to a possible eight after a series of trades, adding two offensive linemen, a cornerback, a linebacker, a defensive tackle, an edge rusher, a running back, and a wide receiver to the roster.

The 49ers still have holes on their roster

Dec 14, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan looks on during the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

And let's be honest, most of those picks weren't needed. They didn't address their core needs.

“Who will the 49ers start at left guard and safety?" stated ESPN's Nick Wagoner.

"The Niners prefer to use their most valuable draft capital on premium positions such as the defensive line and wide receiver, but this year was challenging based on where they were drafting.

"Safety and left guard were the positions in obvious need of starting-caliber players, but the 49ers didn't address the offensive line until late in the fourth round and didn't select a safety, indicating they're OK with the players in place and/or going to keep an eye out for options on the open market.

"Perhaps some of their in-house options will emerge to solidify those spots, but the Niners are more likely to have competitions that linger into training camp and, perhaps, beyond.”

Again, it simply reinforces the idea that San Francisco front office isn’t overly concerned with finding Day 1 starters at positions of need, instead believing that cheaper alternatives who can compete for roster spots are the better path forward.

At safety, there were ample picks available in every round that the 49ers were involved in, yet no player was selected. As a result, the lack of talent and depth at the position could force the team to rely on undrafted free agents to fill the gap.

The offensive line was a major reason the 49ers’ season ended so abruptly against the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round last year.

The game exposed significant weaknesses up front and highlighted the urgent need for improvement in protecting Brock Purdy, an area that Kyle Shanahan has seemingly neglected year after year.

But that’s to be expected when the San Francisco front office is committing a huge sum of money to Trent Williams over the next two years instead of strengthening the unit as a whole.

It’s a significant gamble, especially given the uncertainty around whether he can continue performing as one of the league’s most reliable and well-rounded offensive tackles.