49ers Trade Back and Step Up: Targets for Day 2

Edge vs. receiver at 33, safety best value at 58

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive end Cashius Howell (9) rushes the line during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The 49ers set their draft chessboard with two trades back on Day 1, adding a much-needed third-round pick and a 5th rounder that seemed to be a small benefit for dealing back. There’s a method to the madness though; 179 is near the projection for a player they’ve met with, Utah TE Dallen Bentley.

John Lynch says the trade back with Miami was in place if the Niner targets didn’t fall to them. My guess is that those players were wide receiver KC Concepcion and edge Malachi Lawrence.

The top pick in the 2nd round is a popular spot for trade and offers have come in. However, with Lynch saying, “we know what we’re going to do,” that hints at staying put. With the trades yesterday, the Niners are now in a position to go up or down in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.

33

WR

Denzel Boston (UW) 6-3.5/212. Great hands (3%), contested catch (76%), best run blocker in the draft, red zone target. Con: poor speed (ducked his 40s), release, separation, and YAC.

Chris Bell (Louisville) 6-1/222. Tore his ACL in November. Size with breakaway speed, great hands (4%), 65% of his targets between the numbers. Con: Diva. 16 penalties in three years, emotional, criticized his QB. Recovering well from the ACL, he expects to be ready for camp.

Edge

Cashius Howell (Texas A&M) 6-2/253. Elite acceleration, plays low, bends, aggressive hands. 41 pressures, 11 sacks. 14 PBUs and a pick last two years. Con: T-Rex (30 ¼ arms), washed out vs. run, may need to begin as a DPR.

T.J. Parker (Clemson) 6-3/263. Length with 33+ arms, violent hands, elite speed-to-power, made one-third of his tackles behind the line. 2024 11 sacks, six forced fumbles. Con: Has a pass rush bag but lacks counters, average get-off.

Also: R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma) 6-2/244. Dani Dennis-Sutton (Penn State) 6-5/268.

Guard

Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon) 6-4/314. 83-inch wingspan and 11-inch hands. Led all guards at Indy with a 35 vert. Powerful finisher, pancake house.  99% win rate on pass rush sets, only gave up five pressures and one sack. One penalty. Con: Lunges, stiff hips.

Chase Bisontis (Texas A&M) 6-5/315. A&M’s strength and conditioning coach says Bisontis is the strongest player he’s ever coached. Fluid mover with 5.02 speed, 4.78 20 shuttle. Finisher with pancakes. Con: 31 ¾ arms 79 wingspan, lunges, holds hands too low and wide, 19 penalties career.

Safety

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo) 6-3/201. 37% completion rate against, best in the country by ten points. 15 PBU, 5 INT, 9 forced fumbles, one penalty career. Solid vs. the run plays downhill, smart anticipation. Con: Needs to add power, narrow frame.

Treydan Stukes (Arizona) 6-0/190 DB/S. 4.33 speed, smart recognition, can play every position, ballhawk with 31 PBUs and 7 INT. No penalties. Con: 25, small, lacks strength.

DB

Jermod McCoy (Tennessee) 6-0/188. Top-15 talent and the #2 corner in the draft, dropped due to medical flags about his knee and a torn ACL from January. When healthy, a shut-down corner, ran 4.40 at his pro day, 38 vert. 18 PBUs, six INT career. Con: The injuries, grabby.

Brandon Cisse (South Carolina) 5-11/189. 4.41 speed, 41 vert, great in man, stays in phase, downhill finisher. Six PBUs, one pick, 47.4% completion rate against. Con: Small hands and arms, needs to add power, limited diagnostics and ball production.

LB

This is the wildcard. Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech) 6-1/233. Balhawk,13 forced fumbles, 14 PBUs, 6 INT. Smart diagnostics, physical despite size, quick. Con: Size, pass coverage.

C.J. Allen (Georgia) 6-0/233. Strong, sideline-to-sideline speed, finisher. Con: Short, limited in pass coverage.

Prediction: 1. Cashius Howell Edge, 2. Chris Bell WR, 3. Denzel Boston WR, 4. Emmanuel Pregnon Guard, 5. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren Safety.

58

WR: Antonio Williams (Clemson) Diet Puka, best route runner in class. Germie Bernard (Alabama) Tall, physical and slow. De’Zhaun Stribling (Ole Miss) 6-2, 4.36, 1.8% hands, run blocker too.

Edge: Keyron Crawford (Auburn) Fast, 43 pressures and 5 sacks, great in pass coverage.

Safety: Jalen Kilgore (South Carolina) size-speed hitter, 29 PBUs, 8 INT. A 49er target. AJ Haulcy (LSU) Smart fluid hitter but lacks speed and acceleration. 4 PBU 3 INT this year. A 49er target.

DT: Tyler Onyedim (Texas A&M) 81+ wingspan, 5.07 speed, pass rush arsenal, 3.5 sacks, 9.5 TFL. Met with Niners on a 30 visit.

Prediction: Depends on what they took at 33. 1. Jalen Kilgore S, 2. Antonio Williams WR, 3. Keyron Crawford Edge, 4. Tyler Onyedim DT, 5. De’Zhaun Stribling WR.