How the 49ers are Day 1 Winners of the NFL Draft in the NFC West

The San Francisco 49ers abstained from making any picks in the first round of the NFL draft this year.

It was a predictable outcome for them after John Lynch essentially hinted at his pre-draft press conference that the 49ers wanted to trade down.

Sure enough, the 49ers get their wish. It was wise of the 49ers to trade out of the first round, with recouping/strengthening their draft capital as one of the reasons.

For once, the 49ers did well in the first round of the draft. And surprisingly, they had the best Day 1 of the draft among the teams in the NFC West.

Rams waste their pick

I still can't believe the Los Angeles Rams drafted quarterback Ty Simpson 13th overall. It's insanely hilarious that they would take a quarterback "of the future" when they're in Super Bowl contention.

They could've spent that pick on Rueben Bain, or even a wide receiver. Anything would've been better than a quarterback who isn't going to help them out for the next year or two.

And it's not like Simpson is an impressive prospect. The Rams could've waited until the end of the first round or the second to get him. Instead, they help the 49ers and the whole division out.

"Ty Simpson's a good football player," said John Lynch at his post-draft press conference. "There was a lot made as to where he would go and what teams would do. It probably surprised everybody, but one thing I've learned over the years is that with the quarterbacks, people will do those types of things, and they (Rams) certainly did."

Cardinals go for flare

Jeremiyah Love gets drafted by the Cardinals. — Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love is selected by the Arizona Cardinals as the number three pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There was much surprise from fans and pundits on social media about the Arizona Cardinals drafting running back Jeremiyah Love third overall. But there really shouldn't have been.

Mike LaFleur is an offensive head coach, so of course, he was going to take one of the best running back prospects in a while. It's a need for the Cardinals, and he's an incredible player.

However, the Cardinals did have several other needs on their team that they could've addressed with impactful players available. Love will give the 49ers fits, but it's easy to scheme when he's their only threat.

Seahawks make predictable pick

With Kenneth Walker gone, the Seattle Seahawks needed a running back, which led them to draft Jadarian Price with the 32nd overall pick. Now there are two Fighting Irish backs in the NFC West.

Adding Price doesn't move the needle for the Seahawks. It doesn't make them any more threatening to the 49ers compared to if they got another sweet receiver or another impactful defender.

In fact, Seattle taking a running back was the best-case scenario for the Niners. Their rushing attack isn't going to be the same next year without Walker, and especially without Klint Kubiak.

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