Identifying Locks to be Selected Before the 49ers Pick in the Draft

The 49ers would have to trade up to get one of these guys.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With about a week to go until the 2026 it is time to start drilling in on who the San Francisco 49ers are going to take with the 27th overall. First, we should focus on who absolutely will not be there. How many players can the 49ers simply cross of their board as they are locks to be gone by pick 27, and who are some of the top players that are not locks? Are there 27?

Locks to be selected before San Francisco 49ers

Quarterback (1)

Fernando Mendoze is the only lock to be gone by pick 27

Running back (1, 2 total)

Jeremiah Love is obviously going to be gone by pick 27, but there is no lock that the next running back is gone by the 49ers second pick, let alone the first. 

Wide Receiver (3, 5 total)

Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson may all be gone by pick 24, according to Peter Schrager. Omar Cooper, KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston are the questions. There is a good chance that at least one is at pick 27, but we do not know which one. 

Tight End (0, 5 total)

Kenyon Sadiq has a 14% chance of making it to pick 27. This may be one player that should be listed as a lock looking back. 

Offensive line: (4, 9 total)

Spencer Fano, Francis Mauioga, Vega Ione, and Monroe Freeling have no shot at being on the board. Likely one or two of Caleb Lomu, Kadyn Proctor, Blake Miller, and Max Iheanachor are gone, too, but we do not know which one. 

Defensive line (0, 9 total) 

There may not be an intererior defensive lineman in the first 32 picks.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Edge rusher (5, 14 total)

Arvell Reese, David Bailey, Rueben Bain, Keldric Faulk and Akeem Mesidor are locks to be gone. TJ Parker, Malachi Lawrence, Zion Young, Cashius Howell, and R Mason Thomas are likely the next edges off of the board. 

Linebacker (1, 15 total)

Sonny Styles will be gone, but that is it. 

Cornerback (2, 17 total) 

Jermod McCoy and Mansoor Delane are going to be gone. Chris Johnson, Avieon Terrell, and Colton Hood are the next off of the board, and there is likely one to be gone by that pick. 

Safety (2, 19 total)

Dillon Thieneman joins Caleb Downs as a lock to be gone. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is very close to being a lock. 

With eight picks to go until San Francisco, and 19 locks listed, it looks like Sadiq, two receivers, two lineman, two edges and one more secondary member would complete the eight players to go. 

One of the cornerbacks, edges, offensive tackles, or receivers should be the best players available.