Kyle Shanahan Pushes Back on the 49ers Reaching in the NFL Draft

Kyle Shanahan had some words to say for the doubters of the 49ers' draft.

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; NBC Sports analyst Kyle Shanahan prior to the New England Patriots game against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

A lot of heat has thrown at the San Francisco 49ers for the picks they made in the 2026 NFL draft.

The vast majority, if not all, of their selections were considered reaches. As usual, the 49ers went far away from what most outlets and top draft analysts had projected for players.

Now, you would think that an NFL franchise would know more than what the outlets and analysts have to say. But the 49ers have proven that their draft process is flawed, given the constant misses.

Still, that didn't stop Kyle Shanahan from pushing back on the "reaching" label that has been placed on the 49ers for this draft. He believes the 49ers conducted the draft properly.

Kyle Shanahan sounds off on critics

“I think that was one of the coolest things with this draft, just so you don't reach on somebody," said Shanahan at his post-draft press conference. "If there's somebody you know you're going to take at that spot and your consensus or what all your homework from around the league, not necessarily like Twitter or media stuff, just like the things you investigate and when people are going to go.

"And if you're going to take someone who you think is the best player but you don't think they're going to go until like 15 picks later, 20 picks later, it's always a huge risk because you never find out when they're going to go if you take them there. But the times that we did feel that way, at 27, at 30, and you're able to move back and create stuff later."

Several factors are at play with Shanahan's comments. First off, of course, he's going to defend the 49ers' draft process. It's his team. He was a part of that process and has final say over the picks.

Second, clearly the 49ers would've taken wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the 27th overall pick if they failed to trade down twice. Because they were able to trade down, they view it as a huge win.

Shanahan probably believes the 49ers should be commended for that and not criticized. However, it is a fact that the 49ers have been one of the mediocre teams at drafting.

Their process is completely flawed. Their history is against them. Maybe this draft class is the one for them to finally stick it to the doubters.

But the odds are strongly against them that it's not, and that they yet again reached for nearly all of the players they drafted. Its pattern is unlikely to change.

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