49ers Have Golden Opportunity to Trade Up in Round 1 of Draft

If the 49ers want to move around in Round 1, they probably will have to trade up, not down.

Dec 30, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch before the game against the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

This year's NFL Draft is a bit peculiar.

It's extremely deep with talented players, but it doesn't feature many blue-chip generational prospects. Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter is one. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty might be two. The rest of have flaws. Which means the player who gets drafted fifth might not be much better than the player who gets drafted 25th.

That's why teams seem to want to trade down this year. Get as many second- and third-tier prospects as possible because there simply aren't many top-tier players.

The 49ers are in an awkward spot. They currently own the 11th pick. If they want to trade down, they might not find a team that's eager to trade up with them. Why move up to 11 when you can draft a comparable player at 21?

So if the 49ers want to move around in Round 1, they probably will have to trade up, not down.

I'm guessing there are teams currently picking in the top 10 that aren't enamored with the players who will be available and would be willing to move down five to 10 spots. And the 49ers might be the only team that's willing to trade up, which means they might be able to do so at a discount.

If there's a player the 49ers really like, this is the year to move up and get him. If they love Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou, they should trade their second-round pick to move up a few spots and take him.

Make a bold move.