How the 49ers Will Revamp their Defense in the Draft

The 49ers are essentially starting over on defense this offseason.

Dec 30, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The 49ers are essentially starting over on defense this offseason.

They have one good defensive lineman (Nick Bosa), one good linebacker (Fred Warner) and one good defensive back (Deommodore Lenoir). The other eight starters are unproven at best.

And in free agency this offseason, the 49ers made their biggest moves on offense. They gave out multi-year deals to Luke Farrell, Mac Jones, Demarcus Robinson and Kyle Juszczyk. Meanwhile, the 49ers lost seven key contributors on defense and gave out zero multi-year deals to that phase of the team.

Which means the 49ers' upcoming draft will be heavily defense-oriented.

The last time the 49ers defense was this baren was 2017, which was Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch's first season with the team. That year, the 49ers spent their first three draft picks on defensive players.

First, they took a defensive lineman (Solomon Thomas). Second, they took a linebacker (Reuben Foster). Third, they took a defensive back (Ahkello Witherspoon).

Granted, the 49ers didn't take the best players with those picks. But they showed how they might approach a complete defensive rebuild from the ground up.

This year, the 49ers need starters at all three levels of their defense. So don't be surprised if they draft a d-lineman, a linebacker and a cornerback with their first three picks just as they did in 2017. Maybe this year they'll take the cornerback first, the linebacker second and the defensive lineman third.

Either way, don't be surprised if the 49ers focus solely on defense with those first three picks.