One Move the 49ers Wish They Made in the 2026 NFL Draft

They had their chance to make this move, but didn’t want to pull the trigger.

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

The San Francisco 49ers tried their best to align the players that they drafted to their proper value. That’s why they traded down several times throughout the draft. 

Imagine if the 49ers stuck at 27 to take receiver De’Zhaun Stribling? The backlash would’ve been worse for them. It was also to recoup more picks and increase their quality, like swapping a fourth-rounder for a third-rounder. 

Doing so would allow the 49ers to execute their draft plan fully. John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan both seemed happy with all of the moves they made, except for one they didn’t make — drafting a safety. 

The 49ers wish they had taken a safety 

Nov 16, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers safety Malik Mustapha (6) reacts in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

“As for not drafting a safety, there were some guys that came off and, look, this thing's still going on, we've got some free agents and all that,” said Lynch at his post-draft press conference. 

“We've got a group that we really do like. But kind of the way the board fell, it just didn't work out. And love what we were able to add. The work's not over.”

It seems the 49ers were hoping a safety they liked would fall to them with one of their picks. That opportunity never arose for them. I’d imagine Emmanuel McNeil-Warren wasn’t to their liking.

There was a prime chance for the 49ers to draft him in the second round. The same goes for TCU’s Bud Clark, who was taken shortly after McNeil-Warren by the Seattle Seahawks.

Clark would’ve been a sweet selection by the 49ers, as he’d be their best pass coverage safety. In any case, the 49ers' claim that the board didn’t fall their way is a weak excuse.

They chose to trade down at times when they could’ve just stayed and taken a safety of their liking. Clearly, they read the draft wrong about how the safeties were going to fall.

Instead, they chose to trade down and get a project, like offensive lineman Enrique Cruz Jr. The opportunities were there for the 49ers. They just played their hand wrong.

Now, they have to settle for signing former 2024 sixth-round pick of the Miami Dolphins,  Patrick McMorris. Don’t expect anything out of him. The 49ers are his fourth team in less than three years. 

He’s only appeared in six games in his career. McMorris is nothing more than a training camp player. This is what the 49ers are reduced to since they couldn’t figure out safety in the draft.

It is a move they will come to regret, and one I’m sure they’d love to have back.

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