What the 49ers Would Love to do With the 27th Pick

This is what the 49ers want to do with their first-round pick.

Nov 16, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch speaks on the sidelines before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Drafting late in the first round is always a tough spot for a team. But that’s what the San Francisco 49ers have been dealt, as they hold the 27th pick.

Not only will it be difficult for the 49ers to land a significantly impactful player, but there’s no telling how the draft will play out. This year’s draft is especially troubling because it’s not loaded with talent.

John Lynch acknowledged that fact at his pre-draft press conference on Monday, noting the first-round grades they have on players. 

“Our first-round grades are down,” Lynch said. “I don't want to give an exact number, but we're down a little bit in terms of the first-round grades.”

Once Lynch said that, it became clear what the 49ers would love to do with the 27th pick. They want to trade down and likely out of the first round. It’s the best draft plan for them this year.

Trading down is the best plan

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It’s highly unlikely that there will be a player the 49ers can’t pass on with the 27th pick. Some of the receivers, like KC Concepcion and Omar Cooper Jr., who have been mocked to the 49ers, probably won’t be there.

That’s why, before they extended Trent Williams, the other popular pick for the 49ers to make in mock drafts was an offensive tackle. Investing in the future at a premium position to develop a player was sensible.

But now that’s unlikely with Williams locked in through 2028. Everything lines up perfectly for the 49ers to trade out of the first round. That plan only gets exacerbated by the fact that they only have six picks.

The only way to recoup some picks is by trading down, and the best way to do that is to trade their 27th pick. Maybe the 49ers could land another second pick and two picks on Day 3. That would be a solid move.

The tricky part is that a lot of teams will be thinking similarly to the 49ers. 

“I do think there's going to be a lot of movement this year,” said Lynch. “It just feels like it’s setting up for a Draft like that because it gets somewhat homogeneous after that, and then it’s what’s your flavor, what are you looking for?”

In a perfect world, the 49ers either have a prime player fall to them at No. 27 or they trade out of the first round, where most of the talent aligns with the value. Neither scenario is an easy one. 

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