Will the 49ers Trade Up in Round 1?

The 49ers want to be aggressive -- they're in a Super Bowl window which is closing fast. They need to win the Super Bowl next season. So standing pat at pick No. 31 and taking whichever player falls to them is a bad idea. It's a passive strategy.

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The 49ers currently own pick no. 31 in the upcoming NFL Draft. The last time they had the 31st pick, they traded up to no. 25 and took Brandon Aiyuk.

The trade didn't even cost the 49ers much -- just pick nos. 31, 117 and 176 (or a first-, a fourth- and a fifth-rounder). It allowed them to target a player they truly coveted and go get him, and that's exactly what they could do again this year.

The 49ers desperately need a quality right tackle. That's obvious. So instead of staying at 31 and crossing their fingers that one will drop to them, they can package their pick with a couple on Day 3 to move up for the right tackle of their choice. That would be the proactive thing to do. In hindsight, the 49ers never would have landed Aiyuk if they hadn't traded up for him. That trade was brilliant.

However, if the 49ers don't fall in love with any one player in particular at the end of Round 1, they could trade out of the round entirely, especially if quarterbacks Michael Penix and/or Bo Nix is on the board. In that case, a team that needs a quarterback might want to trade up, and the 49ers could profit.