49ers address top needs early, not often in 2025 7-round mock draft

There are a couple of clear top needs for the San Francisco 49ers as they gear up for the 2025 NFL draft.

Free agency will alter their list some, but the draft is still going to be vital with an aging, still expensive roster. It’s also unlikely the team will be able to check their biggest offseason boxes via the free agent market.

They desperately need help on the offensive and defensive lines. San Francisco’s inability to win in the trenches hurt them in key moments during their dismal 2024 campaign. Finding high-quality offensive and defensive line help will need to be among their top offseason priorities. It makes sense that they’d hit those two spots first in a seven-round mock draft by Pro Football Network.

After the first two picks, it would make sense for the 49ers to start doubling down and getting a handful of players they can use to revamp those two fronts. They go a different route in this mock. Let’s take a look at all 10 of their selections:

Round 1, Pick 17: OT Josh Conerly Jr. | Oregon

 

Nov 16, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Oregon Ducks offensive linenam Josh Conerly Jr. (76) during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Conerly is an interesting player who has spent the last two seasons as the Ducks’ left tackle. He’s a good athlete who may be able to slot in as a starting right tackle on Day 1 before moving over to the left side once Trent Williams hangs up his pads. If the 49ers draft an offensive lineman on Day 1, it would have to be a player they believe can fill those two roles.

Round 2, Pick 48: EDGE Princely Umanmielen | Ole Miss

 

Nov 9, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels defensive lineman Princely Umanmielen (1) reacts during the second half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

It wouldn’t be a surprise if the 49ers prioritized the pass rush earlier than the second round, but Umanmielen is an intriguing Day 2 option. He spent four years at Florida before playing the 2024 campaign at Ole Miss where he posted a career-best 10.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Umanmielen is listed at 6-4, 260 pounds which may give him some versatility to play both inside and outside.

Round 3, Pick 79: CB Quincy Riley | Louisville

 

Louisville Cardinals defensive back Quincy Riley (3) runs the ball down the field during their game against the Austin Peay Governors on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville, Ky. Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Riley is in his sixth college season after playing at Middle Tennessee State and Louisville for three seasons each. He’s been productive for five of those six seasons, posting 159 total tackles, 34 pass breakups and 15 interceptions. Riley has multiple interceptions in each of the last five years. The fit is interesting since it looks like Renardo Green and Deommodore Lenoir are in line to be the 49ers’ top two CBs next season. They’ll need a third starter if Charvarius Ward doesn’t return in free agency. It’ll be interesting to see if they prioritize their secondary this early or if they look to bolster one of the lines.

Round 3, Pick 101: LB Lander Barton | Utah

 

Aug 29, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes linebacker Lander Barton (8) tackles Southern Utah Thunderbirds running back Jordan Jefferson (6) during the first quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Barton has had an impressive three seasons with the Utes, amassing 152 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and four interceptions. The 49ers’ need at LB will come down to how they feel about Dee Winters, Jalen Graham and Tatum Bethune. Winters appears to be the frontrunner for the starting Will LB job if Dre Greenlaw leaves in free agency. Controlling the second level has been key for the 49ers’ defense the last few years though, so improving at the spot alongside Fred Warner will be vital. If they believe Barton (or any LB) can be a Greenlaw-level contributor, adding him late on Day 2 makes sense.

Round 4, Pick 115: OL Joshua Gray | Oregon State

 

Oct 26, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; Oregon State Beavers offensive lineman Joshua Gray (67) blocks against California Golden Bears defensive lineman Ricky Correia (91) during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Adding a tackle early, then an interior OL later tracks with how the 49ers might operate while overhauling that front. Gray played a whopping 56 college games and has experience at right tackle, left tackle and left guard. That versatility makes him the exact type of player San Francisco will look to bring in with potentially three starting jobs up for grabs.

Round 4, Pick 137: QB Kurtis Rourke | Indiana

 

Dec 20, 2024; Notre Dame, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke (9) throws during the second half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

A quarterback in Round 4?! With an extension coming for Brock Purdy it actually isn’t a bad idea for the 49ers to try and find a cheap backup via the draft. Rourke was the quarterback for five years at the University of Ohio before transferring to Indiana. With the Hoosiers in 2024 he completed 69.4 percent of his throws for 3,042 yards and 29 touchdowns. He finished his career with a 67 percent completion rate, 79 touchdowns and 21 interceptions, and he averaged 8.3 yards per attempt.

Round 6, Pick 193: OL Connor Colby, Iowa

 

Iowa offensive lineman Connor Colby (77) blocks for quarterback Spencer Petras (7) during a NCAA college football game in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl against Kentucky, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Now they’re starting to stack some offensive linemen. Colby is another player with a ton of experience and versatility. He played every position but center for the Hawkeyes across 2,745 snaps in four seasons, but he’s primarily been a guard for them. He’s listed at 6-6, 310 pounds which is massive for an interior lineman. It would also give him a chance to compete at offensive tackle if the 49ers wanted to try him there.

Round 7, Pick 219: DT Simeon Barrow Jr. | Miami (FL)

 

Oct 5, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Simeon Barrow Jr. (10) after the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Barrow never had a breakout season, but he was a consistently productive college player for four years. In 46 games he notched 138 tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 16 sacks with no real peaks or valleys in production. He’s listed at 6-3, 290 pounds which will limit him to interior work only as a pro, but the 49ers could use more depth in their DT rotation. The bigger question is whether they’ll opt to find DT help earlier than late on Day 3.

Round 7, Pick 252: P Jeremy Crawshaw | Florida

 

Nov 23, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators punter Jeremy Crawshaw (26) punts the ball against the Mississippi Rebels during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Sure.

Round 7, Pick 253: CB Isas Waxter | Villanova

 

Sep 16, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights tight end Randy Pittman (13) carries the ball against Villanova Wildcats defensive back Isas Waxter (0) during the second half at FBC Mortgage Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

This is another six-year college player. Waxter is listed with intriguing size at 6-2, 215 pounds. In 46 games at the FCS level he had 108 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three interceptions and 19 pass breakups. A late-round flier on a CB isn’t a bad idea. A running back would make sense here as a late-round flier as well.