49ers land 3 instant starters at key spots in 3-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft

The San Francisco 49ers’ season from hell has officially knocked them out of the postseason hunt. Between personal tragedies impacting key members of the team, injuries all over the field, and a player refusing to come into a game, 2024 has been a season fans will be glad to put in the past and never revisit.

Kyle Shanahan’s group, if healthy, will be better next year. However, the 49ers are now also well aware of the fact they have multiple huge areas of need that need to be addressed in the 2025 NFL Draft. San Francisco will have more draft ammunition to play with than they’ve had in years.

If John Lynch and the rest of the 49ers follow the path laid out by this 2025 3-round NFL Mock Draft, they will not only bring in multiple players who could compete for starting jobs instantly, but they will address all their needs while finding great value in their selections.

San Francisco 49ers 3-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft

Round 1, Pick 11: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan

While Grant may be considered the inferior prospect when compared to teammate Mason Graham, that shouldn’t mean he falls out of the top 15 or 20 picks. Grant will benefit from a boatload of teams who need defensive tackle help, and San Francisco may have the best shot at him.

Grant is a people-mover and space-eater at 340 pounds, but he also has more pass rush upside than most players that size. Grant’s raw power gives him a very high floor at the professional level, and he could start in San Francisco while providing high-quality play in the 49ers’ scheme for most of the next decade.

Round 2, Pick 43: Donovan Jackson, IOL/OT, Ohio State

The 49ers could theoretically use multiple offensive linemen additions in the offseason, as Trent Williams’ recent injury concerns have thrown a team that was already lacking depth up front into even more turmoil. Jackson, who offers tackle-guard versatility, could be worth snatching up at this point in the draft.

Jackson comes from a zone blocking scheme in college, and he has tremendous raw power and heavy hands. His technique is a bit raw, but nothing that good offensive line coaches can help weed out. Jackson has more potential than most Day 2 linemen, which could put him in San Francisco’s crosshairs.

Round 3, Pick 75: Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State

Many of Shanahan’s best defenses have featured long, rangy cornerbacks with great ball skills. At 6-4 with very long arms, Porter certainly fits that mold. He could eventually challenge for the second outside cornerback role alongside Charvarius Ward while the recently extended Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green take the wheel inside.

With only one year as a true starter on the outside after being blocked by TJ Tampa and some real concerns about his poor tackling, Porter is a bit of a project cornerback. However, with some solid defensive infrastructure already in place, San Francisco might feel comfortable taking this risk.

Round 3, Pick 100: Josaiah Stewart, EDGE, Michigan

Stewart is a size outlier in the pros, as he stands just 6-1 and 240 pounds. Still, the Coastal Carolina transfer was a proven quality pass rusher at the collegiate level, and his obvious deficiencies in run defense can be canceled out thanks to his tremendous speed and motor.

Stewart may be a one-dimensional player, but that dimension is sorely needed on a 49ers team that can go long stretches without anyone not named Nick Bosa getting to the quarterback. Stewart coming in as a third-rounder would give San Francisco’s front four on passing downs a huge upgrade.