The 49ers are hoping other premium positions are drafted ahead of them so prime talent falls into their lap
The NFL Combine is a rumor-mill convention. Will the Titans trade out of number one? How close was Matthew Stafford to becoming a Raider? Is Courtland Sutton on the move to Pittsburgh? The rumors fly at breakneck speed. Prospects are moving up and sliding down boards due to their interviews and on-field testing.
Following the Combine, mock drafts will fly in with realistic mocks to dream mocks. Then, there are the mock drafts based on rumors and potential inside information.
In this mock draft, the Titans select Abdul Carter at number one, and Cam Ward is the only quarterback drafted in the first round by the Cleveland Browns. From a 49ers standpoint, a draft shake-up would leave them with a choice between plenty of premium talent that can contribute instantly at pick 11.
Armand Membou from Missouri is the first offensive lineman off the board to the Jacksonville Jaguars at pick five. The Raiders pass on Shedeur Sanders for Ashton Jeanty at pick six, and Shemar Stewart from Texas A&M finds a home in Carolina at pick eight.
What about the 49ers at pick 11? Mason Graham from Michigan finds a home in Santa Clara, giving the 49ers a defensive tackle who won’t come off the field regardless of down and distance.
Like Will Campbell, Graham’s measurables in Indianapolis did not help his case to be a top-10 pick. He was 24 pounds lighter (296 pounds) than what Michigan listed him at, and his 32-inch arms placed him in the 12th percentile for the position.
Graham earned elite PFF overall grades over the past two seasons, but the league doesn’t love drafting prospects with measurable limitations early. That would be to the 49ers’ delight, as they could get a starting-caliber 3-technique defensive tackle outside the top 10.
Graham measured lighter than expected, but I’m betting that weight returns when it’s time to put the pads on. The 49ers desperately need a defensive tackle who defends the run and rushes the passer. The replacements for Arik Armstead (Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, Jordan Elliott) are limited to one skill or the other, but not both.
With a draft as deep at the defensive line position, the 49ers are in a prime position to land a cheap, impactful, and long-term player along the line. Graham would fill that void in 2025 and beyond.