Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Saturday, February 22nd, 2025
John Lynch retains key 49ers exec as Jaguars announce GM decision
“With the Jaguars opting for Gladstone, Williams will remain with the 49ers—at least for now. However, the rising front-office talent is drawing attention around the league, and there will likely be more opportunities in the near future.
Williams has been with the 49ers for 14 years, starting as a scouting assistant in 2011 and steadily climbing the ranks. Last season marked his first in his current role.”
Jeremiah identifies 49ers pick that would be ‘home run’ selection
“Where they’re picking at 11, they’re going to be able to get a really good player,” Jeremiah said via conference call. “I’m curious, the one thing — we talked about him as one of the top players in the draft with Mason Graham. I’ll be curious to see how he goes through the spring.
“As I mentioned, I think his tape is so good, but I’m sure he’s going to totally ace the spring part of it. If you are looking for someone who I think would be a home run pick for them, what’s the dream scenario, to me, it would be [if] Mason Graham were to fall down to them where they could scoop him up and pick him up.”
Graham is listed at 6-foot-3, 320 pounds and listed as PFF’s No. 4 overall prospect. Over his three seasons at Michigan, the defensive tackle was lined up predominantly in the B-gap, registering 12 sacks, 17 hits and 47 hurries. The Wolverine also is effective against the run, with 108 tackles — 60 solo and 18 for a loss over his NCAA career.”
“While Brandon Aiyuk isn’t a YAC guy, he creates space for players to work underneath,” Kimes explained. “So getting those players back will help. I still think that if they move on from Deebo, even with those players coming back, though, they need to find a receiver who can work underneath, especially with Aiyuk back in the fold.
“Especially because not only is [head coach and play-caller] Kyle Shanahan so good at creating those opportunities to get yards after the catch, but you’ve got a quarterback in Brock Purdy who throws the ball quickly and accurately. So you want skill players who can benefit from that, particularly over the middle of the field.”
Kimes believes Shanahan and the 49ers should look to the draft to find a player capable of offsetting Samuel’s departure.
“Are there players who can sort of—not replicate Deebo’s skill set, because he truly was a unicorn—but at least contribute in that way?” Kimes questioned.”
Saints hiring 49ers assistant head coach Brandon Staley as defensive coordinator
“Multiple reports confirm that the New Orleans Saints are hiring San Francisco 49ers assistant head coach Brandon Staley as their new defensive coordinator under head coach Kellen Moore. Staley, who spent one season with the 49ers, was not expected to return to head coach Kyle Shanahan’s staff in 2025 and had long been considered the frontrunner for the position in New Orleans.”
“And so, when I look at them picking at No. 11, if they’ve got the opportunity to jump up for one of the few blue-chip guys in the trenches in this draft, I like that strategy,” Sikkema added. “For them to be able to move up from No. 11 to No. 5, it probably won’t cost them too much.
“And if they can get a guy like Mason Graham, to me, that’s exactly what they need. He’s just an absolute animal in the interior, an elite run defender in back-to-back years. And even with his small arms, I think that he’s got the opportunity to be a pass rusher at the NFL level because of how explosive he is.”
49ers add ‘large, disruptive force’ in CBS Sports mock draft
“Walter Nolen doesn’t get nearly as much credit for how good he was throughout his college career, and should continue to be in the NFL,” Fornelli explained. “Part of that is because he does a lot of the dirty work that doesn’t show up in stats. He’s a large, disruptive force on the interior that would fit in well with the San Francisco defense.”