Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Wednesday, January 29th, 2025
The Athletic’s mock draft projects 49ers adding ‘super-athletic’ prospect in the trenches
“Simmons is the third offensive lineman selected in this mock draft, following LSU tackle Will Campbell (No. 5, Jacksonville Jaguars) and Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. (No. 10, Chicago Bears).
“Like Banks, Simmons is a super-athletic prospect who probably could wear a few different hats if a team asks him to,” Baumgardner and Dochterman wrote. “He suffered a season-ending knee injury midway through the season, and it took Ohio State a while to figure out how to play without him. He would be a perfect fit for everything Kyle Shanahan does.”
Why 49ers must follow Eagles blueprint to fortifying trenches
“Philadelphia has not chosen an offensive lineman in the first round since 2019, when they chose Andre Dillard. He never became a regular starter for the Eagles. But they found quality starters elsewhere in the draft.
Left guard Landon Dickerson was a second-round pick in 2021, and center Cam Jurgens was chosen in the second round in 2022. He stepped into a starting role this season when Jason Kelce retired.
And the Eagles’ seventh-round pick of Jordan Mailata in 2018 was huge. Mailata is entrenched at left tackle. Right tackle Lane Johnson still is paying dividends after he was chosen in the first round of the 2013 draft.
Meanwhile, the Eagles have spent a lot more of their draft capital in recent years on their defensive line.”
“[Oregon T Josh] Conerly checks just about every box needed for an NFL tackle. A very-well rounded player who likely ends up being the biggest riser among the offensive tackle prospects projected to go near the top of the 2025 draft.
It’s always a bonus when you can evaluate a prospect’s performance against another blue-chip talent, with Conerly flashing his ability with a dominant showing against Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter in the 2024 B1G Championship Game.”
Why 49ers’ Robert Saleh might end his second stint after one season (paywall)
“Under Nick Sorensen, a rookie coordinator who was promoted in February and dismissed in January, the 49ers had critical communication breakdowns deep into the season, among other signs they weren’t as buttoned up as in past years. After a loss at Green Bay in which they allowed 125 first-half rushing yards, Warner said they weren’t prepared for some of the Packers’ running plays.
Shanahan cited Sorensen’s inexperience after firing him. And he referenced Steve Wilks’ unfamiliarity with the 49ers’ 4-3 system when he fired him in 2023. Now, with Saleh, the 49ers face the prospect of having a defensive coordinator stay with the team for just one season for a third straight year.
If Saleh is coaching elsewhere in 2026, however, the circumstances will almost certainly be different: The 49ers defense will have done a far better job, helping Saleh land a job he covets.”