Some people like the 49ers’ draft this year. Sports Illustrated’s Gilbert Manzano is not one of those people.
He recently gave the 49ers a “D” — the worst grade of any team in the NFC. Here’s his reasoning:
“The 49ers added plenty of size and strength to their defensive line. But San Francisco might have focused too much on Mykel Williams’s ability to stop the run. He still has a ways to grow as a pass rusher, which made this pick at No. 11 a bit surprising. The massive 6′ 5″, 320-pound Collins can also easily shed blockers and stop the run. Again, this list is more about talent, but it’s hard not to think the 49ers reached too much for needs in this draft, and there’s a possibility they reached for the wrong positions. The interior of the 49ers’ offensive line could be a problem this season.”
Manzano makes good points. It seems clear that the 49ers wanted to draft an offensive tackle on Day 1 or 2 of the draft and came up empty-handed. They reportedly tried to trade up for the eighth pick. They say they wanted to move up for Mykel Williams, but I wonder if they really wanted Kelvin Banks Jr. who went ninth to the Saints.
Then at the end of Round 3, the 49ers reportedly were interested in Charles Grant and Caleb Rogers, two offensive linemen who got drafted by the Raiders right before the 49ers were on the clock. So instead of taking an offensive lineman with the 100th pick, they took nickelback Upton Stout, who was a reach. And a few days after the draft, they signed veteran offensive tackle D.J. Humphries who missed last year with a torn ACL.
But I like the 49ers defensive strategy in the draft. They already have Nick Bosa, who’s one of the best pass rushers in football. Surround him with stout run defenders on the defensive line and linebackers who can blitz. Third-round pick Nick Martin had six sacks in 2023. He will be a key factor in the 49ers’ third-down pass rush.
I’d give their draft a B, not a D.
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