The San Francisco 49ers just went through a weird 2025 season. They lost half their roster to injuries at some point, still won a playoff game, and now they’re walking into 2026 with a chip on their shoulder and a lot of expensive veterans still on the payroll. Brandon Aiyuk is out here dropping Commanders hints on social media, Osa Odighizuwa just got traded in a deal that rival execs are calling smart value, and Kyle Shanahan is still trying to figure out how to keep this thing from falling apart when guys get old or hurt.
Which brings us to the 2027 draft. Way too early? Sure. But PFF’s mock draft simulator spits out a plan that feels very Niners — spread the wealth, take developmental linemen, add cheap depth, and don’t reach for flash. Here’s how it shook out.
Iowa Tackle in Round 1? That’s On Brand
With the 27th pick, the simulator gives San Francisco Trevor Lauck, a left tackle from Iowa who started all season for one of the best offensive lines in college football. He’s not a freak athlete. He’s not going to blow anyone away at the combine. But he plays with balance, he’s got good size, and he’s tough enough to fit what the 49ers want to do in the run game. The question is whether he sticks at tackle or moves inside eventually. For a team with aging, expensive offensive linemen, that’s not a bad problem to have. If Lauck can contribute early as a swing tackle or guard, that’s a win.
Secondary Depth Starts in Round 2
Dashawn Spears from LSU is exactly the kind of safety the 49ers like — long, athletic, and not afraid to hit. He’s 6-3, over 200 pounds, and he put up high school stats that made scouts pay attention. At LSU, he kept making plays. The consistency isn’t there yet, and his angles need work, but the raw tools are obvious. San Francisco needs safeties who can cover ground behind an aggressive front and still play special teams. Spears can do both. He might start out rotating in and then push for a starting job by year two.
Edge Rotations Are the Niners’ Secret Weapon
Boubacar Traore from Notre Dame is the kind of edge defender San Francisco keeps stockpiling. He’s got the length, the production, and the ability to create negative plays. Notre Dame put him in position to succeed, and he responded with sacks and tackles for loss against real competition. The 49ers rotate their defensive linemen more than most teams, and Traore fits that approach without needing to be a star right away.
Running Back Duo to Watch
This mock gives the 49ers two running backs — Adam Mohammed from Cal in the fourth round and Darius Taylor from Minnesota in the sixth. That’s not a typo. Mohammed is a power back at 6-0, 220 pounds, built for the downhill runs Shanahan loves. Taylor is the opposite: a receiving threat who can create in space and turn a simple screen into a chunk play. Together, they’d give the Niners a nice contrast. Fresh legs, cheap contracts, and both can hit a hole with conviction. Not bad for Day 3 picks.
Late-Round Value Picks
Rasheem Biles from Texas in the fifth round is the kind of linebacker who’s a bit undersized but plays faster than everyone else on the field. He was productive before transferring to Texas, and his speed is exactly what modern NFL defenses need. He’ll start on special teams and work his way into the rotation.
Jaden Craig from TCU in the sixth round is a classic developmental quarterback. He put up big numbers at Harvard, transferred to show he could do it against better competition, and he’s got the size and poise to fit San Francisco’s timing-based system. He won’t play anytime soon, but that’s the point.
Corey Myrick from Clemson closes out the draft in the seventh round. He transferred from Southern Miss and earned a reputation as one of the top safeties in the portal. Physical, versatile, and ready to grind on special teams. That’s about all you can ask for at pick 243.
What This Draft Says About the 49ers
This isn’t a flashy draft. There’s no first-round receiver, no trade-up for a superstar. But it’s smart. The 49ers already have star players. What they need is affordable depth on the offensive line, fresh bodies on the defensive line, reliable safeties who can cover, and running backs who won’t break the bank. That’s exactly what this mock delivers.
If you’re a team with a veteran core and a Super Bowl window that’s still open, you draft like you’re trying to keep it that way. You don’t reach. You don’t panic. You add value in layers and hope the young guys develop faster than the old guys decline.
For San Francisco, that might be the difference between another NFC Championship run and watching the window close.
Leave a Comment