2025 San Francisco 49ers Draft Profile

Team Needs: DL, Edge, CB, Safety

One of the constants in the NFL over the last six seasons has been the success of the San Francisco 49ers. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is one of the premier names at the position and has shown the ability to get the best out of his teams. 2024 saw them take a dip, but it is hard to believe the 49ers will stay down for long.

The team attacked a lot of needs last season through the NFL Draft and that should be the game-plan this year as well. In what looks to be a talent packed class, the 49ers could see themselves back in championship contention in 2025.

 

Possible Targets

Jahdae Barron – Cornerback, Texas

Shemar Turner – Defensive Lineman, Texas A&M

RJ Mickens – Safety, Clemson

San Francisco lost a boat load of talent on the defensive side of the ball this offseason and should look to replace them with young contributors. This is the perfect opportunity as this draft is packed with high-end defensive talent in all seven rounds.

After losing Charvarius Ward to free agency, the Niners should look to take a top end replacement. One of the most versatile and talented prospects in the class is former Texas Longhorn Jahdae Barron.

Barron is one of the few prospects who excels at every phase of the cornerback position. His man-coverage is sticky and his zone-coverage is as reactive as any. Placing him on the field alongside Renardo Green and Deommodore Lenoir would vastly improve the secondary for San Francisco.

Along with improving the secondary, the front seven needs to be addressed. San Francisco has a major need at both defensive tackle and edge rusher, both of which are loaded positions.

One of the best players on the board on day two could be Texas A&M’s Shemar Turner. He plays a similar style to former 49ers defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. Turner possesses one of the quickest first steps in the class, allowing him to beat blockers with ease.

His athleticism allows him to play a plethora of positions along the defensive front as well to exploit mismatches. Robert Saleh has a knack for utilizing his defensive tackles in creative ways to push the pocket, and Turner would be a lethal weapon in his hands.

Last but not least, the 49ers will need to get a safety to man the backend.

One thing Saleh loves is a physical safety with versatility in coverage. Clemson’s RJ Mickens is just that.

The six-foot safety is a fierce run defender and excels in man coverage against tight ends and halfbacks. He also displays good ball skills which he displayed in his college career with seven interceptions. This would give the 49ers a low-risk player on day three of the draft that could end up a high-reward as a starter.

San Francisco is one of the few teams that can end up back in championship conversation with a solid draft. That alone should drive them to make the right picks come April.