Could the 49ers leverage their draft picks for a bold first-round move? Discover potential scenarios for a pivotal draft day.
The San Francisco 49ers are in for what could be a scale-tipping 2026 NFL draft. The Niners have several picks in the third round, but the fun could start much earlier.
Experts are considering the possibility that the Niners make a splash with a draft trade early in the day. Niners Wire's Kyle Madsen discussed if they would make the move and how they could make it happen.
"San Francisco could certainly make do with their scheduled selections at No. 27, 58, 127, 133, 138 and 139. Their list of long-term needs and some immediate depth issues make this year's draft an important one, and having more opportunities to fill out depth or find a star after Day 1 would make a ton of sense. (But) there are a handful of trades the 49ers could make to pick up some additional draft capital.
This is the easiest way to do it. The problem is finding a team to move up to that spot. They may get lucky and a coveted player falls and a bidding war starts between teams sitting in the No. 28 to No. 32 range. That will likely be their only opportunity for a trade down, though. If a team is looking to move up to grab a player in Round 1 to secure a fifth-year option, they'll more likely aim for lower in the first round. For example, if the Arizona Cardinals want to move up to snag a quarterback in Round 1, they wouldn't need to leapfrog Nos. 28-32. Those teams aren't in the QB market. If the Cardinals want to get to Round 1 just for the fifth-year option they'd be more likely to call the Seattle Seahawks at 32 than San Francisco at 27."
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) hands off the ball to running back Christian McCaffrey (23) against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter in an NFC Wild Card Round game. Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesWhether or not the Niners can or should make the move is up for debate. If they can draft three or four third rounders it would certainly increase the likelihood that they find multiple diamonds in the rough and future starters. The volume of players is especially important given the difficulty of accurately scouting players.
With more picks, San Francisco can afford to miss on one or two. They won't be afforded that luxury if they package multiple picks for a trade. Still, the opportunity to replace Trent Williams and add an edge rusher still sits ahead of them. The Niners will reveal their plans when the draft kicks off from Pittsburgh on April 23.