Protecting the quarterback trumps adding receiver talent. Discover why offensive line struggles demand immediate, premium draft focus over a flashy wideout pick.
While the San Francisco 49ers undeniably have multiple needs to address this offseason, not all roster holes should be treated equally and that’s where recent mock draft projections start to lose the plot.
Wide receiver and edge rusher are frequently cited as top priorities for San Francisco entering the 2026 NFL Draft, and while those positions do matter, the idea of spending premium draft capital on a wideout in Round 1 feels wildly disconnected from both roster reality and team building fundamentals.
At wide receiver, the 49ers have finally moved on from Brandon Aiyuk after a long and messy saga that ended with his guaranteed money for 2026 being voided following issues surrounding his rehab from a serious knee injury. Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, and Skyy Moore are also set to hit free agency, leaving the receiver room thin on paper.
But thin doesn’t mean dire and it certainly doesn’t mean “first-round emergency.”
Wide receivers are entering the league every year in bulk. Productive ones can be found on Day 2. Useful ones can be found on Day 3. And functional ones are available in free agency every single offseason. Offensive linemen? That’s a completely different story.
At edge rusher, the need is more legitimate. Nick Bosa should be back for Week 1 after tearing his ACL early in 2025, but first-round pick Mykel Williams may not be available until well into the season after suffering the same injury in Week 9. Bryce Huff returns, but Sam Okuayinonu is a restricted free agent, while Yetur Gross-Matos and Clelin Ferrell are unrestricted free agents.
Depth is absolutely required but again, context matters.
That brings us to a recent two-round mock draft from The Athletic, which has the 49ers addressing wide receiver in Round 1 and edge rusher in Round 2. Thit feels backwards given what actually derailed San Francisco’s 2025 season.
Round 1, No. 27 overall: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman project the 49ers selecting Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion at No. 27 overall, citing his versatility and ability to replace some of what was lost with Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.
Concepcion is a good player. A fun player. A weapon.
He’s also emblematic of the exact kind of pick the 49ers don’t need to make in Round 1.
Concepcion posted 61 receptions for 919 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025, while adding 456 punt return yards and earning multiple All-SEC honors along with the Paul Hornung Award. He’s explosive off the line, dangerous in space, and a nightmare in man coverage.
While all of this is true, none of it addresses the fact that Brock Purdy spent far too much of the back half of last season scrambling for his life.
The 49ers’ offensive line struggled to hold up against elite fronts, particularly within the division. Seattle and Los Angeles repeatedly collapsed the pocket, disrupted the run game, and exposed how thin San Francisco’s protection has become. That problem doesn’t get solved by adding another playmaker outside.
Wide receivers are a dime a dozen. Offensive linemen who can protect, anchor, and grow into long term starters absolutely are not.
If the 49ers are going to spend a first-round pick, it needs to be on someone who makes the entire offense function.
Round 2, No. 58 overall: R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma
In Round 2, the mock has San Francisco selecting Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas, and this pick makes far more sense, but not after picking a WR in round one instead of an offensive lineman
Thomas broke out over the past two seasons, earning back-to-back All-SEC honors while posting strong pressure numbers and an elite PFF pass-rush grade. His explosiveness off the line is real, and his production speaks for itself despite lacking prototypical size.
Edge depth matters. Pass rush matters. This is a fine value at No. 58.
But it doesn’t excuse the bigger mistake.
If the 49ers walk out of the first round without addressing the offensive line it will be a failure of prioritization. Period.
And even beyond the trenches, San Francisco still needs to spend mid to late round money on the secondary. Corner and safety depth became glaring weaknesses once injuries piled up, and that can’t be ignored again.
The blueprint is simple, build the offensive line early. Add pass rush value when it’s there. Load up on secondary depth later.
Anything else feels like trying to decorate a house before fixing the foundation.