The San Francisco 49ers are heading into the 2025 NFL Draft with quite a few big needs to address. After losing some key pieces in NFL free agency, the team has a lot of work to do.
During the 2024 NFL season, the 49ers ended up missing the playoffs. They compiled a 6-11 record, which was nothing close to the expectations that had been set for them coming off of a trip to the Super Bowl the year before.
John Lynch has needs on both sides of the football. San Francisco is scheduled to make its first pick at No. 11 overall in the first round. With that pick, there will be quite a few different high-impact prospects available.
All of that being said, the 49ers have now been projected to land a huge defensive upgrade with their first round pick.
San Francisco 49ers Projected to Land Huge Defensive Upgrade
In a new mock draft released by Fox Sports analyst Geoff Schwartz, San Francisco has been projected to end up landing Michigan Wolverines’ standout defensive lineman Mason Graham.
“Graham is the best interior defensive tackle, and the 49ers need to rebuild their defensive line. They could opt for a future left tackle, but Graham will be the best player available.”
During the 2024 college football season with Michigan, Graham racked up 46 total tackles to go along with 3.5 sacks and a defended pass. He stands in at 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com has revealed his NFL comparison for Graham. He thinks that Christian Wilkins would be a reasonable comparison, which would be a big win if Graham can develop into being that kind of player.
It will be interesting to see what the 49ers choose to do at No. 11. At the very least, Graham is a name that should be in consideration if he’s still on the board.
