Every draft season there’s a conversion of thoughts surrounding every NFL team and what they’re going to do to improve their rosters. Team reporters say what they’re told, beat writers have informed takes, and then there’s a handful of media members with actual sources that provide us some fact.

I am none of those, but I do like to absorb all of those reports, apply a little critical thinking and analyze what I would do if I was the team. For my first installment I worked on the team I am fan of and know the best, the San Francisco 49ers.

Here are the top things I hope the 49ers do in the 2025 NFL draft:

1.) If Jalon Walker is there, run to the podium.

Don’t overthink it. Walker is an extremely skilled and versatile player that can be an OLB/EDGE, both on and off the ball, and help the 49ers’ recently depleted defense in many ways. Outside of Abdul Carter I think Walker is this drafts biggest disruptor on defense and if the 49ers have a chance to draft him it would make the loss of the ever-disruptive Dre Greenlaw, a little easier.

2.) Don’t waste a first round pick on cornerback.

There’s a plan here, or it at least seems that way. Charvarius Ward left this offseason with what seemed to be very little effort from the organization to try and keep him. Lynch and Shanahan made it clear how they felt about Deommodore Lenoir when they gave him his new contract, and recently during league meetings Shanahan eluded to Renardo Green being penciled in as the next starter on the outside. The coaching staff has been working hard with Darrell Lutter Jr. and the team also added Tre Brown and Tre Tomlinson this offseason.

Sure, there’s potential to improve this position and where the 49ers currently pick they could have their choice of the top players at the position, outside of Hunter, but they had success finding their other two starters outside of the first round and I think they’ll continue to try and do the same this year.

3.) Go to the DL “Well” early, and often.

It’s no secret the 49ers need to add players to their defensive line. Between free agent departures and cap-forced releases, they have stripped that position group down to the studs. Bosa is the bonafide starter, no questions there, and Shanahan recently told beat reporters at league meetings that Yetur Gross-Matos has locked-in a starting position as well. Outside of those 2, there’s a lot of production still needed and this is the perfect draft to load up on prospects.

I’ll get into this more in #4, but I do think the 49ers would be wise to trade back from pick 11 to acquire more capital in rounds 2-3, if Walker isn’t available. However, that may not be possible and there are a few boom/bust guys that I think could be worth consideration at this spot in the first round: Mike Green, Mykell Williams, Shermar Stewart, James Pearce and Walter Nolan. Todd McShay called Mike Green the best pure pass rusher in this draft but he and Walter Nolan have some off-field issues that have raised eyebrows, and typically the 49ers avoid those players. Williams is already a first round run defender but needs to improve his pass rush skills and might take some time to develop into the player teams will be expecting him to be. Shermar Stewart and James Pearce are physical freaks – Stewart has all the skills but needs to figure out how to improve his production, while Pearce has the production but needs to improve his strength and technique to be a plus starter in the NFL.

Outside of the first round there will still be plenty of prospects available. The 49ers will definitely hope Tyleik Williams or Derrick Harmon fall to them at 43, but its starting to seem less and less likely. Edges Landon Jackson and JT Tuimoloau are two ends that the team has met with and have second round grades, along with DTs Kenneth Grant and Shermar Turner who are expected to go early round 2 as well.

4.) Trade back from 11, if possible.

There’s a lot of quality players being tagged with rounds 2 & 3 grades, and I really feel this team benefits more from stacking multiple quality starters from those rounds, than they do from a T-15 pick. As mentioned above, there’s a good chance multiple stud defensive linemen are still available late 1 and early round 2; at the same time, if there’s an onslaught of DL picks in the first then that just means top guys in other positions are sliding into these rounds.

Ideally they trade back to the late first round with a team that can provide them an additional round 2 pick, and then acquire one of the remaining boom-or-bust players I mentioned above. In the second draft an athletic OL like Josh Connerly Jr., if one is available, or acquire another defensive lineman or linebacker. Then, whether its through an acquired additional second or trading up earlier in the third, I think they also prioritize acquiring the versatile Tight End Harold Fannin Jr. The team has shown a lot of interest in Fannin during pre-draft meetings and the lack of extension for George Kittle (along with the ill-timed McBride extension resetting the market) could make Tight End a more pressing need then previously anticipated.

The more I learn about this draft however, it does seem more and more like this draft will be difficult to trade back in the early rounds so if the 49ers do have to stay at 11, please see #3.

5.) Get a Linebacker.

I mentioned it earlier but the loss of Dre Greenlaw is going to be painful if they don’t try to start finding a young replacement. Dee Winters is expected to have a much larger role this season, going into year 3 he also needs to really increase his production. Outside of Warner and Winters, journeyman Luke Gifford is the other expected starter. I think this is going to be more of a need than we are currently hearing about and there are some late round LB prospects drawing interest from the 49ers, most notably Jeffrey Bassa out of Oregon. Bassa is a saftey turned linebacker, similar to current star LB Fred Warner.