The 49ers have a week off for the first round of the playoffs, which gives us a good opportunity to take a step back from this season and look ahead to the draft. Thankfully, our friends at the Draft Wire published a three-round mock draft we could dig into a little bit.
To be crystal clear, this is a one-off thing for now while the team gets its time off before beginning on-field preparations in earnest ahead of the divisional round. We’ll get back to the playoff coverage shortly.
Here’s a quick rundown of the players headed to the 49ers in the latest Draft Wire projections:
Round 1, Pick 31 | CB Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
It’d be a small surprise if the 49ers went with a cornerback in the back of Round 1. However, need doesn’t matter as much at this spot for San Francisco. This is their first first-round selection since taking Trey Lance No. 3 overall in the 2021 draft so they’ll want to ensure they’re getting it right and adding a top-end talent. if Lassiter is the best player available and someone they think can start right away at CB, then it makes sense even if it means foregoing other needs.
Lassiter was a two-year starter for the Bulldogs, and played in all 15 games as a freshman when he wasn’t a starter. He’s listed at 6-foot, 180 pounds, and for his career posted 86 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, one interception and 15 pass breakups.
Round 2, Pick 61 | G Christian Haynes, UConn
Adding interior offensive line help makes a ton of sense for the 49ers, although the second round may be a tick early. It would be a pretty significant sign of how they feel about their starting OL though if they used a second-round pick on an interior lineman. Haynes spent six years with the Huskies and started all 49 games the team played across his final four seasons.
Round 3, Pick 94 | WR Roman Wilson, Michigan
Wilson’s production would make this pick seem like a bit of a reach. In 46 games for the Wolverines he posted just 107 catches for 1,707 yards and 20 touchdowns, with 789 of his yards and 12 of his TDs coming this season. The 49ers could use some receiver depth though, and a Day 2 pick would probably be a player they’d look to integrate right away. He has a ton of speed which the 49ers receiving corps lacks, and they may not want to give WR Danny Gray more chances. Wilson would be a logical option if they move on from their 2022 third-round pick.
Round 3, Pick 98 | OT Dominick Puni, Kansas
Puni started all 24 games he played across two years with the Jayhawks. Before landing at Kansas he was a starter with experience at both tackle spots at Central Missouri. A versatile tackle prospect could be very valuable to the 49ers, especially if they think he can slot in as a starter at right tackle with the potential to move to left tackle after Trent Williams retires.
