NFL teams are going through various exercises ahead of the NFL Draft. The goal is to prepare yourself for any potential unexpected scenario while you’re on the clock.
We’ll work through a scenario I did with Rob Lowder, where we labeled each prospect “hot,” “lukewarm,” and “cold” in each round.
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If it’s not self-explanatory, “hot” prospects are the players you’d run to the podium for if they’re still on the board. We listed some players in this category as those rated higher who may slip down the board in a trade-up scenario.
Lukewarm prospects fall under “good but not great.” Players you’d rely on to start and contribute, but come with an obvious floor.
If you’re listed as cold, we identified enough red flags that it’s either a reach, not a good fit, or a combination of both, while we factored in the value.
You’re going to find different opinions consistently when talking about players. Five people could watch a wide receiver run one route, and each person could have a different conclusion. Keep that in mind when you’re reading through this and any other draft evaluation or critique of a player.
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Potential 1st rounders for the 49ers: ‘Hot’ prospects
The untouchables:
Georgia OT Monroe Freeling
Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson
While unlikely, if either Freeling or Tyson fell to the early 20s, these are two players the 49ers should consider moving up for. Tyson’s injury history may scare some away, but he’s in the cluster of players who project to be a WR1. Freeling could end up being the best tackle in this class, the way he grew this past season. He’s a clean prospect that is still ascending.
The other players we discussed were Auburn’s Keldric Faulk. He’d give the Niners what they’ve been missing since Arik Armstead departed. The other is a wild card. It’s defensive tackle Caleb Banks out of Florida. He broke his foot at the NFL Combine.
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Banks only played in a few games this past season. But man, the ways he won in those three games would make me want to roll the dice on his talent. Think of it like this: I’d rather have DT1 than WR5 in the first round. Banks would be a best-player-available scenario.
Potential 1st rounders for the 49ers: ‘Lukewarm’ prospects
Realistically, when you’re selecting at the end of the first round, you’re going to end up drafting a player you’re lukewarm on, outliers aside. Here’s the lukewarm list:
Washington WR Denzel Boston
Arizona St OT Max Iheanchor
Clemson OT Blake Miller
Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion
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Two wideouts who couldn’t be any more different, but would also help the Niners offense right away. Boston would be the red zone, free access, jump-ball wideout to eventually take over for Mike Evans. Brock Purdy would love playing with a couple of twin towers like Evans and Boston.
Concepcion would have thrived in the playoff game against the Eagles. He can run away from anybody. However, Concepcion isn’t limited to just a speed threat. He’s good off the line of scrimmage, can find the soft spot in zones, and win at every level. He’ll drop the pass where there is nobody around him, but then you’ll see Concepcion hold on to passes where he takes a big hit. Plus, he has 70 career carries. Kyle Shanahan could line Concepcion up in the backfield.
I just watched Miller go against Georgia’s defense in 2024. He went head-to-head against Mykel Williams a good bit in that game. Miiller was overwhelmed by the athleticism, but still held his own. That’s who he is. A guy who finds a way.
Iheanachor’s upside might be better than anybody at the position in the class. If it clicks, he can be a star. His ability to figure things out so quickly at the power level is a sign that the raw prospect just needs more seasoning to turn into a solid pro.
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Potential 1st rounders for the 49ers: ‘Cold’ prospects
Ironically, some of the most popular players being mocked to the 49ers are listed here:
Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Texas A&M EDGE Cashius Howell
Utah OT Caleb Lomu
UCF EDGE Malachi Lawrence
I believe Cooper Jr. is benefiting from the offense he played in, specifically as the quarterback. He ran a 4.42, but the 10-yard split was in the 48th percentile. The arm length is in the 11th percentile. You did not know his name until this season. And now I’m supposed to believe this prospect is a 1st rounder? Good luck with that. I’ll let somebody else be wrong about him.
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Fun fact: Howell has the same arm length as Cooper. Speed-reliant players don’t do it for me. Maybe it’s a me problem. But after watching what wins in the NFL, and seeing the 49ers go the route of speed-first players for a couple of years and now try to pivot away from that after struggling to get off the field two seasons in a row, I couldn’t imagine spending a first pick on the same player you just couldn’t win with.
Lomu is not a bad player. Talent-wise, he belongs in the lukewarm group. But if I were a general manager, I would not be in the business of hoping a player gets stronger and grows into his body.
Potential 2nd rounders for the 49ers: ‘Hot’ prospects
The later we get into the draft, the less the 49ers should be concerned with positional needs and the more they should focus on drafting good football players. Here’s the list in the second round:
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Louisville WR Chris Bell
Arizona State CB Keith Abney
Penn State EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
I’ll either be hilariously wrong or unbearable if Bell ends up being what I believe he will be. Players that big who run that fast and aren’t hindered by physicality with the tracking ability Bell has don’t lose in the NFL.
Abney wouldn’t fit a “need,” but it gives the Niners a defensive back with the instincts and athleticism to run any coverage. I’m surprised Abney hasn’t been thought of higher. He does everything well.
Dennis-Sutton played as a freshman at a big-time school. His pressure numbers got better every year. He’s getting lost in the shuffle because the school didn’t fare well in a chaotic season with a coaching change, but Dennis-Sutton, not the EDGEs listed in the first round, is the type of player the 49ers are looking for.
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Potential 2nd rounders for the 49ers: ‘Lukewarm’ prospects
Personally, these three are some of my favorite players to watch in the draft. They are listed here because they need to be in ideal situations. But they’d all flourish in San Francisco:
Illinois EDGE Gabe Jacas
LSU S A.J. Haulcy
Notre Dame WR Malahci Fields
Jacas’s competitiveness makes it easy to stick up for him. He’s on the smaller side, and that’ll occasionally show, but he is as much of a plug-and-play prospect as you’ll get late in the second round.
Haulcy would lead the team in interceptions as a rookie. Let him play behind the 49ers’ defensive line, and he’ll look like a player who was severely underdrafted.
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Fields is the YAC, big-bodied wideout that would improve the 49ers’ running game with his blocking. He’d also squeeze out a few extra yards from any underneath pass. Fields won’t be for everybody, but he should be on the 49ers’ radar.
Potential 2nd rounders for the 49ers: ‘Cold’ prospects
A short list here:
Oklahoma EDGE R Mason Thomas
Tennessee WR Chris Brazzell
I wanted to like Brazzell. Watching him during the season, Brazzell was thought of as a 1st rounder. A 6’4″ receiver running a 4.37 being available in the late 2nd round should ring the alarms. The theme is consistent with players in this section. Brazzell is anti-physicality. That will not play well at the next level.
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Thomas was an outstanding collegiate player, but he’s a difficult projection at his size. It’s hard to find where he’ll win over and over again as a pro, which is why he’s here. Again, small is not the direction to go.
Potential
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