49ers: 7-round defense-only mock 2021 NFL Draft

The 49ers have holes on both sides of the ball, but Niner Noise takes a look at what the possibilities could be if they only drafted defensive players.

With the 2021 offseason nearing full swing, there are two things on the minds of every San Francisco 49ers fan: free agency and the NFL Draft. Both topics garner lots of attention and spark much debate among the fanbase.

The questions, by and large, center around players like left tackle Trent Williams and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, but it doesn’t appear the Niners will be able to avoid keeping an eye on the other side of the ball if they hope to be successful in 2021.

Given the salary cap constraints and the massive number of upcoming free agents the 49ers have heading into the new league year, one of the ways the team will have to succeed is by hitting on their sizeable number of draft picks.

As of now, the front office, led by general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, are locked into eight picks, with potentially two more compensation picks coming, one via the hiring of Robert Saleh by the New York Jets and the other due to the loss of now-New Orleans Saints wideout Emmanuel Sanders last offseason.

No doubt there will be wheeling and dealing by Lynch, as he’s made a habit of doing in his previous four drafts, especially with what could amount to 10 total picks. But as stated, the cap savings provided by selecting immediate contributors, particularly on days two and three of the draft, cannot be overstated.

With all this in mind, let’s take a look at what a draft haul might look like if the 49ers focused only on the defensive side of the ball, using the draft to enhance a strength like the defensive line or to build for the present and future along the defensive backfield.

What follows comes via the simulator at NFL Mock Draft Database and includes no trades nor does it include the as-of-yet-unconfirmed comp selections.