3 biggest needs atop 49ers wish list for 2022 NFL Draft

The 49ers can be thankful they have a playoff-caliber roster right now, yet these three pressing needs remain heading into the 2022 NFL Draft.

As things stand right now, the San Francisco 49ers should have a roster capable enough of competing for a spot in the playoffs a little less than a year from now.

Granted, so much of that will hinge upon how well second-year quarterback Trey Lance develops after being given a full run of the offense as a first-time starter. Yet head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have already done aplenty to ensure Lance has as much support as possible.

In addition to the moves Lynch and Co. made in this year’s free agency period, the Niners are hoping to find some further reinforcements from the nine selections they have in the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft. While San Francisco isn’t picking in Round 1, thanks to last year’s trade-up for Lance, it does have a late pick in Round 2 to go along with two third-round picks, also both at the tail end of the round.

The 49ers, fortunately, don’t have a ton of roster needs. But the ones they do have are substantial enough to mean Lynch has to hit on at least a few of this year’s draft picks.

While a “best player available” approach might be applied here, the Niners are likely to mesh the “best player” strategy by aligning it with those positions that need to be addressed overall.

So, with the 2022 draft closing in, let’s take a look at the three biggest needs San Francisco has right now.