49ers 2025 mock draft after Week 11: San Francisco needs all kinds of help

It might be time to shift the 49ers' focus to the offseason after Week 11, and that's what our latest mock NFL Draft will do.

The San Francisco 49ers are anything but eliminated from postseason contention despite falling to 5-5 after a devastating Week 11 home loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

With a 1-3 record within the division, though, it's going to be tough for the Niners to secure a playoff berth if they don't win the NFC West outright, and doing that down the stretch is a tough proposition anyway.

If there's some solace, the lackluster efforts in 2024 so far will ultimately lead to a higher slate of picks in next year's NFL Draft, which means better chances at more promising prospects.

Recent Niner Noise mocks have pointed out some obvious flaws about San Francisco, and those realities have been on display for much of the season.

So, using Pro Football Focus' mock draft tool (they have the 49ers picking at No. 18 overall), let's hammer out all seven rounds while also getting back to the basics where the Niners should prioritize their efforts this upcoming April.

49ers 7-round 2025 mock NFL Draft

Going with the best player available at No. 18 overall might not be a bad move. And in this case, it's Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons.

A powerful-yet-nimble lineman with flexibility to play both tackle spots, Simmons could be a plug-and-play upgrade over right tackle Colton McKivitz and a potential long-term replacement for All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams when the 36-year-old future Hall of Famer ops to call it a career.

Focusing on the trenches is never a bad idea, and San Francisco needs plenty of offensive line help anyway.

Staying in the trenches, albeit on the other side of the ball, the 49ers have to painfully admit they've failed to address pass-rush depth behind All-Pro Nick Bosa. Sure, Leonard Floyd has provided a modest spark, and the Niners are hopeful for reservist Yetur Gross-Matos.

But finding another up-and-coming bookend to the defensive line has to be a priority.

Why not go to Bosa's alma mater, Ohio State, for another potentially potent pass-rusher?

Defensive end Jack Sawyer might not have Bosa's hype and pedigree coming out of college, but the former has similar explosiveness and a developed array of pass-rushing moves.

Sawyer also isn't a liability in the run game either, meaning his development could proceed quicker than usual.

Notice a trend here?

The Niners found a gem in right guard Dominick Puni last April, but they have to account for the likely free-agent departure of left guard Aaron Banks this offseason. Even if Puni moves over to the left side of the formation, upgrading the right side of the O-line is a must.

Alabama guard Tyler Booker is formidable, standing at 6-foot-5 and 335 pounds, but he moves notably well and can extend blocks to the second level with little issue.

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw is going to be a free agent in 2025, and there's no guarantee he'll return to full form after suffering a devastating Achilles tear in last season's Super Bowl.

Greenlaw's absence from the field over the course of 2024 has shed light on just how depraved San Francisco's linebacker depth is behind All-Pro Fred Warner.

Clemson's Barrett Carter is a bit undersized at 6-foot-1. But he's an excellent coverage option with a strong football IQ, not unlike the best traits of both Warner and Greenlaw.

It's a hard reality to accept that All-Pro tight end George Kittle is ultimately going to slow down sooner than later, and the rigorous injury-risking style of play is likely to become more problematic now that he's on the wrong side of 30 year old.

The 49ers have long sought a quality No. 2 tight end to pair with Kittle over the years but have failed to do so.

Grabbing Georgia's Benjamin Yurosek in Round 4 can hopefully alleviate that, giving the Niners a versatile pass-catching threat who can line up all over the formation.

Kittle might be worried about Yurosek eventually taking his job, but the former would be thrilled at another Iowa teammate, center Logan Jones, joining the fray.

A late-round bolster to the O-line, Jones could potentially be the long-term upgrade over incumbent center Jake Brendel, who has been average at best and might be seen as this unit's biggest weakness behind McKivitz.

Either way, San Francisco needs to get younger and more athletic up front, and Jones checks both boxes.

Despite adding defensive tackles Maliek Collins and Jordan Elliott during the offseason, the 49ers' D-line interior remains suspect, especially considering Pro Bowl defensive tackle Javon Hargrave could be a salary cap casualty this offseason.

Getting a beefy, squatty 1-technique kind of player would be smart in the late rounds, and Indiana's C.J. West fits the bill.

More than just a run-stopper, West should be a quality two-down interior lineman to help the Niners' rotation up front.

It's never a bad idea to draft a quarterback every year, given the importance of the position.

Brock Purdy is poised to be San Francisco's quarterback for years to come, but having a ready-to-go backup who's familiar with the system and can come in for a pinch is helpful.

USC's Miller Moss is a traditional pocket-passer with average arm strength, but his ability to play within a system could make him an attractive scheme fit for head coach Kyle Shanahan.

The 49ers locked up cornerback Deommodore Lenoir for the long haul, and they can be excited about young defensive backs like Ji'Ayir Brown, Malik Mustapha and Renardo Green for the next few years.

Getting some depth behind them, though, should be a priority. Grabbing Maryland defensive back Dante Trader Jr, who can double as a zone safety or nickel corner can help reinforce the back end of the roster.

The Niners can be hopeful for their two newest wide receivers, Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing. And they may need to feel this way with Deebo Samuel looking slower in 2024 and Brandon Aiyuk suffering a brutal ACL and MCL tear earlier this season.

Colorado's Will Sheppard isn't unlike fellow wideout Jauan Jennings, albeit lacking the physicality. But Sheppard is a good route runner with above-average hands who can bolster the back end of the depth chart.

Grabbing multiple pass-rushers is a good idea in the draft, and project players are sometimes worth a flier in the sixth or seventh round anyway.

At 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, Oklahoma State's Collin Oliver is a bit of a tweener who isn't a prototypical defensive end or outside linebacker, rather a situational pass-rusher who relies on a quick first step and speed to cause issues.

He might be a gadget player. But, if San Francisco highlights his strengths, Oliver might be worth the minimal investment.

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