With Ohio State seizing a national championship, Niner Noise dishes out a mock NFL Draft for the 49ers grabbing some Buckeye pedigree.
A couple of former San Francisco 49ers coaches, Ryan Day and Chip Kelly, managed to take home college football's greatest honor by leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to a College Football Playoffs national championship.
While Kelly and Day's one year in the Bay Area was nothing short of disastrous, at least Ohio State can brag about its win over Notre Dame in NCAA's final football game of the season.
Good for Day and Kelly.
For the Niners, who are slated to pick at No. 11 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Buckeyes' victory might prompt general manager John Lynch and Co. to consider Ohio State players a bit more than earlier, especially if the blend of championship-caliber pedigree and talent comes into play.
So, in contrast to recent Niner Noise mock drafts, let's break down a heavy Ohio State-influenced seven-round mock for San Francisco, using the trusty Pro Football Focus mock draft widget.
49ers 7-round mock NFL Draft with plenty of Ohio State Buckeyes
Round 1, No. 11 overall: OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State
The 49ers would be wise to invest in the trenches early and often this April, and Ohio State's standout tackle, Josh Simmons, is an excellent get at No. 11 overall.
Left tackle Trent Williams will be 37 years old this year, while right tackle Colton McKivitz's struggles prompt an upgrade.
The Niners can either plug Simmons in over McKivitz or could start the rookie at left guard if Aaron Banks departs via free agency.
Round 2, No. 43 overall: DE J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State
Another Ohio State alumnus, defensive end Nick Bosa, has shouldered the bulk of San Francisco's pass-rushing load in recent years but without any sort of consistent help on the opposite end.
The 49ers can change that by grabbing J.T. Tuimoloau in Round 2.
Coming off a 12.5-sack season in which he had 22 tackles for a loss, Tuimoloau could be the ideal long-term bookend for Bosa, allowing the Niners to relegate both Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos to situational pass-rushing duties.
Round 3, No. 75 overall: S Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State
San Francisco's situation at safety is much more precarious than originally thought, particularly with All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga ticketed for free agency and the second-year regression of Ji'Ayir Brown fresh on everyone's mind.
Grabbing the rangy and versatile Kevin Winston Jr. out of Penn State could solve all that, adding yet another playmaking-type of defensive back alongside the 2024 standout, Malik Mustapha.
Round 3, No. 99 overall (compensatory): OL Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
The 49ers create a problem at the tail end of Round 3 by adding yet another offensive tackle in Donovan Jackson. But it's a good problem to have.
Jackson has the versatility to bump inside, ideally in Banks' stead on the left side and potentially allowing Simmons to start at right tackle day one before eventually replacing Williams.
At the very least, the Niners have a high-quality reserve in Jackson who can play multiple spots up front.
Round 4, No. 111 overall: DT Simeon Barrow Jr., Miami
San Francisco needs to improve the interior of its defensive line, specifically against the run.
Defensive tackle Simeon Barrow Jr. is a top-notch run defender whose 6-foot-3 and 290-pound frame is more than adequate for a 4-3 base front.
Not known for his pass-rush ability, Barrow is nevertheless a likable solution to the 49ers' run-defense woes of late.
Round 4, No. 137 overall (compensatory): LB Kobe King, Penn State
There's a real chance the Niners lose star linebacker Dre Greenlaw to free agency this offseason. Unless their plan is to place third-year pro Dee Winters into a more prominent role alongside All-Pro Fred Warner, another athletic backer has to be on Lynch's shopping list.
That's where Penn State's Kobe King comes into play. He's rangy, possesses leadership qualities and has Greenlaw-like coverage skills.
Round 4, No. 138 overall (compensatory): TE Terrance Ferguson, Oregon
This year's NFL Draft is chock full of good tight ends, meaning San Francisco might finally land a quality No. 2 to support the All-Pro, George Kittle.
Oregon's Terrance Ferguson is a threat in the red zone, has soft hands and shows excellent blocking abilities in open space.
Round 5, No. 149 overall: C Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State
Yes, the 49ers are revamping their offensive line with Buckeyes in this mock. Hopefully, you noticed.
Grabbing Seth McLaughlin is ideal here because head coach Kyle Shanahan typically prefers experience at center over youthful potential. Yet this might be offset by McLaughlin's exceptional football IQ and smarts.
Either way, McLaughlin would put immediate pressure on incumbent veteran Jake Brendel, who isn't the long-term answer.
Round 6, No. 187 overall: RB Ja'Quinden Jackson, Arkansas
The Niners could stand for some depth behind running backs Christian McCaffrey and Isaac Guerendo, and they'll especially need some fresh faces if restricted free-agent runner Jordan Mason departs this offseason.
Good thing this year's class of running backs runs deep.
The 6-foot-2, 229-pound Ja'Quinden Jackson is a bruising rusher with receiving capabilities at his disposal.
Round 7, No. 256 overall (compensatory): CB B.J. Adams, UCF
San Francisco has two solid cornerbacks under contract in 2025, Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green, but it'll want to alleviate the likely loss of Charvarius Ward to free agency.
B.J. Adams likely won't fall to the end of Round 7 (but day three of the draft remains awfully fluid, and his name was here, so...). However, the 6-foot-3 defensive back possesses an ideal frame and doesn't mind getting physical in press coverage.