This was one of the most unpredictable starts to a draft weekend ever, but the chaos pushed players down, and the 49ers started off the draft with a bang if not necessarily a player.
It was rumored the San Francisco 49ers would be looking to trade down, and that indeed was what happened as they made a deal with the Miami Dolphins to trade back to No. 30 overall, making a trade to move back into the third round in the process.
Read More: 49ers' decision to trade out of draft's 27th pick comes as a shock to nobody
Terms of the trade: 49ers get picks Nos. 30 and 90; Dolphins get Nos. 27 and 138 https://t.co/tocXhTwcgw
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) April 24, 2026
Niners fans had to wait a bit longer, and as it turned out they have to wait a little bit longer, as the they traded again, making a move with the New York Jets to move back to the first selection in Round 2 at No. 33 overall.
The sheer value, when all was said and done, you will probably agree was worth it:
49ers now have turned their initial pick No. 27 into the first pick in Friday night’s second round, along with No. 90 and No. 179. https://t.co/QVfZyYtz77
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2026
Adam Schefter is slightly incorrect, as the 49ers traded No. 138 with No. 27 for the haul, but it was still a big boost for the 49ers who didn't have a third-round pick, due to to the Osa Odighizuwa trade.
But with the first round over, who can San Francisco choose at No. 33?
Let's take a look at some prospects (and one more situation) that make sense.
Denzel Boston, Wide Receiver, Washington and Germie Bernard, Wide Receiver, Alabama
Denzel Boston is the last of the Round 1-caliber talents the 49ers met with in the pre-draft process. He's probably the betting favorite at this point, given the Niners have spent a lot of time on receivers.
Don't rule out Germie Bernard, though, who's been getting a lot of love early in the second round.
Chase Bisontis, Guard/Tackle, Texas A&M and Emmanuel Pregnon, Guard, Oregon
Left guard remains the most pressing need of the offense, and Chase Bisontis is the top guard on the board remaining. He would be a Week 1 starter and has been linked to San Francisco.
Emmanuel Pregnon could also be considered here.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Safety, Toledo
Safety is a weakness for 49ers, but Emmanuel McNeil Warren can still fix that as a rangy, athletic safety who could've easily been a Thursday night pick.
Treydan Stukes, Defensive Back, Arizona
The versatility of Treydan Stukes cannot be ignored, and the 49ers could kill two birds with one stone here. Stukes can play any secondary position, as well as in the box, too. His ability to play everything is why he has his own spot here.
Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri and Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
Adding to the pass rush is never a bad idea, and Zion Young can be a three-down guy, given his strong run defense and his athletic prowess.
Cashius Howell is a little more raw but has tremendous upside.
Jermod McCoy/Colton Hood, Cornerback, Tennessee and Avieon Terrell, Cornerback, Clemson
Either Tennessee cornerback could make sense here, especially as Colton Hood potentialy could have been the second corner off the board.
The dark horse pick, however, here is Jermod McCoy, who is a top-10 prospect who slid to the second round due to knee concerns. Teams may be scared of him as a first-round prospect, but he could be a home-run swing to open Day 2.
Avieon Terrell also makes sense here as someone who could easily have been a Thursday night pick.
Kayden McDonald, Defensive Tackle, Ohio State and Lee Hunter, Defensive Tackle, Texas Tech
I was very surprised Kayden McDonald wasn't one of the first two defensive tackles off the board; an absolute stone wall of a run defender with some underrated capacity as a pass-rusher.
This also applied to Lee Hunter, an athletic defensive tackle who was part of a strong defensive line at Texas Tech.
Trade Down
The advantage of No. 33 is the 49ers can field calls all night from teams wanting to take a falling prospect.
Don't count out San Francisco making one more move and getting a nice haul by auctioning off the selection.
