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5 biggest takeaways from 49ers' efforts in 2024 NFL Draft

Kyle Shanahan and Brandon Staley had their fingerprints all over the Niners' 2024 NFL Draft class.

By Peter Panacy

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch (L) and head coach Kyle Shanahan (R)
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch (L) and head coach Kyle Shanahan (R) / Michael Zagaris/GettyImages
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The 49ers made some interesting picks over the course of the 2024 NFL Draft, and we can learn something from each of them.

The San Francisco 49ers didn't exactly take the approach that many fans thought they'd take during the 2024 NFL Draft, starting right out of the gate with their first-round pick, Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall.

Pearsall was a bit of a surprise selection, especially after many thought the Niners would use their top pick in the draft on an offensive lineman or a cornerback.

Seeing how general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan opted to go another direction, it was clear they didn't subscribe to the same philosophy.

There are a number of takeaways that we can look at from San Francisco's 2024 NFL Draft class, which is as follows:

  • Round 1, No. 31 overall -- WR Ricky Pearsall, Florida
  • Round 2, No. 64 overall (from Chiefs) -- CB Renardo Green, Florida State
  • Round 3, No. 86 overall (from Eagles) -- OL Dominick Puni, Kansas
  • Round 4, No. 124 overall (from Cowboys) -- DB Malik Mustapha, Wake Forest
  • Round 4, No. 129 overall (from Jets) -- RB Isaac Guerendo, Louisville
  • Round 4, No. 135 overall -- WR Jacob Cowing, Arizona
  • Round 6, No. 215 overall (compensatory) -- OL Jarrett Kingston, USC
  • Round 7, No. 251 overall -- LB Tatum Bethune, Florida State

Here's what we learned from the 49ers' newest cast of rookie draftees.

Takeaway No. 1: 49ers are more comfortable with their O-line than fans are

The Niners waited until Round 3 to grab an offensive lineman, choosing a versatile piece in Puni, who can play all five spots but projects to be a guard at the NFL level.

This suggests right tackle Colton McKivitz's job is safe, for now, and Puni is likely looking at 2025 for a chance to start, especially if either/both guards Aaron Banks and Jon Feliciano don't re-sign when hitting free agency in a year.

San Francisco also punted on finding long-term replacements for All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams and a potential upgrade over center Jake Brendel, too, which was a bit of a surprise considering how deep this year's draft was for O-linemen.

If Puni makes a long-term difference, that choice might be worth the overall lack of attention.

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