One tackle, one non-tackle the 49ers must consider trading up for in NFL Draft

With the NFL Draft fast approaching, one question will soon be answered: Will the 49ers take advantage of their draft hand to move up on Thursday night. If so, who could it be for?

The San Francisco 49ers have a problem on their hands. They have 10 picks and frankly not nearly the roster slots for them all. This is a team looking to compete now, and rookies wasting away on the roster and not making an impact doesn't do much.

What's the solution? Trading up of course!

Read More: Prospects way too good for 49ers to pass up at No. 31 (who aren't tackles)


The way of thinking is very simple for a trade up the order. The team could stand to find a new starter at right tackle with an longer term view of replacing Trent Williams eventually at left tackle. The Niners could also stand to find a No. 2 corner, which will allow Deommodore Lenoir to move into the slot.

There are two players who make sense right off the bat for a trade into the teens of the NFL Draft: Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims and Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold.

Why Amarius Mims makes sense

Mims is the ultimate boom-or-bust tackle in this class. His raw talent is evident, his ceiling as a left tackle is something every team wants in a blindside protector.

On the downside, his floor is very low, as I detailed in what was a poor NFL Combine for him:

"Mims was hurt twice last year and has had only eight collegiate starts. He couldn't finish the NFL Combine, and he has some minor character concerns off the field, which he did well to ease concerns with at the combine interviews but still scared teams just a little bit, given how many poor characters have come from Georgia in recent years."

- Jeremy Wohlfart, Niner Noise

Despite these concerns, some team will fall in love with Mims. The 49ers have the perfect home for him, too, as an understudy to a future Canton inductee in Williams, and Mims can contribute right away as a right tackle.

He's a 6-foot-8, 340 pound behemoth with a 5.07 40-yard time and the strength/reach/athleticism combination to really make a splash in the NFL.

That's why the 49ers could make a splash for him.

Why Terrion Arnold makes sense

Truth be told, this is not a strong draft, defensively, and cornerback is no exception. There are some solid prospects at the position, though, and Arnold is a player who should be picked somewhere in the teens on Thursday night.

Arnold ticks the boxes that San Francisco needs in a corner. He's a good run defender, he excells in zone coverage and he's a good size at 6-foot-0 and 189 pounds. In 2023, Arnold had five interceptions and 12 passes defended for Alabama.

Arnold would be a Day 1 starter in the No. 2 cornerback role. By allowing Lenoir to shift inside, that gives the 49ers a secondary they can work with as they try to go back to the Super Bowl.

While tackle is still a concern, the much deeper class could see the Niners attempt to address that on Day 2 and go with another position for Round 1.

As far as need and fit are concerned, Arnold makes the most logical choice for that sort of player.