The 49ers may actually be glad if Princely Umanmielen's draft stock falls after a relatively unimpressive week of practice at the Senior Bowl.
Barring a trade, the San Francisco 49ers will select a prospect with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
They won't pick again until the 43rd overall pick, which hits early in Round 2.
It's anyone's guess what general manager John Lynch will do with that first selection, although going after either an offensive or defensive lineman seems to be the consensus top need, especially depending on the caliber of players remaining after the first 10 are off the board.
However, should the Niners take either an offensive lineman or an interior defensive lineman at No. 11, they'll still have a need for a potent outside edge rusher.
A name to watch has been Ole Miss' Princely Umanmielen, who has made his way into some San Francisco-related discussions about prospect pass-rushers in recent weeks.
Following a collegiate career-best 10.5 sacks and 14 tackles for a loss in 2024, the 6-foot-4 and 260-pound edge defender had a great chance to boost his draft stock leading up to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
However, Umanmielen wasn't quite tabbed as a top-10 prospect, rather someone who'd likely go in the teens at the very soonest, meaning the 49ers would have to trade down to maximize the value if they felt he was a must-have player.
After the Senior Bowl's week of practices, the Niners may not have to even do that if they still feel the same way about him.
Princely Umanmielen's draft stock falls at Senior Bowl week, can 49ers take advantage?
Again, much of this is predicated on whether or not San Francisco feels Umanmielen is worth the attention.
If that's the sentiment, Lynch and Co. might be somewhat pleased to recognize the prospect's relatively lackluster week of practices, described by Pro Football Focus on a recent list of Senior Bowl risers and fallers.
Interestingly enough, Umanmielen was a faller:
"Umanmielen was a borderline first-round prospect coming into the Senior Bowl after three years of dominant pass-rush production in the SEC. His performance this week raised more questions than answers about his draft stock.
Umanmielen was essentially a non-factor as a pass-rusher in practice. He repeatedly lost his footing and couldn’t find a way to get around opposing tackles like he did during the season. Even in the one-on-one pass-rush drills — which are usually advantageous to rushers of his talent level — Umanmielen didn’t find much success. For the moment, he looks more likely to be a Day 2 pick than a first-rounder."
Now, anyone who has watched a handful of drafts can recall at least a few Round 1-caliber prospects who slip into Round 2. On the flip side, there are reaches at the tail end of the first round, too.
That said, Umanmielen's draft stock taking a hit after Senior Bowl practices might actually be a blessing in disguise for the 49ers, who may look to see beyond the defender's struggles and could nevertheless target him early in Round 2.
Of course, draft stock remains fluid. The NFL Scouting Combine in March, paired with pro days and team interviews, will ultimately influence Umanmielen's stock between now and April.
However, if the Niners are aiming to save their first-round pick for an interior defender or O-lineman but still feel the need for a pass-rusher early, they could be glad the Ole Miss standout isn't rising out of draft range.