FanSided's Mike Luciano recently declared the San Francisco 49ers' 2026 NFL Draft class as the absolute worst out of the bunch from all 32 teams.
That's quite a statement. But, in light of how much criticism general manager John Lynch and Co. have received in the subsequent days after the draft, perhaps it's understandable. It's hard to truly pinpoint exactly how the Niners go about formulating their big board, and it's painfully obvious they don't listen to what outside experts have to say.
The Niners certainly are getting blasted by draft pundits and experts, thanks largely to the numerous reaches, particularly those in the first three rounds.
But, at least according to Sports Illustrated's Justin Melo, San Francisco's draft class isn't the worst of the worst.
That's good, right?
SI declares 49ers' 2026 draft class 3rd worst (but it's not the worst)
Certainly, one shouldn't expect the 49ers to boast a top-10 or even a top-20 draft class in tandem with all the ridicule.
Thankfully, Melo had the decency to declare the Niners boasted the 30th best class, leaving only the Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars' classes below that of San Francisco:
"The San Francisco 49ers made waves by trading out of the first round and selecting wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling at No. 33 overall. Stribling had been receiving second-round buzz, but it was still earlier than anyone expected. Third-round pass rusher Romello Height is seriously undersized, and Kyle Shanahan reached another running back, Kaelon Black, at No. 90. Gracen Halton and Kyle Dugger were exciting picks on Day 3, but this class certainly looks questionable."
L.A. got blasted by using the No. 13 overall pick on Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, which was considered a massive overreach for a roster poised to win a Super Bowl now, not develop a long-term succession plan for Matthew Stafford.
And the Jags? Well, they reached far more frequently than the Niners, at least according to Melo's perspective.
Good thing no one knows exactly how any of these prospects will pan out at the pro level.
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