The San Francisco 49ers had a massive roster turnover to begin the 2025 offseason, which put immense pressure on general manager John Lynch to identify talent in April's NFL Draft with the goal of generating instant starters for opening day.
Upon the conclusion of the 2024 season, San Francisco went through a major overhaul by letting several key players walk in free agency, including players who were huge contributors for the team and even a couple of fan favorites. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga are two players who precisely fit this mold and headed to the Denver Broncos. Both will be sorely missed among the Faithful.
However, with each lost player the Niners have seemed to fill their spots rather nicely.
These three, in particular, seem poised to start right away for San Francisco.
No. 3: DB Marques Sigle, Kansas State
In the case of Hufanga, the 49ers addressed that loss with their fifth-round selection, safety Marques Sigle, out of Kansas State.
Sigle had a solid collegiate career while playing for both North Dakota State and Kansas State, respectively, and appeared in 50 career games including the final 25 he played at K-State. He started all 13 games in 2024, which led to him racking up 60 tackles, three interceptions and six passes defensed.
The hard-hitting defensive back wasn't expected to have such a significant role out the gate, but due to second-year pro Malik Mustapha's recently disclosed ACL tear suffered in Week 18 last year, Sigle may not have a chance to crawl before walking.
No. 2: LB Nick Martin, Oklahoma State
Every level of the Niners defense will be severely tested since they lost value at all phases. Former Oklahoma linebacker Nick Martin probably has the most important shoes of them all to fill because he's replacing an integral part of the defense in Greenlaw.
Martin has amazing tackle production when healthy (check out his 2023 season). He's a physical player who rushes downhill and disrupts offenses in the backfield. He's also known to play with the same nasty ferociousness that made Greenlaw such a household name.
Let's hope Martin will enjoy similar success.
No. 1: DE Mykel Williams, Georgia
Joining him along the front seven is fellow rookie defender Mykel Williams, San Francisco's first pick at No. 11 overall, and the former Bulldog almost seems like a given to become day-one starter.
Williams will be expected to make an immediate impact opposite defensive end Nick Bosa, and the rookie's ability to shut down the run game along with his raw power makes him a shoo-in for the starting job on the defensive front position.
There's plenty of time between now and the regular-season kickoff, and a lot can still happen.
But, these are a few players with the best chance of becoming plug-and-play starters.