The Position the 49ers Will Draft Too Soon

Every year, the 49ers seem to draft one position way too soon. 

In 2021, that position was running back. The 49ers drafted Trey Sermon in Round 3, gave him 41 carries in 9 games as a rookie, then waived him. In retrospect, it was nuts to spend that high of a pick on a running back when the 49ers already had Raheem Mostert, a former undrafted free agent, and would go on to draft Elijah Mitchell in Round 6 that year. Good running backs almost always are available later in drafts, as Kyle Shanahan's father, Mike Shanahan, proved more than 30 years ago.

In 2022, the position the 49ers drafted too soon was running back once again -- they took Ty Davis-Price in Round 3, presumably to correct the mistake of drafting Sermon the previous year. Unfortunately, the 49ers compounded their mistake. They gave him 40 carries in two seasons, demoted him to the practice squad now he's on the Eagles. The 49ers would have been better off drafting literally any position other than running back.

In 2023, the position the 49ers drafted too soon was kicker -- they took Jake Moody in Round 3 to replace Robbie Gould, who never missed a kick in a playoff game. This past season Moody missed a kick in every playoff game, including a critical extra point in the Super Bowl. The 49ers would have been better off drafting an offensive lineman and signing a kicker as a free agent.

What position will the 49ers draft too soon this year?

I'm going with running back. It's been almost two years since the 49ers drafted one in Round 3 -- they probably have the itch to take another one. Kyle Shanahan simply can't help himself.