49ers draft: 3 linebacker targets who could boost depth in 2026

The San Francisco 49ers enter the 2026 NFL Draft with several roster needs. The offensive and defensive lines remain priorities, adding young talent at wide receiver would help, and upgrades in the secondary are still on the table.

However, Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine recently identified a more under-the-radar need: linebacker.

At the top of the depth chart, the 49ers appear set. Fred Warner is expected back at full strength following an injury-shortened 2025 campaign, while Dre Greenlaw returns to anchor the unit alongside him. The team also has several depth options already in place.

Still, Ballentine believes San Francisco could benefit from adding a rookie, particularly with Garrett Wallow and Dee Winters both scheduled to hit free agency next offseason.

He highlighted three potential Day 3 targets who could fit the 49ers' defensive profile.

"Anthony Hill Jr. would be the ideal scenario," Ballentine wrote. "He's the most athletic of the bunch, and his ceiling is high. At 6-foot-5, Lander Barton has a different build than most of the backers on the roster right now, he can be disruptive in coverage."

Hill, a Texas standout, earned an impressive 88.8 tackling grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF) in 2025. He missed the last two games of the season due to a hand injury, but finished with 69 tackles, seven for a loss, four sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, and a pass defensed across 10 starts.

Barton spent four seasons at Utah and recorded 55 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, and one pass defensed during the 2025 campaign.

"Justin Jefferson fits the mold of the undersized athlete they've targeted before," Ballentine continued. "He drew a comparison to Jamien Sherwood from B/R scout Matt Holder in his scouting report."

Jefferson, who played three seasons at Alabama, posted a 79.1 tackling grade and a 73.9 coverage grade in 2025, per PFF. He finished the season with 85 tackles, 6.5 for loss, three sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, and five passes defensed.

With several other depth concerns and only six draft picks currently in hand, it remains unclear whether the 49ers will prioritize linebacker late in the draft—especially given their lack of selections beyond the fourth round.