49ers mock draft roundup: AI weighs in on Round 1 strategy

The big question facing the San Francisco 49ers heading into the 2026 NFL Draft is whether to use their first-round pick to reinforce the offensive line or strengthen a struggling defensive front.

San Francisco enters the draft with urgency on both sides of the ball. The pass rush produced just 20 sacks last season—the lowest total in the NFL by a wide margin. At the same time, the long-term future at left tackle remains a priority, with All-Pro Trent Williams turning 38 in July.

Still, assuming Williams and the 49ers settle their contract dispute, the team appears set at its two tackle spots for 2026 with Williams on the left side and Colton McKivitz holding down the right.

Most mock drafts continue to project San Francisco targeting either the offensive line or defensive line—along with wide receiver. Let's take a look at a couple of the latest, including one that utilized artificial intelligence.

But first, a real person weighs in...

Akheem Mesidor an option for the 49ers defensive front

Touchdown Wire released its latest first-round mock draft, with editors from each USA Today team site making selections for their respective franchises.

Kyle Madson of Niners Wire selected former Miami defensive end Akheem Mesidor for the 49ers at No. 27 overall.

"There are some notable questions with Mesidor, who didn't break out in college until his age 24 season," Madson wrote. "He'll be 25 on Draft Day. While that's certainly a red flag some teams will have to contend with, there's enough combination of need and value here that could push San Francisco to pull the trigger on a player who would be a 30-year-old first-time free agent if he plays out all five years of his rookie contract."

Despite the age concerns, Mesidor's production is hard to ignore. He posted a career-high 12.5 sacks last season, emerging as one of the more productive pass rushers in college football. However, compared to younger prospects such as 49ers 2025 first-round pick Mykel Williams, who will be just 22 entering his second season, Mesidor's age has to be considered.

"Mesidor is a three-down player who plays with the level of strength and violence on the edge that should allow him to step in and be effective on Day 1," Madson continued. "Perhaps his ceiling isn't high because of his developmental arc, but the 49ers need immediate contributors, and Mesidor looks to fit that bill."

He added, "They're trying to take advantage of a Super Bowl window. His age can be a problem they deal with in 2029."

AI weighs in on the 49ers' draft options

Jacob Camenker of USA Today also released a first-round mock draft using an unconventional approach—tasking Meta AI with making the selections.

"The chatbot needed only to be prompted once to create its initial mock draft, which featured the correct draft order, only draft-eligible players, and no duplicate picks," Camenker explained. "From there, the only additional prompt needed to feed the chatbot was to provide a brief explanation of each pick."

In that exercise, Meta AI projected the 49ers would select former Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor at No. 27 overall.

"The 49ers are looking for an eventual successor to Trent Williams," Camenker noted. "Meta AI likes Iheanachor's 'upside' as he continues to tap into his athletic potential. Iheanachor has only played football since 2021, so this is a fun gamble for the 49ers."