After finishing just 6-11 last season, the 49ers had too many issues to fix all of them in just one draft.
They wasted three first-round picks and a third-rounder on Trey Lance. The 49ers could have used those picks on cornerstone players. Instead, they got next to nothing.
Rebuilding the 49ers roster will take multiple years. So this year, particularly in the draft, the 49ers decided to focus on one area of their team. Pro Football Focus recently discussed the 49ers' decision.
"The 49ers entered the 2025 draft with a clear mission: fix a run defense that ranked 28th in PFF grade last season," writes PFF's Dalton Wasserman. "And they didn’t just address the issue — they went all in.
"Of the six defensive players San Francisco selected, five earned run-defense grades of at least 80.0 in 2024, signaling a deliberate and aggressive approach to shoring up one of the roster’s biggest weaknesses.
"That group includes defensive linemen Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and CJ West, all of whom bring immediate upside as stout, physical run defenders. With their arrival, the 49ers are betting that a tougher, more disciplined front can help restore the defense to its former dominance."
Those three rookies replace Leonard Floyd, Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins, three veterans who are good pass-rushers but sub-par run defenders. It's obvious that defensive coordinator Robert Saleh believes run defense is becoming increasingly important as NFL offenses evolve.
Just look at how the Eagles won the Super Bowl last season.
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