2 trades highlight 49ers post-free agency mock draft

With the early free agency rush winding down, we have a better idea of what the San Francisco 49ers roster will look like entering the NFL draft.

They didn't do much in free agency that dramatically altered their needs, but it did give us a better idea just how sizable each of their top NFL draft needs are. That helps a lot with our first post-free agency mock draft where connecting on San Francisco's top needs and selecting the top player available don't always align.

We used Pro Football Focus's mock draft simulator and the picks haven't been updated since the NFL officially announced the draft order. Because of that the pick numbers are a tick off. The trades all still work with the proper number picks.

Here is our three-round mock draft with a handful of trades that led to a whopping four (4!) picks in the third round:

Trade 1

49ers receive: First-round pick (No. 14), Third-round pick (No. 80), Fifth-round pick (No. 152), 2026 fourth-round pick

Colts receive: First-round pick (No. 11)

Round 1, Pick 14: CB Will Johnson, Michigan

Johnson could easily be the pick at No. 11 overall, but he was still there at No. 14 which made it an easy choice. He doesn't hit the 49ers' top need on the defensive line, but he was the best player available and he could help round out a very good secondary alongside cornerbacks Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green. Johnson is a big corner at 6-2, 194 pounds and he pulled down nine interceptions while breaking up 10 passes in three seasons for the Wolverines.

Round 2, Pick 43: DT T.J. Sanders, South Carolina

There's a chance any defensive lineman taken by the 49ers on Day 1 or 2 of the draft would be in line to start in Year 1, and Sanders looks ready to take on that role. He measured in at 6-4, 297 pounds at the combine, but he plays even bigger than that. Sanders is violent and doesn't spend a lot of reps going backward. In his last two seasons with the Gamecocks he racked up 17 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. If he can push the pocket consistently he would be a really nice second-round find for the 49ers.

Round 3, Pick 75: WR Jalen Royals, Utah State

This is probably a little early for a receiver, but Royals feels like a Kyle Shanahan guy. He's 6-foot, 205 pounds and produced big-time at Utah State despite not having elite athleticism. Royals posted 71 receptions for 1,080 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2023. He was on track to blow past those reception and receiving yardage totals in 2024 before being shut down by a foot injury. In seven games he hauled in 55 balls for 834 yards and six touchdowns. Royals averaged 7.9 yards after catch per reception last season and won 64.1 percent of his contested catches in college according to Pro Football Focus. With question marks in the receiving corps, Royals would have an opportunity to make an impact right away.

Round 3, Pick 80: LB Chris Paul Jr., Mississippi

The need at linebacker is a bit of a question mark because San Francisco has several in-house options to replace Dre Greenlaw who departed for the Denver Broncos in free agency. Paul isn't an off-the-charts athlete, but he's a rock solid tackler (only 16 missed tackles the last three seasons per PFF) who spends a ton of time around the football. He did a little of everything for the Rebels last season after spending three years with Arkansas. In 2024 he put up 88 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and one interception. He needs to continue improving in coverage and he's a little undersized at 6-1, 222 pounds, but his skill set should give him a really good chance to start as the Will LB for San Francisco alongside LB Fred Warner.

Round 3, Pick 99: DE Ashton Gillotte, Louisville

It'll be interesting to see how the 49ers assess this year's EDGE class and what that group winds up looking like once they're done adding free agents. Gillotte was available late in the third round and brings starter upside with him to the NFL. He played a lot during his four years of college and racked up 26.5 sacks across 51 games, and there's a chance he can step in and be a three-down edge defender right away. There's a real chance the 49ers take a defensive end earlier in the draft, but in our mock we waited until late on Day 2 and still snagged a potential starter.

Trade 2

49ers receive: Third-round pick (No. 101)

Lions receive: Fourth-round pick (No.112), Sixth-round pick (No. 188)

Round 3, Pick 101: DT Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech

The risk of Peebles going between 101 and 112 was high enough that we used a sixth-round pick to climb up 11 spots and snag another interior defensive lineman for San Francisco. Peebles is so fun to watch. He measured in at 6-foot, 282 pounds, but his tape is a strong indicator that won't matter much in the NFL. Peebles flies around and plays a relentless brand of football the 49ers could quickly fall in love with. He has production to match the energy, too. Over his last two seasons, one with Duke and one with Virginia Tech, PFF had him down for 70 pressures, nine sacks and 40 run stops. Even if he's a production rotational interior lineman he'd be well worth a trade up into the back of the third round.

Picks remaining

Our trades left the 49ers with 12 total picks, six of which came on the first two days of the draft. That gives them six picks to work with on Day 3, spread between Nos. 138 and 252. Their remaining picks are Nos. 138, 147, 152, 227, 249 and 252.

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL draft: 49ers make 2 trades, load up on needs in 3-round mock

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