What Should the 49ers’ Draft Board Look Like After the Combine?

Now that the 2026 NFL Combine has come and gone, teams are going through their draft process, scouting for the best talent and identifying the young prospects they can acquire with their picks to secure their future.

This year’s draft class offers many bright future stars with incredible talents. However, several talented players remain under the radar, making them “sleeper prospects” in the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23-25.

With these prospects in mind, the San Francisco 49ers face crucial decisions with their 27th pick in the first round, as well as with their subsequent selections.

Here’s what the 49ers’ draft board should look like after the NFL Combine.

Go Defensive Linemen First, No Matter What

If this year’s NFL combine showed anything, it showed that under-the-radar prospects can emerge from nowhere, showcasing their talents and skyrocket up teams’ draft boards.

Therefore, the main position that shined the most to NFL teams was on the defensive side of the ball.

Prospects such as Ohio State’s Sonny Styles and Lorenzo Styles Jr., as well as Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman, stuck out to teams performing unbelievable stat lines in their official combine performances.

This only means that high-level defensive prospects are going to be scarce by the time it’s the 49ers’ turn to make their pick at 27.

The 49ers’ clear issue this year has been their defensive line, making this the perfect time to bolster it.

By the time the 27th choice rolls around, the best remaining defensive linemen will be players such as Clemson’s T.J. Parker and Peter Woods, as well as Auburn’s Keldric Faulk, and UCF’s Malachi Lawrence.

Finding Your New Primary Wide Receiver

Moving on, your next position that should be the highest on the draft board besides the defensive line should be wide receiver.

With all the drama circulating around 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk wanting to leave the roster, and the uncertainty surrounding Jauan Jennings, it’s clear the 49ers’ wide receiver room needs a fresh start.

This wide receiver draft class shows that they have the skills to be a main target on any team they get drafted on, and for the 49ers, there are many to choose from.

Now, by the time it’s the team’s turn to make a pick, receivers like Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, and USC’s Makai Lemon will likely already be drafted.

Thankfully for the 49ers, this year’s draft class has a lot of depth at the position that can be just as valuable as the top-name guys that are projected to be in the top 10.

These are receivers like Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., Washington’s Denzel Boston, Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion, and NDSU’s Bryce Lance.

To sum up, these Day 2 receivers will serve as viable targets for a team like the 49ers and can most definitely make an impact on the roster and for future years to come.

The Dire Need for Offensive Linemen

After the heartbreaking ending to the 49ers’ season, the main takeaway from the game was that the team is in dire need of new offensive linemen for quarterback Brock Purdy to work alongside.

With the inevitable departure of left tackle Trent Williams, whether that is retirement or getting released from the team, the 49ers have no time to wait when picking up his replacement, as well as other key linemen to fill the void.

Utah’s Caleb Lomu, Georgia’s Monroe Freeling, and Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor seem to be the best possible options for the 49ers that are well within their reach this year.

And in the later rounds, you can pick up interior linemen such as Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis, Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon, and Iowa’s Gennings Dunker.

Overall, drafting linemen prospects like this will help Purdy and the rest of the team keep and maintain their playoff and Super Bowl hopes.

But at the end of the day, the 49ers have a lot of important decisions to make for the future of these young prospects, as well as the future of this team. And it all starts with the 2026 NFL draft.