The five biggest takeaways from the San Francisco 49ers' surprising approach to the 2024 NFL Draft

With sixth-round guard Kingston and third-round guard Dominick Puni, that is reflective of what the 49ers look for in offensive linemen, where the ability to get out in space quickly is prioritized.

More broadly it speaks to a concerted effort to get even more juice on a team that already had plenty of it, with their efforts at receiver indicating what Kyle Shanahan took away from Super Bowl 58.

San Francisco's surprise Super Bowl takeaway 

As has been discussed ad nauseam since the 49ers' overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, there were two main problems on offense for San Francisco in that game.

One was the struggles of the offensive line, particularly the much-maligned right side, to keep quarterback Brock Purdy clean, the other was an inability among their receivers to separate against aggressive man coverage.

It was anticipated that the 49ers may prioritize the tackle position in response to that defeat, with Colton McKivitz at best an average starter on the right side.

Instead, the 49ers went in the other direction, indicating a belief that the receiver issue was the bigger problem by adding two separators. First-round pick Ricky Pearsall averaged 3.25 yards of separation, the second-most in the draft class, per Sumer Sports. Meanwhile, speedster Jacob Cowing saw eight of his 22 receptions against man coverage go for touchdowns.

Between's Pearsall's route-running detail and ability to defeat coverage consistently with quickness, and Cowing's prowess for changing direction fluidly while running at full 4.3 speed, the 49ers have two new clubs in their bag with which to punish teams who play man. 

The picks of Pearsall and Cowing were investment not just for a potentially Deebo Samuel-less future, but also for the present day. The question that will continue to be asked is whether that investment would have been better spent on a right tackle.

Tackling the issue

Another problem for the 49ers' playmakers in the Super Bowl was that, when they did get into open space with ball in hand, the Chiefs' secondary defenders did an excellent job of tackling.

San Francisco is not a bad tackling team. Per Pro Football Reference, the 49ers' 69 missed tackles in 2023 were the second-fewest in the NFL. 

However, they became more of a problem down the stretch as the run defense began to struggle, and the three defensive picks they did make in the draft came with an obvious focus on tackling. 

Second-round corner Renardo Green is an aggressive run defender with the ability to deliver punishing but technically sound hits and consistently corral ball-carriers in the open field. 

Fourth-rounder Malik Mustapha has been widely lauded as the best tackling safety in the 2024 draft. He ranked fifth in run defense grade among 2024 safeties, per Pro Football Focus, and was credited with 21 run stops. Seventh-round linebacker Tatum Bethune had a run stop rate of 11 percent that ranked 19th among the 132 players at his position in the draft with at least 200 run defense snaps.

In other words, the 49ers brought in three players adept at bringing down ball-carriers. While they may not see the field on defense much in 2024, their presence should help maintain a high standard in years to come and could prove crucial in improving a special teams unit that has consistently struggled in recent years.

The more you can do

While the 49ers did not take a true tackle in the draft, they did add significantly to their versatility on the offensive line.

Puni had successive seasons in which he did not allow a sack, one at left guard and one at left tackle. The 49ers believe he has five-position upside, while Kingston brings guard-tackle versatility.

That's the continuation of a theme on the offensive line for the Niners. Incumbent starting right guard Jon Feliciano can also play center, while McKivitz has experience at guard.

Jaylon Moore is their swing tackle with experience on the right side and the left, while Ben Bartch and Nick Zakelj each have guard-center flexibility. 

In the jockeying for position on the offensive line depth chart this offseason, it may well be a case of 'the more you can do'. That does not bode well for players such as former starting right guard Spencer Burford, who has tackle experience in college but does not offer enough positional flexibility for his roster spot to be considered safe after a costly overtime error in the Super Bowl.

No substitute for experience

Away from the focus on athleticism, the other overarching theme that ran through the 49ers' draft was an emphasis on experienced players. Every draft pick played at least four years of college football with only Mustapha (21) under the age of 23.

While that might hurt the 49ers down the line in having to potentially hand out second contracts to older players, it is a result of what they have gone through with Purdy, whose extensive experience playing quarterback in college played a key role in his remarkably quick ascension at the NFL level.

Every member of this 49ers class has played extensive amounts of football, theoretically giving them the seasoning to go out and thrive in the pros early in their career.

Given the level of talent on San Francisco's roster, they won't be under immense pressure to do so straight away, but it certainly appears that landing players with the snaps under their belt to potentially allow them to make the grade with little adaptation time was a priority for the Niners.