Day 2 San Francisco 49ers mock draft: Filling holes after Round 1 reach

Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers used the 31st pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on former Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. It threw pretty much the entire football world for a loop.

San Francisco had been rumored to be interested in a receiver. But Pearsall’s name never really came up. It’s the latest example of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch having great poker faces.

Whether it works out remains to be seen. While Pearsall does a lot of great things on the field, most viewed him as more of a Round 2 prospect. This came at a time that rumors surfaced fellow wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was on the block. He wasn’t moved.

Now heading into Round 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft, Deebo Samuel is being bandied about as a potential trade chip.

Despite earning a trip to the Super Bowl last season, the 49ers have some major holes to fill as the draft continues Friday night. That includes offensive tackle, edge pass rusher and cornerback. Could Samuel be used to acquire another selection? We shall see.

San Francisco 49ers draft picks 2024

Here are the 49ers remaining draft picks for 2024

Round 1, 31st overall: Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida
Round 2, 63rd overall:
Round 3, 94th overall:
Round 4, 124th overall:
Round 4, 131st overall:
Round 4, 133rd overall:
Round 5, 176th overall:
Round 6, 211th overall:
Round 6, 215th overall:
Round 7, 251st overall:

Day 2 San Francisco 49ers mock draft: Finding needs in 2024 NFL Draft

Here is our 49ers mock draft for the next two days with analysis for each second and third round selection. It starts with a blockbuster trade.

Round 2, 36th overall: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa

Cooper DeJean NFL Draft — Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Trade: San Francisco 49ers trade Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders for 36th overall pick, 3rd-round pick in 2025

This scenario has San Francisco working with one of its top former front office people in that of Commanders general manager Adam Peters. Washington adds another playmaker for rookie No. 2 pick Jayden Daniels. It’s pretty much a no-brainer for the team.

In return, San Francisco adds the most versatile defensive back in the entire 2024 NFL Draft. DeJean can play both on the outside and in the slot at cornerback. He can roam free as a single-high safety, too. Considered a potential top-20 pick, he slid to Round 2. The 49ers take advantage via a blockbuster trade.

Over the course of his final two seasons at Iowa, DeJean recorded 116 tackles, 13 passes defended, seven interceptions and three touchdowns. He’d likely start in the slot out of the gate. But could eventually take over at free safety. While trading away Deebo hurts, it will help from a salary cap perspective moving forward. That money will be used to extend Aiyuk.

Related: Day 2 NFL mock draft

Round 2, 63rd overall: Chris Braswell, EDGE, Alabama

Chris Braswell, San Francisco 49ers mock draft — Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The 49ers did add the likes of Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos to the EDGE positions during NFL free agency. Floyd will start opposite Nick Bosa after recording a combined 78 QB hits and 39.5 sacks over the past four seasons. He’s also 31 years old and not a long-term option.

San Francisco thought it got that in Chase Young after acquiring him from Washington last season. It did not pan out. Meanwhile, Drake Jackson appears to be on the roster bubble after some major struggles from the former second-round pick.

All of this leads us to the 49ers taking a player in Braswell who put up a stellar final season with Alabama. The 6-foot-3, 251-pound edge guy recorded 10.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks for the Crimson Tide. He’s seen as your smaller edge rusher to pair with Bosa, someone who boasts great explosiveness and a tremendous first step.

Round 3, 94th pick: Delmar Glaze, OT, Maryland

Delmar Glaze, San Francisco 49ers — Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Fans in Northern California really wanted the 49ers to go offensive tackle at 31 or trade up for a potential future starter. There is an obvious reason for this. Colton McKivitz has struggled big time in pass protection at right tackle. Meanwhile, future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams is nearing the end of his career.

Apparently, the 49ers’ brass has a higher opinion of their offensive line than others. Either way, adding a tackle to close out Round 3 makes sense. Glaze (6-foot-4, 315 pounds) has the talent to fit in Kyle Shanahan’s blocking scheme. That includes lateral mobility, leverage and a plus-level ability in pass sets. This is an ideal pick.