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49ers Draft: NFL.com Identifies Ideal Top Two Picks for San Francisco
Lead draft writer Eric Edholm projects the 49ers to address wide receiver and offensive guard needs in the early rounds.
Apr. 1, 2026 at 6:03pm
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NFL.com's lead draft writer Eric Edholm recently identified the ideal top two picks for the San Francisco 49ers in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Edholm projects the 49ers to select former Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston in the first round and former Kentucky offensive guard Jalen Farmer in the second round to address key roster needs on offense.
Why it matters
The 49ers are looking to bolster their receiving corps and offensive line depth as they aim to return to the playoffs in 2026. Edholm's projections provide insight into how the team may approach the draft to fill those holes on the roster.
The details
Edholm believes the 49ers could target Boston, a wide receiver prospect with similarities to veteran Mike Evans, to eventually replace the aging Trent Williams at left tackle. In the second round, Edholm sees the 49ers selecting Farmer, an athletic offensive guard, to compete for the starting left guard role after the departures of Ben Bartch and Spencer Burford in free agency.
- The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in late April 2026.
The players
Denzel Boston
A former wide receiver from the University of Washington who is projected to be an early-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Jalen Farmer
A former offensive guard from the University of Kentucky who is projected to be a mid-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Trent Williams
The 49ers' veteran left tackle who will turn 38 years old before the 2026 season.
Ben Bartch
A former 49ers offensive lineman who departed the team in free agency.
Spencer Burford
A former 49ers offensive lineman who departed the team in free agency.
Connor Colby
A second-year 49ers offensive lineman who is expected to compete for the starting left guard role.
Robert Jones
A veteran offensive lineman who the 49ers added in free agency and is expected to compete for the starting left guard role.
Kyle Shanahan
The head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.
What they’re saying
“Boston might not be the next Mike Evans, but there's overlap in their games, and the rookie can follow around one of the best vets ever to do it before taking Evans' spot in San Francisco in a year or two.”
— Eric Edholm, Lead Draft Writer, NFL.com
“We'll have a number of guys in that (competition), and hopefully, we'll add someone in the draft to do that too. You never can guarantee that, but when we get to OTAs, hopefully, we have a number of guys fighting for that spot.”
— Kyle Shanahan, Head Coach, San Francisco 49ers
What’s next
The 49ers will continue to evaluate prospects and prepare for the 2026 NFL Draft, which will take place in late April 2026.
The takeaway
The 49ers are looking to address key offensive needs through the draft, targeting a wide receiver to eventually replace an aging veteran and an offensive guard to compete for a starting role on the offensive line. These projections provide insight into how the team may approach the early rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft.
