Prospects for 49ers to Avoid in 2023 NFL Draft

The San Francisco 49ers will be one of the busiest teams in the 2023 NFL draft despite not picking until the 99th overall selection.

San Francisco owns three of the final four picks in the third round, three more selections in the fifth round, one in the sixth round and a quartet of picks in the seventh round.

The 49ers have done well in the mid-to-late rounds in recent years, so they should have a good sense of which players to avoid and which ones can develop into key contributors like Talanoa Hufanga, Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner.

Part of the 2023 draft class presents a challenge to the 49ers front office because there are plenty of players with potential to improve, but they come with some issues from their collegiate careers.

Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland

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COLLEGE PARK, MD - OCTOBER 30: Jaelyn Duncan #71 of the Maryland Terrapins in position during a college football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on October 30, 2020 at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

San Francisco should be in the mix for offensive linemen in the third round.

The Niners lost Mike McGlinchey to the Denver Broncos in free agency and could use one or two additional linemen to develop over the next year or two.

Maryland's Jaelyn Duncan is one of the offensive tackles who could be available at No. 99, 101 or 102, but there is one concerning stat from his final season at Maryland that could keep the 49ers away.

Duncan allowed 28 pressures, per Pro Football Focus, which listed him as the No. 123 prospect in the 2023 draft class.

San Francisco needs offensive linemen who can protect Trey Lance or Brock Purdy so that either quarterback has the proper time to develop throughout the regular season.

Duncan might be a good developmental prospect for other teams with more offensive line depth, but the 49ers need players who can contribute right away because there could be a training camp competition between a rookie, Jaylon Moore and others at right tackle.

Zach Harrison, EDGE, Ohio State

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ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 31: Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Zach Harrison (9) rushes on defense during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl semifinal game against the Georgia Bulldogs on December 31, 2022 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Zach Harrison comes into the NFL draft with mixed opinions about when he will be chosen.

The Ohio State product is the No. 67 overall pick in the seven-round mock draft from ESPN.com's Jordan Reid, but Pro Football Focus listed him as the No. 124 prospect in the draft class.

The large disparity in projections comes down to Harrison unlocking the potential that made him a top recruit going into college. Harrison was the No. 12 overall prospect in the class of 2019, per 247Sports' composite rankings

Reid detailed what makes Harrison a complicated prospect to break down:

"He still needs polish as a pass-rusher, but his traits are worth betting on in hopes of unlocking the next stages of his development. He never topped 3.5 sacks in a season in four tries for the Buckeyes, but he could be a better pro in the right system."

One would think the 49ers may have more patience with a young edge-rusher because Nick Bosa and Drake Jackson will start and play a majority of the snaps.

However, the 49ers are thin behind Bosa and Jackson, and they already took a risk this offseason by adding Clelin Ferrell, who did not live up to the expectations of being the No. 4 overall pick in 2019 with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The 49ers need a more reliable young edge-rusher instead of one with promise and no guarantee of coming up with impactful plays when he is on the field.

Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama

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BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA - NOVEMBER 05: Eli Ricks #7 of the Alabama Crimson Tide in action against the LSU Tigers during a game at Tiger Stadium on November 05, 2022 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Eli Ricks falls into the same category as Harrison as a prospect from a big school with a ton of potential.

But not all of that potential was met during the three seasons he split between LSU and Alabama.

The cornerback was on the field for 23 games because of injuries. His durability may be a concern to 49ers and other teams in need of immediate secondary help.

San Francisco could use some support behind starters Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, and its potential draft acquisition needs to be available and ready to deal with the best wide receivers in the NFC West when called upon.

Ricks displayed that type of talent when he was on the field in the SEC, as he had 10 passes defended, five interceptions and two touchdowns, but the durability issues could drop him past the three 49ers picks at the end of the third round and leave him waiting until Day 3 to be taken.

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Statistics obtained from Sports Reference.