49ers' Team Needs to Fill in 2024 NFL Draft

The San Francisco 49ers should focus on the offensive and defensive interiors in the 2024 NFL draft.

The 49ers do not need to land another top-tier skill-position player in the first round because there is no room for them on the depth chart.

Kyle Shanahan and his staff should focus on the protection for Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey and Co. before they look for depth options in the latter rounds.

The addition of one or two defensive linemen through the draft will be welcomed as well.

The 49ers went through a reshuffling on the defensive interior during free agency and could benefit from landing a few players to develop at that spot on the field.

Offensive Line

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DURHAM, NC - NOVEMBER 12: Graham Barton (62) of the Duke Blue Devils gets set on the line during a football game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Virginia Tech Hokies on Nov 12, 2022 at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, NC. (Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The 49ers should go after an offensive lineman with the No. 31 pick.

San Francisco did not make any major upgrades on the offensive interior in free agency, so that leaves the draft as the best chance to get better there.

Duke's Graham Barton was the pick made by Bleacher Report's NFL scouting department in its latest mock draft.

Barton could upgrade one of the two guard positions and he potentially may become a nice complement to Trent Williams on the left side of the offensive line.

Washington's Troy Fatuana and Oregon's Jackson Powers-Johnson are two other interior offensive linemen to watch in the first round.

If either player drops, the 49ers could move up a few spots to land their needed help in front of Purdy.

Defensive Line

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PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: DL Kris Jenkins (94) of the Michigan Wolverines tries to pump up the crowd in overtime of the Alabama Crimson Tide game versus the Michigan Wolverines CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game on January, 1, 2024, at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The retooled San Francisco defensive line currently has Leonard Floyd, Maliek Collins, Javon Hargrave and Nick Bosa as the starters.

After that, the 49ers lack the well-rounded depth they had in previous seasons.

Michigan's Kris Jenkins could be among the second-round targets for the 49ers at No. 63.

Jenkins was predicted as the No. 59 overall pick in the B/R NFL scouting department mock draft, but he could drop a few spots to the 49ers.

Texas' T'Vondre Sweat, Miami's Leonard Taylor III and Clemson's Ruke Orhorhoro were all predicted to land at the start of the third round.

Sweat could be a fascinating run-stopping solution for the 49ers. The 6'4", 362-pound defensive tackle had 45 tackles, two sacks and five passes defended, most of which were blocks at the line scrimmage, during his final season with the Longhorns.

Wide Receiver

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HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 08: Washington Huskies wide receiver Jalen McMillan (11) carries the ball in the first quarter during the CFP National Championship game between the Michigan Wolverines and Washington Huskies on January 8, 2024 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

If the 49ers want to plan for the future, they should target a wide receiver at some point between the second and fourth rounds.

Brandon Aiyuk's contract situation is already looming large over the franchise, and if he does not stay past 2024, the franchise has to be prepared to replace his impact on the offense.

Washington's Jalen McMillan, South Carolina's Xavier Legette and Western Kentucky's Malachi Corley are among the potential options at No. 62. B/R's NFL scouting department predicted Corley would be the selection.

If the 49ers wait until the third round, they could land USC's Brenden Rice, the son of 49ers legend Jerry Rice, who had a 12-touchdown season in 2023.

San Francisco should not touch the wide receiver market in the first round, but if an intriguing prospect is there in the second or third round, it should make the pick to prepare for life without Aiyuk.