49ers' Top 2024 NFL Draft Targets
The San Francisco 49ers are set to make a selection in the first round for the first time since drafting Trey Lance in the 2021 draft.
That pick obviously didn't go so well. The trade has cost them multiple first-round picks, but the Niners have done such a good job of roster-building that it hasn't really mattered too much. They remain one of the best teams in the league.
However, nailing their first-round pick could be a crucial step toward getting over the hump and winning the title in 2024.
Assuming they keep the 31st pick, they will have an opportunity to add a potential difference-maker who could address a need.
As we'll see when looking at their potential targets, that need is likely on the offensive line. The good news is that this is a fairly deep class along the trenches so San Francisco has a great opportunity to add a solid prospect.
Here's a look at their top targets to consider who could be available at No. 31.
IOL Jordan Morgan, Arizona
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It's no secret that the Niners need help on the offensive line. Kyle Shanahan is great at designing his offense to minimize the weakness of his offensive line, but the unit was still a liability.
As a unit, they finished 20th in ESPN's pass block win rate and 23rd in run block win rate. Colton McKivitz was especially concerning at right tackle. He took over for Mike McGlinchey and gave up nine sacks on the season.
The Niners gave him a one-year contract extension so they aren't locked in. However, it does make the need to draft a tackle a little less urgent.
Instead, they could look to draft an Aaron Banks replacement. Arizona's Jordan Morgan could be an option. The 6'5", 311-pound blocker is the 39th overall player on our big board and brings the strength and physicality that the Niners need to maximize their run game.
While he's listed as an interior offensive lineman in our rankings, there's a chance he could eventually kick back out to tackle. That's where he made all 37 of his college starts.
B/R scout Brandon Thorn didn't rule out the possibility in the right scheme:
"His questionable range and middling redirect skills will be difficult to overcome on an island against NFL edge-rushers, but he could make it work inside a run-first, play-action-based scheme that limits those exposures."
That description is pretty apt for what the Niners are trying to do. Morgan would make sense because he's an immediate contributor as a guard who could be considered a McKivitz replacement in 2025.
OT Kingsley Suamataia, BYU
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If the Niners are hoping to grab a more pure tackle prospect at the end of the first then Kingsley Suamataia is going to be a consideration.
The former 5-star prospect has shown his promise at BYU. The 6'5", 326-pound prospect has plenty of length with 34¼" arms and brings plenty of physicality as a run blocker.
In a normal draft it feels like Suamataia is the kind of tackle prospect who would go in the middle of the first round. He'll only be 21 at the beginning of his rookie year so he'll be just over 25 by the time his rookie contract is over.
Another added benefit of drafting Suamataia is that he played on both the right and left side of the line at BYU. The Niners would likely allow Suamataia to compete with right tackle Colton McKivitz, but he could also work as a future replacement for Trent Williams, who can't play football forever (probably).
Suamataia's age minimizes the concerns. B/R scout Brandon Thorn notes that Suamataia's hand placement is inconsistent, needs work on his processing skills and has a "loose, reckless element to his approach". Those are all things that could be addressed and fixed with additional seasoning and great coaching.
If Suamataia had stayed in school and worked out those things, he might have been one of the top picks in 2025.
Instead, he could wind up being an incredible value for a contender like the Niners.
CB Khyree Jackson, Oregon
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It would be easier to feel confident in the Niners defense if it didn't have to rely on Ambry Thomas. The 24-year-old played 49 percent of the defensive snaps last season and often came in as the outside corner in nickel packages.
Teams knew when he was on the field and were able to find him to the tune of 57 targets, 371 yards and three touchdowns with a passer rating of 97.9. Granted, those were improvements over Thomas's statistics in 2021 when he made five starts, but it isn't good enough for a team that's trying to beat the best offenses in the league.
Khyree Jackson was the pick at No. 31 for the Niners in the Bleacher Report mock draft based on our scouting department's big board rankings.
The Oregon corner brings the frame of a ball-winning wide receiver and can look like one when the ball is in the air. At 6'4", he's a physical presence with three interceptions and seven passes defended in his final collegiate season.
Jackson has some things to work out. He'll need to clean up his hand usage to avoid excessive pass interference and holding penalties, but the Niners would be taking a swing at one of their biggest positions of need.
Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.
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