49ers trade out of NFL Draft's first round to acquire more picks

SANTA CLARA – The NFL Draft's first-round hoopla came and went Thursday night without the 49ers making a pick, reminiscent of them also sitting out the 2022 and '23 first rounds.

“It wasn’t bad,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “That is one of the things we were kind of hoping to happen.”

They twice traded down, and, for now, seven picks await:

Second round: Nos. 33 and 58 overall

Third round: No. 90 (with then 10 left in Friday’s action).

Fourth round: Nos. 127, 133, 139

Fifth round: No. 179

“It’s the way the board fell. There were a couple or few players we would have taken had they been there. That didn’t happen,” general manager John Lynch said. “This was a draft a lot of people were trying to move back. We had a couple of deals secured.”

By entering Thursday’s transfer portal, so to speak, they surrendered a first-round pick (No. 27, and then No. 30) along with a fourth-rounder. In return, they came away with the first pick of Friday’s second round (No. 33 overall), one in the third round (No. 90), and one in the fifth round (No. 179).

“The cool thing about the 33rd pick, it puts you in a nice (spot),” Lynch said. “We can reconvene, reset our board, reset our thoughts, and it’s a coveted pick.”

Lynch would only say they have a “good idea” of their next targets, but several popular names are left on the board, such as defensive ends Cashius Howell, Gabe Jacas, Zion Young and Derrick Moore; safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren; guards Emmanuel Pregnon and Chase Bisontis; and, wide receivers Denzel Boston and Chris Brazzell.

Lynch publicly acknowledged Monday a desire to acquire more. Thus, this is the 11th time in 49ers’ history they bypassed the first round, and they made the playoffs the previous six times, including a 1988 team’s Super Bowl win and the 2023 team’s Super Bowl loss.

Thursday’s first deal was prearranged with the Miami Dolphins, the same franchise they sent first-round picks in 2021, ’22 and ’23 as part of a 2021 package for the Niners' ill-fated selection of quarterback Trey Lance at No. 3 overall.

The 49ers had a “few” prospects in mind at No. 27, but with them gone, so went that pick for No. 30 from the Dolphins, who are under a new general manager and coach than in 2021. Also, the Niners recovered a third-round pick (No. 90) in return for a fourth-rounder (No. 138).

The 49ers exited the first round in an improvised trade with the New York Jets, who took the No. 30 pick in return for Nos. 33 and 179. Not only did the Jets take former Stanford and Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey at No. 2, they scored Ohio State wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at No. 30 thanks to the 49ers, who rebuilt their wide receiver corps last month by signing veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk.

Shanahan expressed surprise that no team made a trade for backup quarterback Mac Jones, and Shanahan noted “his value already passed” rather than the 49ers settle for a Day 2 pick.

Just prior to Thursday's 49ers-Dolphins swap, the Texans leapfrogged the 49ers in a trade with the Bills to move up to No. 26 for select Georgia Tech right guard Keylan Rutledge, the eighth offensive lineman to go in a 17-pick span.

At No. 24, the Browns drafted wide receiver KC Concepcion, one of the 49ers’ favorites.

“We liked KC a lot. He came out here for a visit, and we met at the combine,” Lynch said. “Tremendous young man. Really has great ability with the ball in his hands.”

Three players immediately drafted ahead of Concepcion also may have been on the 49ers’ radar: offensive lineman Max Iheanachor (No. 21, Steelers) and defensive ends Akheem Mesidor (No. 22, Chargers) and Malachi Lawrence (No. 23, Cowboys).

The Dolphins used the No. 27 pick to take Chris Johnson, only the second cornerback selected following Mansoor Delane at No. 6 to the Chiefs. (The No. 138 pick was the 49ers' third of four slots in the fourth round, three of which were compensatory picks.)

Following the Dolphins' pick of Johnson were offensive tackle Caleb Lomu to the Patriots, who traded up to No. 28, and then defensive tackle Peter Woods at No. 29 to the Chiefs.

Five defensive ends were taken before the 49ers' choice at No. 27: Bailey (No. 3, Jets), Arvell Reese (No. 5, Giants), Reuben Bain Jr. (No. 15, Bucs), Mesidor (No. 22, Chargers) and Lawrence (No. 23, Cowboys). Off the board at No. 31 was Keldrick Faulk to coach Robert Saleh’s Titans.

Seven offensive linemen went in a 13-pick span in the middle of the first round: Spencer Fano (No. 9, Browns), Francis Mauigoa (No. 10, Giants), Kadyn Proctor (No. 12, Dolphins), Ola Ioane (No. 14, Ravens), Blake Miller (No. 17, Lions), Monroe Freeling (No. 19, Panthers), and, Max Iheanachor (No. 21, Steelers). Then came the Texans’ move for Rutledge at No. 26, one pick before the 49ers got down to business. Lomu got snagged by the Patriots at No. 28 as the 49ers awaited at No. 30 before their final deal of the night.

As for the 49ers' division rivals, two running backs (both from Notre Dame) and a quarterback entered the NFC West.

The Arizona Cardinals drafted running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3. Then the Los Angeles Rams selected quarterback Ty Simpson 13th overall as an eventual successor to Matthew Stafford, the reigning league MVP who's 38 and entering his 18th season. The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks finished off the first round by selecting Notre Dame Jadarian Price.

Asked about Simpson, Lynch first referenced the Cardinals’ new threat: “They got a player who is going to impact and I'm talking about Love, a fantastic football player. Ty Simpson is a good football player. There was a lot made to where he would go and what teams would do; it probably surprised everybody but one thing I've learned over the years, with quarterbacks people will do those type of things. They did and we'll see.”

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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 8:18 PM.