The San Francisco 49ers traded out of the first round twice on Thursday night, not because they wanted to, but because the players they had circled at No. 27 were gone before they could pick.
General manager John Lynch confirmed there were “a couple players” the team would have taken had they still been available, naming neither but hinting strongly at receiver/kick returner KC Concepcion, whom he praised effusively after the Jets selected him at No. 30. “Tremendous young man. Really has great ability with the ball in his hands,” Lynch said. “Fun player to scout, fun player to watch, fun player to be around.”
The first trade sent Nos. 27 and 138 to Miami for Nos. 30 and 90, a prearranged contingency. The second, with New York, swapped No. 30 for Nos. 33 and 179 — executed on the fly when Lynch realized most of their targets would still be available Friday. Now, with the first pick of the second round and two more selections in Rounds 2 and 3, the 49ers hold flexibility few teams enjoy.
They entered the draft with one Day 2 selection. They finish with seven: two in the second round (33, 58), one in the third (90), three fourth-rounders, and a fifth on Saturday. Lynch framed it as opportunity: “We’re always open for business.” Shanahan echoed the sentiment, noting the 33rd pick lets them “reconvene and reset our board.”
But the openness carries risk. Other teams, seeing the 49ers’ surplus, may circle back with offers to move up — and Lynch said he expects exactly that. The tension isn’t whether they’ll trade again, but whom they’ll pass on to do it.
Denzel Boston and Cashius Howell top the list of viable targets at 33
Among the prospects still available, Washington receiver Denzel Boston stands out as the top-ranked pass-catcher to fall out of Round 1. At 6-foot-4, he’s a proven red-zone threat with elite ball skills, capable of contributing immediately on third downs while learning from veteran Mike Evans, whom San Francisco signed to a one-year deal.
Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell presents a more complicated fit. Productive in the SEC and versatile enough to line up anywhere along the front, Howell’s historically short arms for a defensive lineman have already scared off Round 1 suitors. The question now is whether NFL offensive linemen will exploit that limitation at the next level — a concern that could make the 49ers hesitate despite his upside.
Other names circulating include Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, whose ACL tear in January 2025 wiped out his senior season but didn’t erase his 4.4-second 40-yard dash at pro day; Clemson’s T.J. Parker, a power-speed hybrid coming off a disappointing 2025 season but strong Senior Bowl showing; and Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, whose eight forced fumbles over three seasons could justify a rare high selection for a defensive back.
The 49ers’ edge rush need remains urgent, but solutions are imperfect
San Francisco enters the draft thin on the edge, a vulnerability amplified by the departures of key contributors and the one-year nature of free-agent additions like Evans and Kirk. Lynch and Shanahan have prioritized versatility and pass-rush upside, which explains their focus on Howell, Clemson’s Parker, Missouri’s Zion Young, and Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas.
Young, at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, offers size and power but limited coverage value — a natural bookend to Nick Bosa if the 49ers prioritize run-stopping over versatility. Thomas lacks elite measurables but compensates with relentless motor and a quick first step, traits that have produced sacks on film despite modest combine numbers.
The irony is that the 49ers, who built their identity around elite edge play with Bosa and Joey Bosa, now face a draft class where the most polished options reach with significant flaws. Lynch’s smile when saying “we’re always open for business” may mask a deeper calculus: whether to accept a flawed fit now or risk losing better options by standing pat.
Shanahan’s patience reflects a roster in transition
Head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted surprise that no team offered for Mac Jones on Thursday, a quiet acknowledgment that even veteran backups struggle to find value in a quarterback market obsessed with upside and cost control. It underscores the 49ers’ broader challenge: balancing immediate needs with long-term roster construction in a salary-cap era.
Their willingness to trade down repeatedly isn’t just about acquiring more picks — it’s a strategy to avoid reaching for players who don’t fit their system. Lynch’s repeated emphasis on “resetting the board” reveals a disciplined approach: better to wait for the right player than to force a selection that creates future roster friction.
Whether that patience yields a difference-maker at 33 remains uncertain. But for a team that thrives on scheme and execution over raw talent alone, the ability to wait — and to say no — might be the most valuable pick of all.
Why did the 49ers trade out of the first round?
They traded down because the specific players they had targeted at No. 27 — including receiver/kick returner KC Concepcion and pass rushers like Akheem Mesidor and Malachi Lawrence — were selected before their turn, leaving them without a preferred option at that spot.
Who are the 49ers most likely to select with the 33rd pick?
Denzel Boston and Cashius Howell are the two prospects most frequently cited by reporters and analysts as fitting the 49ers’ needs at receiver and edge rusher, respectively, though concerns about Howell’s arm length and Boston’s adjustment to NFL physicality could influence the final decision.
Could the 49ers trade back again from No. 33?
Yes — Lynch said they are “always open for business,” and Shanahan noted the 33rd pick allows them to reconvene their board, suggesting they would consider additional trade-down offers if the right player isn’t available or if another team presents compelling compensation.
