49ers get priorities backward, hit home run in 2-round Mel Kiper mock

[ASFN Admin]

There's an intriguing case to be made for the San Francisco 49ers prioritizing various positions in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL draft. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has a backward way of producing a home run first two rounds for San Francisco.

There's a clear top need on the defensive line. At that spot they need big-time talent and depth, which means taking defensive linemen early and often is something they should be looking to do. However, they could also use some cornerback help. History tells us if they were picking those two positions in the first two rounds, they'd go with the defensive line early while pushing cornerback to the backburner.

Instead, Kiper has the 49ers taking Michigan cornerback Will Johnson at No. 11 overall. They circle back at the No. 43 pick and select Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant.

Johnson has been a popular mock draft selection for San Francisco after Charvarius Ward's exit in free agency. Kiper's justification for the 49ers taking a CB in the first round for the first time in the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch era is that Johnson has lockdown, No. 1 CB potential.

Via ESPN:

Johnson missed time last season with a toe injury, and he slid from the top five to No. 12 overall on my Big Board. But the talent is undeniable. He's big -- 6-foot-2 -- and his instincts and ball skills show up in the box scores. He had nine interceptions over his Michigan career, including two pick-sixes last season. The 49ers had 11 total INTs a year ago (tied for 19th).

In the second round the 49ers get back to their top need with Grant, a projected first-round talent, sliding all the way to the 43rd pick. He's a big-bodied defensive tackle with elite athleticism that gives him an All-Pro type of ceiling. In this scenario, the 49ers wait until Day 2 to address their top need, but they still find a Day 1 starter.

Via ESPN:

Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins were released. Grant would clog up the middle in their place. He's 6-foot-4 and 331 pounds, and he has explosiveness and good instincts to his game. Hitting on Day 2 picks would help San Francisco replenish its roster and remain a contender in the NFC. Grant has the potential to immediately contribute in a big way.

The likelihood the 49ers actually operate this way seems low. The earliest they've picked a CB under Shanahan and Lynch was Renardo Green at No. 64 overall last season. It's an important position, but they've typically prioritized finding dominant defensive linemen to lower the bar necessary for success at CB. However, if there are no obvious DL selections at No. 11 overall in this year's draft, finding the best player available at a different position of need and addressing the DL later isn't a bad strategy. If the 49ers walk out of the first two rounds with the two Michigan stars, it would be a really nice way to start the draft.

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: ESPN mock draft: 49ers get Michigan CB Will Johnson, DT Kenneth Grant

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