If you're a team like the San Francisco 49ers, luckily, you don't have a lot of pressing needs. Which is a good thing considering they're picking with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. That's, of course, because of the 49ers winning the NFC Championship and then playing in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs. So, if you're San Francisco now, you're looking to just boost your roster with hopes of walking away with the Lombardi Trophy next year instead of just being the runner-up.
Again, looking at the 49ers, there's not a lot of necessarily pressing needs. They were able to make some much-needed additions to their team through free agency. This draft could be more about adding depth to certain positions, drafting who they feel are the best available players at their positions in the draft order.
However, the 49ers do have a few question marks, particularly on their offensive line and at secondary. At cornerback, San Francisco has three players heading into the final year of their deals. Plus, there will need to be a replacement for the now New York Jet Isaiah Oliver. And then there's the offensive line, where the 49ers could be looking ahead toward the future with left tackle Trent Williams' eventual replacement.
Those, however, just feel like needs. There are a few more positions that could surprise people. Here are three sleeper picks for the 49ers in the 2024 NFL Draft:
Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
With still no clear answers on the contract situation between the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk, the team could surprise everyone and make their intentions clear by drafting a wide receiver with their first-round pick. That makes former Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman the first sleeper pick for the 49ers.
The 49ers could be stalling on extending Aiyuk, waiting to see what's available in the draft before they make their decision. Aiyuk is seeking what he feels is “fair,” which at market value price would be around four years, $24 million, per Spotrac. That's a hefty salary for a receiver, even if he is one of the best in the NFL. As talented as their roster is already offensively, they could choose to move on from him, trade him, and find their next receiver in Coleman.
Frank Gore Jr., RB, Southern Miss
There's no need for a Christian McCaffrey replacement, but having a reliable RB2 might be beneficial. McCaffrey ran for a league-leading 1,459 yards last season. Head coach Kyle Shanahan utilizes the running back position just about as much or more than any coach in the league. With that said, you run the risk of injury to McCaffrey, who had his fair share last season but only missed one game. He had 272 carries last season. It's unlikely McCaffrey can continue to carry the ball 272 times a season like he did last year, though.
Elijah Mitchell, McCaffrey's backup, had 75 carries for 281 yards last season. Nothing against Mitchell, but Frank Gore Jr. could perhaps do better and become a nice complement to McCaffrey.
Gore fits into the 49ers for multiple reasons. The obvious is that he's a legacy pick as his father, Frank Gore Sr., was with the 49ers for the first 10 years of his career. Secondly, Gore can not only run but proved he was a valuable pass-catcher in college, having 75 receptions for 692 yards and four touchdowns, per Sports-Reference. 49ers fans would probably welcome this pick.
Payton Wilson, LB, NC State
The 49ers suffered a massive loss in the Super Bowl when linebacker Dre Greenlaw tore his Achilles tendon during the second quarter on a non-contact situation while running back onto the field. While the 26-year-old is expected back next season, the 49ers could still need some help at linebacker, being unsure when exactly he could return. That makes Payton Wilson an interesting sleeper pick for San Francisco.
It's likely that Wilson won't last long in the second round, so the 49ers would have to move up from their second-round No. 63 overall pick. Adding Wilson would help ease Greenlaw back into the season at a good pace, not rushing him. Plus, another 49ers linebacker, Fred Warner, has just three years left on his deal — could this be his eventual replacement? The 49ers can't pay everybody, especially with Brock Purdy likely to be paid sooner rather than later. Wilson, with his talents, feels like one of the safer picks of the entire draft, even with his past injuries.
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