5 Players the 49ers Should Hope Fall to Them in the First Round

There's nothing like having a variety of prospects to choose from in the NFL draft. That is what makes having a higher draft pick incredible.

Unfortunately for the San Francisco 49ers, they don't have that luxury. They're picking near the end of the first round at No. 27.

Most of the time, they will be crossing their fingers for certain players to fall. With that said, there are five players they should hope fall to them at No. 27.

WR KC Concepcion

The 49ers added Mike Evans and Christian Kirk this offseason to boost their weak wide receiver room. However, that isn't enough to keep them away from drafting one with the 27th pick.

And if Texas A&M's KC Concepcion is there, they will have to pull the trigger. He's one of the best receiver prospects in this year's draft, and would be a bit of a steal at No. 27.

Concepcion is everything the 49ers are looking for in a receiver. He's fast, agile, and versatile; he can run after the catch and is sharp with his route running. Drafting him shouldn't require much thought.

OT Caleb Lomu

It's not a bad idea at all for the 49ers to use the 27th pick to address left tackle, with Trent Williams nearing the end of his career. That future could be with Utah's Caleb Lomu.

It doesn't matter if Williams signed a two-year extension. Adding a future starter to the offensive line is a great move. Lomu is a solid talent with exceptional pass blocking and an incredible physique.

However, his technique can use some work. That works out perfectly with the 49ers since he won't need to start right away. All of the focus can be placed on working on his craft and learning the offense to be better prepared.

And it's not like he'll be on the bench his whole rookie season. Lomu will surely get some playing time in 2026 since Williams always misses time. It's a great warm-up for him before he takes over.

S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

It would be wonderful if the 49ers brought in an impactful safety this offseason. They can do that in the draft this year if Toledo's Emmanuel McNeil-Warren falls to them.

The guy has an extraordinarily imposing frame, which is part of why he gets called Nick Emmanwori 2.0. While McNeil-Warren isn't as good as Emmanwori as a prospect, he's still impressive.

He can aid in run support by laying some serious hits to clean up any mess. He's also astute in pass coverage as a high-safety. The main issue with him is that he's liable to give up a big play on occasion.

Either he fails to complete the tackle, or he can't make a play on the ball in coverage. Selecting him would be to get a Day 1 starting safety with some faults, but banking on him to live up to his potential.

WR Omar Cooper Jr.

Circling back to wide receivers, Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. would be a sweet pick for the 49ers. I like Concepcion over him if the two are somehow available, but Cooper is a great option as well.

His fit with the 49ers would be too perfect. He's like a better Deebo Samuel, especially as a route runner. Cooper is strong, has some quickness, can run after the catch, and run cleaner routes than Samuel ever could.

All Kyle Shanahan would have to do with Cooper is dust off some of the old plays he had for Samuel. Cooper just might be the 49ers' favorite realistic receiver prospect at No. 27.

TE Kenyon Sadiq

For the last four years, the 49ers have been wanting a second tight end to run their offense through. And with George Kittle on the mend with a torn Achilles, it would be perfect if Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq fell to 27.

Drafting him wouldn't signal that the 49ers are done with Kittle. Rather, their offense is going to add a new dynamic that will raise their game. Sadiq is better than any receiver the 49ers can get with the 27th pick.

He's an elite receiver and a solid blocker. This is the type of tight end the 49ers have wanted. Unfortunately, of all the players listed, he's the most improbable to be there at No. 27

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/49ers/onsi as 5 Players the 49ers Should Hope Fall to Them in the First Round.

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This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 7:00 PM.