Eric Edholm of NFL.com recently identified former Washington wide receiver Denzel Boston and former Kentucky offensive guard Jalen Farmer as the ideal top two picks for the San Francisco 49ers in the 2026 NFL Draft. While not a traditional mock draft, the projection highlights two areas of need for San Francisco.

A new mock draft from Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports aligns with part of that outlook. Fornelli has the 49ers selecting Boston with the No. 27 overall pick in the first round.

“In my first mock, I had Boston going to San Francisco, writing at the time that he’s always struck me as a perfect fit in a Kyle Shanahan offense,” Fornelli wrote. “I’m glad I was able to reunite them here in my fourth go-round.”

Boston would enter a wide receiver room that has undergone significant turnover this offseason. Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, and Skyy Moore are no longer on the roster (the latter two signing elsewhere), while veteran Brandon Aiyuk is on the way out.

The 49ers addressed the position in free agency, adding veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, with the expectation that their experience will help stabilize a relatively young remaining group.

Boston, a 6-foot-4, 212-pound receiver, is coming off his most productive collegiate season in 2025, recording 62 receptions for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Over four seasons at Washington, he totaled 132 receptions for 1,781 yards and 20 touchdowns. Notably, 125 of those receptions, 1,715 yards, and all 20 touchdowns came over the past two seasons.

Edge rusher emerges as a 49ers draft need

In his latest mock draft for The Athletic, Bruce Feldman has the 49ers addressing a pass rush that produced a league-low 20 sacks in 2025. He projects former Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk to San Francisco in the first round.

“The 6-6, 276-pound former five-star recruit with 34 3/8-inch arms didn’t have the production or the impact a lot of recruiting folks expected coming out of high school,” Feldman wrote. “He had only two sacks in 2025 after posting seven in 2024, his second season at Auburn. People at Auburn really like this guy, and he’s an intriguing talent.”

Feldman noted Faulk improved his draft stock during the pre-draft process, posting a 35-inch vertical and a 9-foot-9 broad jump at the NFL Scouting Combine, along with a 4.67-second 40-yard dash at Auburn’s pro day.

“He was really good when he wanted to be,” an SEC offensive coordinator told Feldman. “He’s big and talented. He’s very heavy-handed. When he comes off the ball and wants to go, he’s hard to deal with. Not that twitchy, but is more of a bull-rush, run-over-you kind of guy. I just never thought he played that hard. Same thing (in 2024). But there were a lot of things off with Auburn the past few years.”

A surprising first selection from PFSN

Jacob Infante released his latest three-round mock draft for Pro Football & Sports Network, and has the 49ers going in an unexpected direction at No. 27 overall, projecting former Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren to San Francisco.

“The San Francisco 49ers performed admirably in 2025, even with several key performers on both sides of the ball missing time due to injury,” Infante wrote. “There are many directions they could go with their first-round pick, but adding a Day 1 starter would be beneficial to help them get over the hump and return to the Super Bowl.

“A 6-foot-4 safety with impressive size, length, and straight-line speed, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren has freakish athleticism with the potential to crack the first round. His performance in the MAC this year and tremendous upside should see him highly regarded by NFL defensive coordinators.”

The 49ers also hold the No. 58 overall pick in the second round. In Infante’s mock, they address wide receiver there, selecting Louisville standout Chris Bell—a player some analysts have projected to San Francisco as a first-round pick.

However, Infante sees him falling due to some health concerns and his usage at Louisville.

“Listed at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Chris Bell is a freak athlete for his size with the raw speed and strength to be a potential force at wide receiver,” Infante wrote. “He falls a little bit due to a thin route tree and a season-ending injury, but one could argue that Bell has the highest ceiling among wide receivers in the 2026 NFL Draft.”

Another wide receiver option for the 49ers

Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News released a seven-round mock draft and has the 49ers using their first-round draft pick on former Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.

“The 49ers did add Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, but they will still be thinking about a dynamic extra weapon for Brock Purdy,” Iyer wrote. “Cooper’s sharp route-running, good hands, and inside-outside versatility would help them replace Jauan Jennings best.”

In the second round, Iyer projects San Francisco adding depth at running back with Washington’s Jonah Coleman.

“Coleman’s quick running style would be the ideal new backup plan for the 49ers with Brian Robinson Jr. leaving in free agency,” Iyer noted.

He also has the 49ers trading back into the third round, where they select former Penn State edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton at No. 92 overall, writing, “The 49ers have liked his natural run-stopping abilities outside to go with a developing pass rush.”

The projected trade does not involve any of San Francisco’s remaining selections, all of which come in the fourth round. Here’s how Iyer has the 49ers closing out Day 3:

Round 4, Pick 127: Carver Willis, G/C, Washington
Round 4, Pick 133: Trey Zuhn III, OT, Texas A&M
Round 4, Pick 138: Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, USC
Round 4, Pick 139: Dallen Bentley, TE, Utah

49ers add offensive tackle in Round 1

Former Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu has become a frequent target for the 49ers in mock drafts, and Gilberto Manzano projects San Francisco selecting him at No. 27 overall.

“Perhaps the 49ers don’t go this route because they’re clearly in win-now mode after acquiring Evans and Osa Odighizuwa in free agency,” Manzano wrote in his first-round mock draft. “But they still haven’t fixed their contract dilemma with Trent Williams, and most importantly, he’s not getting any younger as he heads into his age-38 season. With all the injuries in San Francisco last season, it’s not a bad idea to have extra linemen.”