San Francisco 49ers put heavy focus on the trenches in top-30 visit mock for 2024 NFL Draft

The San Francisco 49ers have a proven track record under John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan over turning pre-draft visits into draft selections.

In the five drafts that didn't have COVID-19 restrictions of the Lynch-Shanahan era, the 49ers have taken 18 players with whom they held pre-draft visits.

Of course, that does not mean a 2024 draft in which they have 10 picks will be made up entirely of top-30 visits, but there's a strong chance a couple of members of the class they put together will have attended the 49ers facility over the last month. What could a draft class made up solely of top-30 visits, look like? Well I'm glad you asked.

Here's my 49ers' top-30 visit mock draft. For the purposes of this exercise, I've left out prospects who did not visit but who held private workouts with the team, most notably Washington tackle Roger Rosengarten.

Round 1, Pick 31: Kingsley Suamataia, OT BYU

Opinion on Suamataia is extremely mixed, and general manager John Lynch didn't exactly offer effusive praise of the tackle class at his pre-draft press conference on Monday.

Yet, having just turned 21, Suamataia offers both a very polished skill set and enticing room to grow, and brings a blend of athleticism and aggression that should make him an excellent fit for the 49ers. With experience at right and left tackle, Suamataia could fill an immediate need on the right side while potentially serving as a successor to Trent Williams on the opposite flank.

Round 2, Pick 63: Chris Braswell, EDGE, Alabama

An excellent get-off, the ability to translate speed to power and an already impressive repertoire of moves, Braswell ticks all the boxes of a 49er edge rusher. He could make an immediate impact in year one as a rotational edge rusher behind Nick Bosa and Leonard Floyd.

Round 3, Pick 94: Brandon Dorlus, DL, Oregon

In the offseason in which the 49ers parted with another from Oregon Duck in defensive tackle Arik Armstead, they have the opportunity to draft a potential long-term contributor on the D-Line from the same school.

Dorlus offers true inside-out versatility, as he has proven himself capable of being game-wrecking from both the edge and the defensive interior. His likely home in the coming years is probably at defensive tackle, but Dorlus can help the Niners finally fill the void left by the similarly versatile Charles Omenihu last offseason with this pick.

Round 4, Pick 124: Javon Baker, WR, UCF

The 49ers have done a lot of homework on the receiver class, indicating they will be looking to address it regardless of what happens with Brandon Aiyuk.

Baker is an impressively detailed route-runner and would give the 49ers contested-catch upside that is largely lacking on San Francisco's depth chart at wideout

Round 4, Pick 132: Caedan Wallace, OT, Penn State

Niners fans would be thrilled to see them double up on the offensive line after it ultimately proved their downfall in Super Bowl 58.

Wallace is said to be considered either a tackle or guard at the next level. During his time at Penn State, he showed the ability to recover and to anchor consistently in pass protection, while also displaying intriguing athleticism in space as a run blocker. He would be a very natural fit for the 49er offensive scheme.

Round 4, Pick 135: Decamerion Richardson, CB, Mississippi State

The 49ers also hosted a visit with Nate Wiggins, the Clemson cornerback who ran 4.28 at the Combine.

But there's a good chance Wiggins will be off the board by the time the 49ers make their first-round selection. Richardson would be more of a project at this point in the draft but, at a little over 6ft 2in and 188 pounds with a time of 4.34 seconds in the 40, he brings an intriguing mix of size and speed as a player the Niners can mold behind a suddenly deep group of experienced corners.

Round 5, Pick 176: Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida State

Speaking of projects, Wilson could be one of the biggest in the draft, both in terms of his size and the potential position change that could be in the offing.

At just over 6ft 6in and 231 pounds, Wilson is a phenomenal physical specimen who ran the 40 in 4.52 seconds. His play at the catch point can be disappointing for that size and there's questions about his viability as a wideout at the next level.

However, Wilson can defeat press and use his release to create a leverage advantage, with his short-area burst allowing him to regularly stack cornerbacks on downfield routes. Regardless of whether his future is at receiver or as an F tight end, Wilson's physical gifts and surprising route-running nuance make him worthy of a bet at this point in the draft.

Round 6, Pick 211: Erick All, TE, Iowa

The 49ers have done very little to hide the fact that they're not exactly happy with their tight end options behind George Kittle, with All's visit another clear signal.

The Michigan transfer has a checkered injury history, including a torn ACL that ended his brief time with the Hawkeyes.

However, he possesses impressive athleticism and is extremely versatile, having played in-line, in the slot, at H-back and as a fullback. Coming off a season in which he averaged 14.2 yards on 21 receptions, there's enough in All's game to think he could be an heir apparent to Kittle.

Round 6, Pick 215: Sione Vaki, S, Utah

A unique talent in this draft, Vaki's tape at running back is superior to his safety film, and the 49ers could achieve two aims in getting insurance at safety and adding a player who can take touches off Christian McCaffrey by selecting him.

As a safety, Vaki is at his best playing downhill against the run or as a blitzer. He consistently demonstrates impressive closing speed to the ball, which also comes to the fore when driving on it from depth in coverage. The explosiveness is much more apparent in his play on offense, however, with Vaki an ideal backup for McCaffrey with his ability to make an impact as both a runner and a receiver out of the backfield.

Round 7, Pick 251: McKinnley Jackson, DT, Texas A&M

The 49ers haven't had a true nose tackle since D.J. Jones' departure after the 2021 season. Jackson could fix that.

Jackson didn't test well but on tape he demonstrates an impressive get-off and has enjoyed frequent success breaking into the backfield. His proficiency in that regard and his ability to win with leverage to hold ground at the point of attack as a run defender allowed him to rack up 12.5 tackles for loss over the last two seasons. He  also had five sacks across that period.