On the heels of a third consecutive defeat, the 49ers' place in the 2025 NFL Draft is as important as their rapidly fading spot in the NFC playoff picture.
Following San Francisco's 35-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Highmark Stadium, the 49ers are in position for a top-15 selection, currently sitting in the No. 14 spot in the 2025 NFL Draft order.
The 49ers haven't made a selection in the top 15 since 2021, when San Francisco drafted quarterback Trey Lance at No. 3 overall after a historic trade to move up from the No. 12 spot.
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The last time the 49ers held the No. 14 overall pick was during the 2020 draft, when San Francisco selected defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.
During coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's tenures with the 49ers, San Francisco has made a top-15 selection five times. Here is who the 49ers have taken with those picks.
- Defensive tackle Solomon Thomas (No. 3 overall, 2017)
- Offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey (No. 9 overall, 2018)
- Defensive end Nick Bosa (No. 2 overall, 2019)
- Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (No. 14 overall, 2020)
- Quarterback Trey Lance (No. 3 overall, 2021)
With five games remaining in the 2024 NFL season against the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, and Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco has an uphill battle to secure a playoff spot, or even a winning record.
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There's a very realistic scenario where the 49ers finish the season earning a selection somewhere in the middle of the first round.
The bright side is that San Francisco appears to have added multiple difference makers with a few of its 2024 draft picks, and could have a valuable opportunity to retool an aging roster by adding an impact player near the top of the first round -- something the 49ers haven't done since taking Bosa in 2019.
Here's how the 2025 draft order looks, per Tankathon.com:
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-10)
- New York Giants (2-10)
- New England Patriots (3-10)
- Carolina Panthers (3-9)
- New York Jets (3-9)
- Tennessee Titans (3-9)
- Cleveland Browns (3-8)
- New Orleans Saints (4-8)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
- Chicago Bears (4-8)
- Miami Dolphins (5-7)
- Dallas Cowboys (5-7)
- San Francisco 49ers (5-7)
- Indianapolis Colts (6-7)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6)
- Los Angeles Rams (6-6)
- Arizona Cardinals (6-6)
- Atlanta Falcons (6-6)
- Denver Broncos (7-5)
- Seattle Seahawks (7-5)
- Washington Commanders (8-5)
- Houston Texans (8-5)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-5)
- Los Angeles Chargers (8-4)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3)
- Green Bay Packers (9-3)
- Minnesota Vikings (10-2)
- Philadelphia Eagles (10-2)
- Buffalo Bills (10-2)
- Kansas City Chiefs (11-1)
- Detroit Lions (11-1)