The San Francisco 49ers didn’t have the year they’d hoped for in 2024, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, where they really struggled against the run and played far below expectations.
So, it’s no surprise that the team went with a defensive-heavy approach in the 2025 NFL Draft, as each of their first five selections came on that side of the ball, with four of them addressing the front seven.
Were the 49ers sending a message with their approach to the draft? NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks seemed to think so, as he felt that San Francisco was looking to get back to what made them successful over the past few years: a dominant defense.