NFL Draft: 49ers have history of finding gems in later rounds. Can they do it again?

The 49ers' roster features 31-of-58 draft picks since 2017, including one apiece from 2017 (George Kittle; fifth round) and 2018 (Fred Warner; third round).

SANTA CLARA — Ten draft picks await the 49ers this week. If they use them all, that would equal their largest draft class since 2017, when coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch arrived to rebuild the franchise into a perennial contender.

Yes, they have a first-round pick to use for the first time since their 2021 Trey Lance boondoggle, but, if you dig deeper into who is on this roster, middle-round selections abound. Of the 75 players on the roster — 15 vacancies exist for the draft and its aftermath — that includes 52 players who were drafted into the NFL, 31 by this 49ers’ regime.

“You always have to make sure the draft is a lifeblood. That’s the only way to make sure to have sustained success,” 49ers CEO Jed York said at last month’s NFL meetings. “We made a decision (in 2021) to invest three first-round picks in a quarterback that didn’t turn out to be the right choice. We got very lucky and very fortunate that a guy we drafted in the seventh round (Brock Purdy, 2022) made up for that.”

Only five players on the current roster hail from the first round, with Nick Bosa and Brandon Aiyuk the only homegrown of that bunch. Only four players came from the second round. Among the 23 undrafted players on their roster is Pro Bowl cornerback Charvarius Ward, who initially signed with the 2018 Dallas Cowboys.

There are 31 of 58 draft picks remaining since 2017, including one apiece from 2017 (George Kittle; fifth round) and 2018 (Fred Warner; third round).

Of their 22 projected starters on offense and defense, just 12 were drafted by the 49ers, seven were signed through free agency, and three arrived via trades, including running back Christian McCaffrey, left tackle Trent Williams and defensive tackle Maliek Collins.

“You always supplement through free agency, and you supplement through trades, but you have to continue to build your team through the draft,” York added. “You have to do well with those draft picks. You always have to do well. Doing well doesn’t mean all 10 of those guys make your roster and they’re all starters. You have to make sure you’re getting guys like George Kittle, like Dre (Greenlaw), like Fred (Warner), that are not first-round guys but good guys who have impact deeper in the round.”

Here is a round-by-round look at the 49ers’ pre-draft roster:

FIRST ROUND

Left tackle Trent Williams (2010, Washington; No. 10)

Defensive end Leonard Floyd (2016, Bears; No. 9)

Running back Christian McCaffrey (2017, Panthers; No. 8)

Defensive end Nick Bosa (2019; No. 2)

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (2020; No. 25)

Analysis: The 49ers hold a first-round reservation after a two-year hiatus, and, as reflected by those in this group, they certainly could go after another offensive tackle, defensive end or wide receiver. First-round picks who haven’t stuck under this regime: defensive tackle Solomon Thomas (2017, No. 3), linebacker Reuben Foster (2017, No. 31), right tackle Mike McGlinchey (2018, No. 9), defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (2020; No. 14), and quarterback Trey Lance (2021, No. 3).

SECOND ROUND

Wide receiver Deebo Samuel (2019; No. 36)

Left guard Aaron Banks (2021; No. 48)

Defensive end Drake Jackson (2022; No. 61)

Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos (2020, Panthers; No. 38)

Analysis: Whereas Samuel and Banks became entrenched starters, Jackson’s career hasn’t taken hold through two seasons. Gross-Matos arrived last month in free agency as a versatile, rotational player. This year’s second-round pick is at No. 63, where the 49ers haven’t picked since their NFL Draft debut in 1950 (center Harry Kane).

THIRD ROUND

Wide receiver Chris Conley (2015, Chiefs; No. 76)

Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (2016, Steelers; No. 89)

Defensive tackle Maliek Collins (2016, Cowboys; No. 67)

Linebacker Fred Warner (2018; No. 70)

Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (2019, Colts; No. 34)

Offensive tackle Brandon Parker (2018, Raiders; No. 65)

Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (2020, Browns; No. 88)

Cornerback Ambry Thomas (2021; No. 102)

Wide receiver Danny Gray (2022; No. 105)

Safety Ji’Ayir Brown (2023; No. 87)

Kicker Jake Moody (2023; No. 99)

Tight end Cameron Latu (2023; No. 101)

Analysis: This round has seen the 49ers draft Pro Football Hall of Fame talents in Joe Montana, Bob St. Clair, Terrell Owens, Dave Wilcox, and potential 2026 first-ballot inductee Frank Gore. Oh, and Warner, who’s coming off his second All-Pro season. This year’s pick comes at their inverted namesake: No. 94.

FOURTH ROUND

Fullback Kyle Juszczyk (2013, Ravens)

Right Guard Jon Feliciano (2015, Raiders)

Linebacker De’Vondre Campbell (2016, Falcons)

Quarterback Joshua Dobbs (2017, Steelers)

Cornerback Isaac Yiadom (2018, Broncos)

Punter Mitch Wishnowsky (2019)

Defensive end Austin Bryant (2019, Lions)

Offensive lineman Ben Bartch (2020, Jaguars)

Right guard Spencer Burford (2022)

Analysis: Wishnowsky and Burford are the only 49ers-drafted players in this group, which is otherwise filled out by free-agent acquisitions, including Juszczyk as this roster’s longest-tenured player. This year’s draft offers three picks in the fourth round, starting with the No. 124 selection they poached from the Dallas Cowboys in last preseason’s trade of Lance.

FIFTH ROUND

Tight end George Kittle (2017)

Tight end Eric Saubert (2017, Falcons)

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw (2019)

Offensive tackle Jaylon Moore (2021)

Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (2021)

Safety Talanoa Hufanga (2021)

Defensive end Earnest Brown IV (2021; Rams)

Right tackle Colton McKivitz (2020)

Cornerback Sam Womack (2022)

Cornerback Darrell Luter (2023)

Defensive end Robert Beal (2023)

Analysis: This is the barrel spot on Lynch’s draft bat (hey, the guy hit five home runs in 1992 at Stanford, before becoming a Pro Football Hall of Fame safety and successful NFL GM). Kittle is the most proficient tight end in franchise history. Greenlaw, Lenoir, Hufanga and McKivitz are other starters. This year’s slot: No. 176 overall.

SIXTH ROUND

Quarterback Brandon Allen (2016; Jaguars)

Running back Elijah Mitchell (2021)

Offensive lineman Nick Zakelj (2022)

Defensive tackle Kalia Davis (2022)

Linebacker Dee Winters (2023)

Analysis: The 49ers have historically struggled in this round, producing only one All-Pro in punter Andy Lee (2004). This year’s picks: Nos. 211 and 215,

SEVENTH ROUND

Quarterback Brock Purdy (2022)

Wide receiver Jauan Jennings (2020;)

Cornerback Chase Lucas (2022, Lions)

Tight end Brayden Willis (2023)

Wide receiver Ronnie Bell (2023)

Safety Jalen Graham (2023)

Analysis: Purdy is unquestionably the best seventh-round pick in 49ers history, all due respect to center Fred Quillan (1978). This year’s final, ahem, relevant pick is to come at No. 251.

UNDRAFTED

Defensive tackle T.Y. McGill (2015, Seahawks)

Center Jake Brendel (2016, Cowboys)

Safety Erik Harris (2016, Saints)

Long snapper Taybor Pepper (2017, Packers)

Defensive lineman Alex Barrett (2017; Lions)

Cornerback Charvarius Ward (2018, Cowboys)

Safety George Odum (2018, Colts)

Linebacker Ezekiel Turner (2018, Cardinals)

Defensive tackle Kevin Givens (2019)

Cornerback Kemon Hall (2019, Chargers)

Linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (2019)

Running back Patrick Taylor Jr. (2020, Packers)

Offensive tackle Isaac Alarcon (2020; Cowboys)

Linebacker Curtis Robinson (2021)

Defensive end Raymond Johnson III (2021, Giants)

Running back Jordan Mason (2022)

Wide receiver Tay Martin (2022)

Safety Tayler Hawkins (2022)

Tight end Jake Tonges (2022, Bears)

Offensive lineman Sebastian Gutierrez (2022, Broncos)

Defensive end Sam Okuayinonu (2022, Titans)

Offensive lineman Corey Luciano (2023)

Defensive lineman Spencer Waege (2023)

* * *

Draft picks by year:

2017: 10

2018: 9

2019: 8

2020: 5

2021: 8

2022: 9

2023: 9