Popular 49ers mock draft pick may not even fall to them in Round 1

The San Francisco 49ers will be in wait-and-see mode in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft with the No. 27 pick. General manager John Lynch has already insinuated that the team is more likely to trade down than up, and the 49ers have the luxury of being able to watch the draft board fall to them before deciding who they should draft or what position they should target.

One of the top considerations for the 49ers' pick, though, seems to be a popular name late in the first round. According to ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, Utah offensive tackle is "on the radar" of several teams picking in the final 15 picks of the first round, including the 49ers. The other teams reportedly interested in Lomu include the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions and Houston Texans — who all pick before the 49ers do in the first round.

If the 49ers aren't compelled to trade up, this means they could wait to draft an offensive lineman, which is what ESPN's Matt Miller reported recently. Instead, San Francisco could look at receivers, edge rushers or even trade back if they want to pick up more draft capital.

It's tough to predict how the end of the first round will go, but it sounds as though it will be tough to see the 49ers getting Lomu unless he slides to them.