The NFL announced which teams were awarded compensatory draft picks for the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft. San Francisco was awarded two comp picks in total. The 49ers will now select at No. 102, thanks to the Jets hiring Robert Saleh as their head coach.
The Niners own ten picks in the 2021 NFL Draft, thanks to receiving No. 181 for Emmanuel Sanders:
RD 1 – Pick 12
RD 2 – Pick 43
RD 3 – Pick 102 (Saleh comp pick)
RD 4 – Pick 108
RD 5 – Pick 139
RD 5 – Pick 157 (acquired from the Kwon Alexander trade to the Saints)
RD 5 – Pick 181 (Sanders comp pick)
RD 6 – Pick 170
RD 7 – Pick 194 (Jordan Willis trade)
RD 7 – Pick 204
San Francisco traded their third-round pick in this year’s draft to Washington last year for Trent Williams.
It’s a nice benefit for San Francisco to have a couple of extra picks in the NFL Draft, but these shouldn’t be considered premium picks. Sure, you can find starters that late, but that’s not something you can rely on. Nobody would argue that the Niners need an influx of young talent that is cost-controlled.
Remember, these picks can be traded, so the 49ers should have additional ammo to maneuver up and down in the draft. If the team does keep the majority of their picks, expect the rookie class to cost around $9 million.
This draft’s wide receiver talent should allow the team to add a quality player in the middle rounds. The same can be said for the offensive line. We’ll see how the team prioritizes positions during free agency. That’ll give us a better idea of what positions they’ll draft.
The Athletic’s Matt Barrows said the league might reissue the list of comp picks, as the 49ers may have gotten a phantom third-rounder in the initial release. NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco confirmed the NFL screwed up by awarding the Niners an extra third-round pick. So, third-round comp picks this year, in ‘22 and in ‘23.
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