2023 NFL Draft: San Francisco 49ers 7-round mock sees Bay Area welcome Ji’Ayir Brown and Darius Rush

The San Francisco 49ers are one of the best teams in the league, but will need help in the 2023 NFL draft to finally get over the Super Bowl line.

Injuries have conspired against them in recent years, but Kyle Shanahan is ready to take his team back to the showpiece event in 2023.

Trades have left the Niners without any picks in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL draft, and they will have to hit some real talent from the third round onwards.

San Francisco 49ers 7-Round mock draft

Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch will not be on the clock until the 99th pick of the 2023 NFL draft.

However, they hold a grand total of 11 picks over the course of the later rounds, meaning they can add a lot of real quality and depth to their roster.

That could work out perfectly given the fact that they already have a starting unit that is as good as anything in the NFL right now. The issues for the 49ers have come when starters go down injured.

The bad luck at the QB position in 2022 was almost laughable, especially when third-string surprise Brock Purdy was forced out of the NFC Championship game.

Sportskeeda has the San Francisco 49ers adding a lot of depth to their defensive ranks.

Starting with safety Ji’Ayir Brown, they then move to Darius Rush at cornerback, Habakkuk Baldonado at DE and Anfernee Orji at linebacker.

On offense, we have their picks being Sean Tucker at RB, John Ojukwu and Sidy Sow on the O-Line, Will Mallory at TE and a trio of receivers in Elijah Higgins, Justin Shorter and Jadakis Bonds.

Sportskeeda's 2023 NFL Mock Draft Simulator has the 49ers picks

Round 3, Pick 99, Ji’Ayir Brown, Penn State, S

Rose Bowl - Utah v Penn State

Ji’Ayir Brown is widely considered the be the best underrated safety in the 2023 class. He was a sensation at Penn State, has an athletic makeup and can make big plays in the secondary.

The 49ers need a player of his skillset in their depth chart and will be happy to get him with their first selection of the draft.

Round 3, Pick 101, Darius Rush, South Carolina, CB

NFL Combine

Cornerback is such an important and physically demanding position that you can never really have enough.

San Francisco aren’t fully convinced by the depth in their cornerback room and will add Darius Rush. Rush will enter the NFL draft fresh from a brilliant Senior Bowl performance.

Round 3, Pick 102, Sean Tucker, Syracuse, RB

NC State v Syracuse

Shanahan’s offense is built around a dynamic and unpredictable running game. Whilst the starters are already set, you can never have enough runners in a Shanahan roster.

Injuries will happen and they need reliable quality. Sean Tucker is speedy and has a delightfully low center-of-gravity, which makes him a system fit for the 49ers.

Round 5, Pick 155, John Ojukwu, Boise State, OT

John Ojukwu comes into the NFL with a good body, great power and technical skills that can be honed. His handwork against pass rushers needs to improve, but there is so much talent here, as a fifth-round selection he’s a steal.

49ers fans know all too well how injuries can hit their O-line and this adds reinforcement.

Round 5, Pick 164, Habakkuk Baldonado, Pittsburgh, DE

Again, the Niners just need to add roster depth here and hope to develop a player. Nick Bosa runs this defense, but Habakkuk Baldonado can be an unnerving presence coming off the edge. He is built for sacks.

Round 5, Pick 173, Will Mallory, Miami, TE

Handing George Kittle help on second down plays and having the option to rotate him out of games will be crucial as he gets older.

Will Mallory has a big body and can catch the ball as well as helping in blocking. This pick just makes sense.

Round 6, Pick 216, Anfernee Orji, Vanderbilt, LB

With starting linebackers being out of San Francisco’s reach in the draft, they will wait until the sixth round and take Vanderbilt’s Anfernee Orji.

He boasts great leadership and was a captain with the Vanderbilt Commodores, whilst he also has a lot of power, forcing three fumbles in 2022. The San Francisco 49ers staff will see talent there to work with.

Round 7, Pick 222, Sidy Sow, Eastern Michigan, G

NFL Combine

Sidy Sow can work as either a right or left guard, which brings versatility to the O-line. He is big and strong and would also reinforce the depth on the line.

Round 7, Pick 247, Elijah Higgins, Stamford, WR

Adding options on offense is the aim here and Elijah Higgins’ big-body makes him an attractive proposition. He has a tight end’s build and could take even further pressure off Kittle.

Round 7, Pick 253, Justin Shorter, Florida, WR

Florida’s Justin Shorter is another big-bodied receiver. There is a method in this approach for the Niners as the more big, strapping guys you take, the less injuries you’re going to get… in theory.

Round 7, Pick 255, Jadakis Bonds, Hampton, WR

Jadakis Bonds leaves Hampton as the school’s most productive ever wide receiver. However, his pick here is very much a gamble.

While there is so much refining to do with his fundamentals, he is a naturally gifted touchdown scorer. Every team is out there looking to find a cost-effective Tyreek Hill, a true deep threat.

Bonds ran a 4.4 time in the 40-yard dash and stands at 6ft 4in. He can catch the ball well too, his natural receiving skills are brilliant, it’s just whether he can match all the other facets of his play up to the requisite NFL level. If he can then he is a third-round value pick in the making for the 49ers.