NFL draft rumors: 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan urged to skip skill players and build in the trenches to help Brock Purdy

The San Francisco 49ers have had Kyle Shanahan as their head coach since 2016. Over the years, he has strengthened the franchise and helped it make two Super Bowl appearances. Last season, they finished with a 6-11 campaign while failing to make the playoffs.

Kyle Shanahan has several key positions to address in this year's NFL draft. However, experts and analysts urge the franchise to focus on building an 'all trenches draft' to address their needs in the offensive and defensive lines.

According to ESPN, the 49ers require three defensive linemen to back up Nick Bosa. With 11 picks in this year's draft, Kyle Shanahan and his team need to focus on acquiring rookies who could fill in the void left by departed starters and backups.

"The Niners arguably need three new starters on the defensive line next to edge rusher Nick Bosa," ESPN's Nick Waogner said. "Yetur Gross-Matos could fill one of those roles, but this is a deep class, and the Niners need significant upgrades after releasing starting defensive tackles Jordan Hargrave and Maliek Collins and edge Leonard Floyd."

NFL draft analyst Matt Miller also shared his thoughts on what Kyle Shanahan should focus on in the draft. He stated that the 49ers should resist the urge to pick skill players to rebuild their trenches.

"This is a pivotal draft, as San Francisco looks to replace several departed starters and key backups," Miller said. "With 11 selections, the 49ers need to hit on rookies, as starters with inexpensive contracts are badly needed. 'This should be an all-trenches draft if Shanahan can resist picking skill players,' said a rival NFC scout."

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Kyle Shanahan provides update on Christian McCaffrey's injury

The San Francisco 49ers had to make do without 3x Pro Bowl RB Christian McCaffrey last season. McCaffrey has been a part of the team since being traded by the Panthers in 2022. Unfortunately, injuries plagued his productivity during the 2024 campaign.

McCaffrey suffered from a calf and Achilles injury during training camp ahead of the season. He then suffered from a posterior cruciate ligament injury during their showdown against the Bills, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

At the NFL annual meeting in Palm Beach, Kyle Shanahan provided a positive update on the star RB's situation.

"Christian's healthy, he's doing great," Shanahan said.

Shanahan did not rule out the possibility of adding more depth to the RB room through the draft. With the departures of Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell, it may be one of the areas where they utilize one of their 11 draft picks this year.