The San Francisco 49ers just completed the 2026 NFL draft. Some are already questioning the team’s drafting choices and wondering if the 49ers reached to get their picks.
The validity of those concerns probably won’t be verifiable until the current draft class is two or three years into NFL careers. Even so, it does not stop the questions for pouring in after past classes have underwhelmed.
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Andrew Buller-Russ discussed a potential trade of recent running back draft pick Isaac Guerendo. Here’s what Buller-Russ had to say.
“Recently, The Athletic‘s 49ers insider Vic Tafur suggested that running back Isaac Guerendo “seems like he is buried (on the depth chart) and will be looking for a new team.” Tafur doesn’t suggest that the 49ers will trade Guerendo, but we’d imagine a respectable offer would lead to a deal.
The 49ers just selected Guerendo with the 129th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He started three games as a rookie and appeared in 16 overall, recording 420 yards and four touchdowns on 84 attempts. But last year, he appeared in 14 games and didn’t receive a carry. As Tafur noted, he’s buried, and Black’s arrival won’t make life any easier on Guerendo in the RB room.
The 49ers have starter Christian McCaffrey and backups Jordan James, Black, Guerendo, Patrick Taylor Jr., and Sincere McCormick. While McCaffrey is the team’s workhorse, the 49ers are looking for another back who can give their All-Pro weapon a breather, and they may be ready to admit that Guerendo isn’t the solution they’ve been seeking.”
Having to trade a player buried in a talent laden position room does not necessarily mean that a draft selection failed. There are several factors that lead up to a trade. And if the team is able to receive value back for a player in a trade, it almost certainly does not mean the player that they drafted was a failure. Even so, you draft players to stay with your franchise and help you win at a high level. If they do trade Guerendo, he obviously will not be contributing to the team’s goals.
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The Niners have missed on draft picks in recent seasons. So has every other team in the league. The goal is to make sure you hit on more picks than you miss. San Francisco will look to develop and make the most of the talent it brings in with its 2026 draft class.
