The San Francisco 49ers have struggled to find stars in the early rounds of recent NFL drafts, but they have made up for it with savvy later round selections.
Recently, expert draft analyst Damian Parson of Bleacher Report revisited the 2021 NFL Draft and picked what he deemed to be the eight biggest steals of the 2021 draft. Parson revealed his selections in an article titled “The Biggest Steals of the 2021 NFL Draft Entering 2025 Training Camp”, which Bleacher Report released on Monday June 23, 2025.
49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir was at the top of that list.
The 49ers picked Lenoir with the 172nd overall pick in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Parson thinks the 49ers got an extremely valuable player in Lenoir, especially considering they spent only a fifth round pick on him.
“Lenoir has developed into a quality slot cornerback who can align on the outside sparingly when necessary,” Parson wrote. “Since 2023, he has had more interceptions than touchdowns allowed in coverage.”
“The 49ers drafted and developed a diamond in the rough with Lenoir.”
Revisiting the 49ers 2021 Draft Class
The 49ers famously had a big misfire in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, trading up to select Trey Lance with the third overall pick. Lance turned out to be a massive bust at QB for the 49ers.
But, in the later rounds, the 49ers truly had an excellent draft.
Eight picks after Lenoir, the 49ers selected S Talanoa Hufanga with the 180th overall pick in the fifth round. Hufanga dealt with injuries during his time in San Francisco and ultimately left and is now on the Denver Broncos, but there’s no denying the 49ers developed him into a bona fide star.
That was evident during the 2022 season. Hufanga started all 17 games for the 49ers and was the best safety in football, making the Pro Bowl and earning the distinguished honor of an AP All-Pro first team selection.
Hufanga has dealt with injuries the past two seasons, but if healthy, he should return to Pro Bowl form for Denver in 2025.
Then, in the sixth round with the 194th overall pick, the 49ers selected RB Elijah Mitchell.
Mitchell has also dealt with injuries his whole career. He’s never played a full season and is now with the Kansas City Chiefs.
But he’s still shown that when healthy, he’s a star. In 2021, Mitchell rushed for nearly 1,000 yards (963) in only 11 games (10 starts).
He also should be very good if healthy in Kansas City.
Do the 49ers Have An Early Round Problem?
While the 49ers have been arguably the best team in the league in recent years at finding superstars in the later rounds, most famously Brock Purdy and George Kittle, they don’t have that same success in the earlier rounds.
In 2007, the 49ers struck absolute gold when they drafted franchise legends Patrick Willis and Joe Staley both in the first round. But since then, results have been mixed.
Busts have included G Joshua Garnett in 2016, Solomon Thomas and Reuben Foster in 2017, Javon Kinlaw in 2020, and Lance in 2021.
The Lance pick was the most devastating, as the trade up to select him also lost the 49ers their 2022 and 2023 first round draft picks.
The 49ers have had some home runs, including Nick Bosa in 2019.
San Francisco has yet to see how 2024 first rounder Ricky Pearsall and 2025 top pick Mykel Williams develop. But what do you think, 49ers fans? Does San Francisco need to change how they evaluate first round talent?
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