It would be a wild change of direction if the San Francisco 49ers pass on the opportunity to pick DT Mason Graham in the NFL draft.

Figuring out a draft prospect's true character is often the difference between a boom and a bust. It's also the hardest part of the process.

NFL draft is almost here where San Francisco will select at No. 11 overall in the first round. There have been a number of different projections on which direction the 49ers will ultimately choose with their first-round draft selection.

Instead of McCaffrey making life miserable for opposing defenses, it was Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley. Instead of being the key that unlocked the 49ers’ offense under Kyle Shanahan, McCaffrey introduced the fan base and media to the term “bilateral Achilles tendinitis.”

San Francisco got a terrific injury update on star running back Christian McCaffrey on Tuesday afternoon. The 49ers running back said he has no restrictions from previous injuries and is participating fully in the offseason program.

Christian McCaffrey starts the offseason with “zero restrictions” following an injury-filled 2024 season for the San Francisco 49ers that limited him to just four games. McCaffrey missed the first eight games of the season with Achilles tendinitis and then went down with a right knee injury that sidelined him for the final five games.

Yes, for the 49ers, their first-round pick might be the easiest to make. Rarely do things work out so well for a team in the middle of the first round. Of course, there’s the rest of the draft and six other starter-caliber players who need to be picked.

The San Francisco 49ers are feverishly working on their big board for this week's NFL Draft. While the 49ers are in the middle of a re-tool of the roster due to a number of losses at key positions both on offense and defense, one position they're not expected to address in the selection process is quarterback.

It would be a mild surprise if the 49ers draft an Oregon player given the number of Ducks in the draft and how they match the team's needs.