Overview
- Shanahan, in Thursday's Rich Eisen Show interview, said San Francisco feared entering the draft with only six picks and traded back repeatedly to finish with eight selections plus a 2027 sixth-rounder.
- He explained the 49ers viewed Kaelon Black as the No. 2 running back on their board and took him at No. 90 because they expected league perception to slot him in Round 4 during a thin RB class.
- External graders pushed back as PFF issued a D for the class and tagged seven of eight picks as reaches, while NFL.com gave a C- and ranked the haul 30th based on its board and value model.
- General manager John Lynch said only the in-house consensus matters, a stance that drew media criticism yet also earned respect from some league executives who praised conviction over consensus.
- Shanahan pointed to the extra 2027 sixth-round pick as potential trade-deadline currency, signaling the club could shop that asset in-season to plug needs around a roster competing for roles.