SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers turned in one of the most underwhelming performances of the 2026 NFL draft, earning a “D-” grade from EasySportz’s in-house NFL analyst in its team-by-team evaluation.
San Francisco, without a first-round pick, opened in the second round with De’zhaun Stripling before adding Romello Height and Kaelon Black in the third, but failed to secure a clear impact player early.
The 49ers continued with a trio of fourth-round selections — Grace Halton, Carver Willis and Ephesians Prysock — followed by Jaden Dugger and Enrique Cruz Jr. in the fifth to round out the class.
EasySportz’s analyst criticized the class for lacking direction and high-end talent, noting the team did not maximize value despite multiple mid-round opportunities. The report pointed to a collection of depth pieces without a clear difference-maker.
National evaluations reflected similar concerns, with analysts questioning both the strategy and overall upside of the group.
Overall, the 49ers’ draft was viewed as one of the weakest in the league, marked by limited impact and questionable value — reflected in the analyst’s D- grade.
