{"id":8688,"date":"2026-04-20T21:29:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T21:29:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/8688\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T21:29:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T21:29:19","slug":"49ers-nfl-draft-plan-aided-by-artificial-intelligence-may-include-trade-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/8688\/","title":{"rendered":"49ers’ NFL Draft plan, aided by artificial intelligence, may include trade"},"content":{"rendered":"

SANTA CLARA \u2014 Artificial intelligence is helping finalize the 49ers\u2019 strategy for this week\u2019s NFL Draft<\/a>, one that\u2019s presumably rich with defensive ends, offensive linemen and wide receivers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you aren\u2019t using it, you\u2019re already behind,\u201d general manager John Lynch said Monday<\/a>. \u201cThe cool thing is you don\u2019t need to be an expert. It\u2019s like you at home making a travel itinerary; it can spit out pretty good ideas.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re fortunate to be where we are, kind of at the epicenter of that innovation,\u201d Lynch said of computer-generated analysis. \u201cEvery team is probably using it in some form or fashion. That will only increase as we move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 49ers enter the draft<\/a> with only six picks, so they\u2019re studying all variables that might come into play, including the logical option of trading away their first-round pick (No. 27 overall) for multiple lower picks.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll do a lot of those simulations,\u201d Lynch said. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty awesome now, you sit there on a computer, let the thing run, and, boom, alright, who\u2019s left, what are we going to do. We\u2019ll be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SanSan Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch talks during a press conference Monday, April 20, 2026, at Levi\u2019s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. (Dai Sugano\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

Lynch projects a top-heavy first round will create a lot of movement among teams up and down the draft board.<\/p>\n

Which way might the 49ers go Thursday? Well, going down seems logical, and not just because they\u2019re starting their season \u201cDown Under\u201d in Melbourne, Australia against the Rams on Sept. 10.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have a ton of picks in this draft. It does make sense, \u2018How can we find some more picks?\u2019 We\u2019ll be open to that,\u201d Lynch said.<\/p>\n

Both he and coach Kyle Shanahan are entering their 10th year together, which has given them ample evidence to study what has worked and what hasn\u2019t in the draft.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s got us in a good mindset to let this thing come to us,\u201d Lynch added. \u201cThere\u2019s no other choice unless you\u2019re going to move up and go from six picks to a lot less, (so) sit back and let it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 49ers currently hold just six draft picks, in Round 1 (No. 27 overall), Round 2 (No. 58), and Round 4 (Nos. 127, 133, 138, 139).<\/p>\n

\"SanSan Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch talks during a press conference Monday, April 20, 2026, at Levi\u2019s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. (Dai Sugano\/Bay Area News Group)<\/p>\n

They traded away their other original picks (third round to Dallas for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa; fifth round to Philadelphia for defensive end Bryce Huff; sixth round to Washington for running back Brian Robinson; and, seventh round to Houston for defensive tackle Khalil Davis); Odighizuwa is the only one of that quartet on the roster, having arrived last month.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re at a really good place and will continue to do things with coaches, scouts and our R&D department that have us ready for any scenario,\u201d Lynch added.<\/p>\n

OFFSEASON PROGRAM<\/p>\n

Lynch said \u201cdarn near\u201d the whole roster showed Monday for the start of the offseason program, which is voluntary for the next six weeks before the mandatory minicamp in early June.<\/p>\n

Tight end George Kittle (Achilles) and linebacker Fred Warner (ankle) are among those present, and Warner noted he\u2019ll have no limitations in his comeback. Lynch indicated that no players have had setbacks in their rehabilitation from last season\u2019s injuries and surgeries.<\/p>\n

AIYUK TRADE TALKS<\/p>\n

Lynch confirmed he has had discussions with teams interested in trading for outcast wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo I think it\u2019s a high probability? Likely no. But is there a chance? Yes, there\u2019s a chance,\u201d Lynch said. \u201cI was candid with you guys in saying he\u2019s likely played his last snap for us. We all are in concert on where we\u2019re going with Brandon.\u201d<\/p>\n

At last month\u2019s league meeting, 49ers owner Jed York stated he\u2019d like to see Aiyuk suit up again for the 49ers, considering the 2024 extension they\u2019ve paid him. The draft may be the final opportunity to unload Aiyuk for a draft pick or another player.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see it through here,\u201d Lynch added. \u201cOur focus is on our draft. If something happens, great; if not, we\u2019ll reevaluate it. He\u2019s still a member of the roster now and we\u2019ll treat him as such.\u201d<\/p>\n

DEFENSIVE END PURSUIT<\/p>\n

Lynch did not dismiss the 49ers\u2019 need to improve a pass rush that produced a league-low 20 sacks, albeit a unit that lost Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams to knee injuries.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to get better, need to get guys back healthy and we need to improve there,\u201d said Lynch, who did praise the last season\u2019s acquisition of defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa and the expected return of Keion White for a full season.<\/p>\n

FIRST-ROUND TALENT<\/p>\n

Lynch said the 49ers have assigned first-round grades to fewer than 20 prospects, which is down from last year. He noted that the NFL has to compete more with the college ranks where players are lured to remain by Name, Image and Likeness money, as well as revenue-sharing payments now available to athletic departments.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t blame these kids. There\u2019s ample opportunity to go back \u2026 It\u2019s something we have to look at as a league how we address that,\u201d Lynch added. \u201cNow it\u2019s almost as if we\u2019re in competition. You\u2019re seeing a lot more 25-year-old rookies. COVID had something to do with it, but (NIL) also is an opportunity for guys to stay and make good money doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

MORRIS\u2019 ADDITION<\/p>\n

New defensive coordinator Raheem Morris\u2019 influence in the draft process includes an upbeat attitude.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a bundle of energy. He\u2019s curious. He\u2019s insightful,\u201d Lynch said. \u201cWe always talk about guys who drain a room or give life to a room; he gives life and he\u2019s funny. \u2018If we draft this guy, I\u2019m throwing a pool party.\u2019 We\u2019re hoping to throw a lot of pool parties. \u2026 It\u2019s nice to breathe new ideas and we\u2019ve done that with Raheeem.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SANTA CLARA \u2014 Artificial intelligence is helping finalize the 49ers\u2019 strategy for this week\u2019s NFL Draft, one that\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8689,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[24,25,970,2485,7462,897],"class_list":{"0":"post-8688","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ai","8":"tag-ai","9":"tag-artificial-intelligence","10":"tag-california","11":"tag-nfl","12":"tag-san-francisco-49ers","13":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8688"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8688\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}