The San Francisco 49ers sprung something of a surprise in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft by selecting Ricky Pearsall with the 31st overall pick.

San Francisco had done a lot of pre-draft homework on wideouts, but the addition of Florida receiver Pearsall was eye-catching for the fact that it came at a time of trade speculation around both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, and that it saw the Niners pass on a host of top defensive prospects.

The Niners have two picks on day two of the draft (63 and 94), so let's look at who is left on the board for them to target as they prepare to add further to one of the most loaded rosters in football.

Running back

• FSU RB Trey Benson
• Texas RB Jonathon Brooks
• USC RB MarShawn Lloyd
• Wisconsin RB Braelon Allen
• Clemson RB Will Shipley
• Michigan RB Blake Corum
• Tennessee RB Jaylen Wright
• Notre Dame RB Audric Estime
• Kentucky RB Ray Davis

Why RB makes sense on Day 2: It's difficult to say that it definitively does, but this is Kyle Shanahan we're talking about. Running back is always in play and, with Elijah Mitchell in the final year of his contract, adding a new long-term Christian McCaffrey backup might not be the worst idea.

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Wide receiver

• Washington WR Ja'Lynn Polk
• Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley
• UCF WR Javon Baker
• Georgia WR Ladd McConkey
• Oregon WR Troy Franklin
• Texas WR Adonai Mitchell
• Virginia WR Malik Washington
• Michigan WR Roman Wilson
• Washington WR Jalen McMillan
• North Carolina WR Devontez Walker
• FSU WR Johnny Wilson
• USC WR Brenden Rice
• Rice WR Luke McCaffrey

Why WR makes sense on Day 2: It shouldn't really, but there's still the possibility the 49ers trade one of Samuel or Aiyuk and, even if that doesn't not happen, Shanahan is unlikely to be deterred from picking a second wideout. The Niners held top-30 visits with Corley, Baker and Wilson.

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Tight end

• Kansas State TE Ben Sinnott
• TCU TE Jared Wiley
• Ohio State TE Cade Stover
• Texas TE Ja'Tavion Sanders
• Penn State TE Theo Johnson
• Iowa TE Erick All

Why TE makes sense on Day 2: Because the 49ers have been signaling all offseason that they aren't happy with what they have behind George Kittle, the clearest sign being their failed attempt to pry Brock Wright from the Detroit Lions. San Francisco held a 30 visit with Iowa tight end All.

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Offensive tackle

• Houston OT Patrick Paul
  
• BYU OT Kingsley Suamataia
• Yale OT Kiran Amegadjie
• Notre Dame OT Blake Fisher
• Penn State OT Caeden Wallace
• Washington OT Roger Rosengarten
• TCU OT Brandon Coleman
• Kansas OT Dominick Puni

Why OT makes sense on Day 2: Finding a long-term right tackle should still be viewed as a priority for the 49ers, who held 30 visits with Suamataia, Fisher and Wallace and held a private workout with Rosengarten

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Interior offensive line

• Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson
• West Virginia OL Zach Frazier
• UConn OL Christian Haynes
• Kansas State OL Cooper Beebe
• Boston College OL Christian Mahogany

Why IOL makes sense on Day 2: The 49ers need help at right guard, with veteran Jon Feliciano obviously only a short-term fix. Powers-Johnson is a center with experience at right guard, but it's Haynes who projects as the best fit.

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Defensive end

• Alabama DE Chris Braswell
• Western Michigan DE Marshawn Kneeland
• Washington DE Bralen Trice
• Penn State DE Adissa Isaac
• Utah DE Jonah Eliss
• CSU DE Mohamed Kamara
• UCLA DE Gabriel Murphy
• Houston Baptist DE Jalyx Hunt

Why DE makes sense on Day 2: The 49ers still need depth behind Nick Bosa and Leonard Floyd on the edge, while finding a player who could fill the Charles Omenihu role would also be extremely useful. Kneeland has the traits to do so, and met with the Niners on a 30 visit.

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Defensive tackle

• Illinois DT Johnny Newton
• LSU DT Maason Smith
• Ohio State DT Michael Hall Jr.
• Michigan DT Kris Jenkins
• FSU DT Braden Fiske
• Oregon DT Brandon Dorlus
• Clemson DT Ruke Orhorhoro

Why DT makes sense on Day 2: Given that Javon Hargrave is 31 and Maliek Collins will soon be 30, it's a big surprise the 49ers did not take Newton as a successor in the first round. They met with Hall and Dorlus on 30 visits, with the latter possessing the inside-out versatility to fill the aforementioned Omenihu role.

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Linebacker

• NC State LB Payton Wilson
• Texas A&M LB Edgerrin Cooper
• Michigan LB Junior Colson
• Clemson LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
• UNC LB Devin Gray
• Kentucky LB Trevin Wallace

Why LB makes sense on Day 2: The 49ers could well be without Dre Greenlaw to start the season after his torn Achilles in the Super Bowl and De'Vondre Campbell is an uninspiring veteran fill-in. San Francisco hosted Wallace on a 30 visit.

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Cornerback

• Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry
• Iowa CB Cooper DeJean
• Mizzou CB Ennis Rakestraw
• Georgia CB Kamari Lassiter
• Iowa State CB T.J. Tampa
• Rutgers CB Max Melton
• Michigan CB Mike Sainristil
• Mizzou CB Kris Abrams-Draine
• Kentucky CB Andru Phillips
• FSU CB Renardo Green
• Notre Dame CB Cam Hart
• Louisville CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
• Washington State CB Chau Smith-Wade

Why CB makes sense on Day 2: The 49ers could have set their secondary up for the future by taking either McKinstry or DeJean at 31. That they did not do so was an eyebrow-raiser, but corner is still likely to be a position they target at some point in the draft with Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir both free agents next offseason. Phillips and Smith-Wade both had 30 visits with the Niners, who also did homework on Melton.

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Safety

• Minnesota S Tyler Nubin
• Georgia S Javon Bullard
• Texas Tech S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson
• Utah S Cole Bishop
• Washington State S Jaden Hicks
• Georgia S Tykee Smith

Why S makes sense on Day 2: It was no surprise that no safeties came off the board on day one, giving the 49ers their pick at a position where they could use insurance behind Ji'Ayir Brown and Talanoa Hufanga.

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