49ers drop back into draft slot that has brought them a lot of success with Week 14 win over Bears
The San Francisco 49ers kept their slim playoff hopes alive in Week 14 with a win over the Chicago Bears that also served to damage their position in the 2025 NFL Draft. San Francisco came out of Week 13 slated to pick 14th in the first round. Following their 38-13 defeat of the Bears, the […]
The San Francisco 49ers kept their slim playoff hopes alive in Week 14 with a win over the Chicago Bears that also served to damage their position in the 2025 NFL Draft.
San Francisco came out of Week 13 slated to pick 14th in the first round.
Following their 38-13 defeat of the Bears, the 49ers would pick 17th if the season ended today.
But that would not necessarily be such a bad thing for the Niners given their history with that pick.
Indeed, pick 17 has been very kind to the 49ers.
They have used it three times in their history, and each time it has delivered a hit.
San Francisco took defensive back Bruce Taylor 17th overall in 1970. He was the Defensive Rookie of the Year that season and went on to play his entire eight-year career with the 49ers, making three trips to the playoffs in his first three seasons. Taylor was a Pro Bowler in 1972.
More recently, the 49ers struck gold with two 17th overall picks in the trenches.
They took guard Mike Iupati 17th overall in 2010. Iupati played five seasons with the 49ers and was part of the team under Jim Harbaugh that went to three successive NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl.
Iupati earned his only first-team All-Pro nod with the Niners in 2012 and was named to the Pro Bowl as a 49er in three straight years from 2012 to 2014. He then went on to enjoy spells with the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks.
In 2015, the 49ers traded back into the 17th pick to take defensive tackle Arik Armstead, who was their longest-tenured player prior to being released this past offseason.
Having taken two locker room stalwarts with that pick in the previous decade, the 49ers won't be worried about being potentially slated to have the 17th overall selection, a pick that has produced several stars in recent years.
Jonathan Allen, Derwin James Jr, Dexter Lawrence and CeeDee Lamb were all selected 17th overall.
The 49ers will hope to overcome the odds to make the playoffs and pick much later but, if they do end up picking 17th, there's history to suggest that selection will be a success.
49ers’ latest playoff update takes some of the shine off emphatic Week 14 win over the Bears
It remains a steep uphill battle.
