The 49ers remain the class of the NFC until further notice, but a handful of their conference opponents made a strong push for the top spot during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night.
Whether it be division foes such as the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, more traditional rivals such as the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers, or more recent adversaries such as the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions, here's how the biggest challengers to the 49ers' NFC crown fared with their first-round selections.
Seattle Seahawks
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No. 16 overall: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
After longtime coach Pete Carroll's departure, the Seahawks kicked off first-year coach Mike Macdonald's regime by bolstering their defensive line.
Murphy provides Seattle with an immediate boost up front, coming off an impressive 2023 season at Texas, where he posted an eye-popping 16.4 percent pressure rate on 273 pass-rushing snaps, per Pro Football Focus. Murphy stole the show at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine with a dazzling display of athleticism, running a 4.88-second 40-yard dash despite weighing in at 300 pounds.
The Seahawks desperately needed to address their defensive line after finishing last season near the bottom of the league in a handful of key statistics, including rushing yards allowed (31st), rushing touchdowns allowed (30th) and rushing yards per carry (27th). San Francisco averaged 171 rushing yards per game in its two victories over Seattle in 2023, highlighting the Seahawks' need to fix the middle of their D-line if they're to seriously challenge their NFC West rivals.
San Francisco 49ers
Murphy not only provides Seattle with immediate relief in the trenches, but he also serves as a key building block to shape the defense around as Macdonald implements his scheme.
Los Angeles Rams
No. 19 overall: Jared Verse, edge rusher, Florida State
Following three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald's retirement, the Rams wasted no time attempting to replenish their front seven. Their selection of Verse stopped a streak of seven consecutive years in which the Rams didn't make a first-round pick, dating to their selection of quarterback Jared Goff No. 1 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft.
At 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, Verse is an exceptionally gifted edge rusher who logged 62 pressures and nine sacks for the Seminoles during the 2023 season. The 23-year-old's pass-rushing efficiency is particularly noteworthy, with Verse recording an impressive 18.8 percent pressure rate during his final season in Tallahassee while serving as a focal point for one of college football's best defenses.
While the days of the Rams' star-studded defense now are gone, Verse gives first-year defensive coordinator Chris Shula a versatile piece who can be an impact player from Day 1.
Philadelphia Eagles
No. 22 overall: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
The Eagles made a splash with their first-round selection, landing a player whom many experts pegged as the top defensive back in the 2024 draft class. Despite starring for a smaller program at Toledo, Mitchell quickly shot up draft boards after an extremely strong Senior Bowl showing.
Mitchell recorded 14 pass breakups during the 2023 season, holding opponents to a 43.5 percent completion percentage and a 51.1 passer rating on 62 targets. After Brock Purdy threw for 314 yards and four touchdowns in the 49ers' 42-19 thumping of the Eagles last season, Philadelphia made an aggressive move to shore up the back end of its defense after a noticeable regression during the 2023 season.
In January, Mitchell told the Philadelphia Inquirer's EJ Smith that he models his game after veteran cornerback Darius Slay Jr., and now he'll have the opportunity to star in the same defensive backfield as him, as the Eagles attempt to regain their foothold in the NFC hierarchy on the heels of a disappointing season.
Mitchell is poised to be a major piece for Philadelphia, and could be the heir apparent as the leader of the secondary, with Slay entering his age-33 campaign in 2024.
Detroit Lions
No. 24 overall: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
After a second-half collapse in the NFC Championship Game loss to the 49ers, the Lions aggressively traded up five spots from No. 29 overall to No. 24 to select highly touted Arnold. While Detroit took the league by storm during the 2023 season, its secondary was a glaring weakness during the team's rapid ascension.
Last season, the Lions' defense ranked 27th in pass yards allowed, 27th in pass touchdowns allowed and 29th in net yards per pass attempt. With teams such as San Francisco and Philadelphia facing a seemingly shrinking window of contention, Detroit addressed one of its biggest needs with a proven player from a big-time program, sending a loud message that these Lions believe they belong among the NFC's heavyweights.
Arnold now is reunited with former Alabama teammate Brian Branch, who made an immediate impact as a key playmaker in Detroit's secondary during his rookie campaign last season. It's no secret the Lions' offense is capable of lighting up the scoreboard, and Arnold's addition is a serious swing at fixing the pass-defense issues that held Detroit back from making the first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history last season.
Green Bay Packers
No. 25 overall: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
After All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari's departure, the Packers take a player who might be tasked with protecting the blind side of Green Bay's next franchise quarterback. Jordan Love's impressive 2023 campaign left no doubts to the powers that be that he'd be the franchise's focal point, so investing significant capital in Morgan to protect the 25-year-old signal-caller's blind side seems wise.
Morgan put together a remarkable 2023 season, allowing just two sacks and 14 total pressures in 459 pass-blocking snaps. The 6-foot-6, 330-pound tackle allowed just three total sacks in 910 pass-blocking snaps over his final two seasons as the Wildcats' left tackle.
After Green Bay nearly pulled off a remarkable upset of San Francisco in the divisional playoff round, Morgan's addition might prove vital in slowing down a vaunted 49ers pass rush led by Nick Bosa.
Dallas Cowboys
No. 29 overall: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
Just like Green Bay, Dallas' offensive line is in a transitional period after All-Pro Tyron Smith signed with the New York Jets after spending the first 13 seasons of his career with the Cowboys. Guyton primarily played right tackle for Oklahoma in 2023, spending two years with the Sooners after transferring from TCU following the 2021 season.
Guyton didn't allow a sack in 355 pass-blocking snaps in 2023, but he enters the NFL with just two seasons of significant playing time in college after logging only 31 total snaps during his two seasons at TCU.
Guyton's addition offers Dallas tremendous flexibility with its 2022 first-round pick, Tyler Smith, who thrived as the Cowboys' starting left guard in 2023 after primarily playing left tackle as a rookie. Dallas now has the option to keep Smith on the interior and slide Guyton into the left tackle role, and embrace the daunting task of filling the shoes of a franchise legend.
Dallas hasn''t been able to defeat San Francisco in each of its last three meetings, and Guyton's addition doesn't immediately feel like a selection that will turn the tide in the Cowboys' favor when these teams square off again.
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