Where the 49ers would choose if the 2024 season ended today – NBC Sports Bay Area and California

After their third straight loss, the 49ers’ spot in the 2025 NFL Draft is just as important as their rapidly dwindling spot in the NFC playoffs.

Following San Francisco’s 35-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Highmark Stadium, the 49ers are down to a top-15 pick and are currently ranked No. 14 in the 2025 NFL Draft order.

The 49ers haven’t finished in the top 15 since 2021, when San Francisco sent quarterback Trey Lance at No. 3 overall to move up from No. 12 following a historic trade.

The last time the 49ers held the No. 14 overall pick was during the 2020 draft when San Francisco selected defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.

During coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch’s tenure with the 49ers, San Francisco was ranked in the top 15 five times. Here’s who the 49ers got with these picks.

• Defensive tackle Solomon Thomas (No. 3 overall, 2017)

• Offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey (No. 9 overall, 2018)

• Defensive end Nick Bosa (No. 2 overall, 2019)

• Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (No. 14 overall, 2020)

• Quarterback Trey Lance (No. 3 overall, 2021)

With five games remaining in the 2024 NFL season against the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco has an uphill battle for a playoff spot or even a winning record.

There’s a very realistic scenario in which the 49ers finish the season with a pick somewhere in the middle of the first round.

The bright side is that San Francisco appears to have added several game-changing factors with some of its 2024 draft picks and could have a valuable opportunity to retool an aging roster by adding an impact player at the top of the first round – something the Case is The 49ers haven’t done it since acquiring Bosa in 2019.

This is what the draft regulation for 2025 looks like, according to Tankathon.com:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10)
2. Las Vegas Raiders (2-10)
3. New York Giants (2-10)
4. New England Patriots (3-10)
5. Carolina Panthers (3-9)
6. New York Jets (3-9)
7. Tennessee Titans (3-9)
8. Cleveland Browns (3-8)
9. New Orleans Saints (4-8)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
11. Chicago Bears (4-8)
12. Miami Dolphins (5-7)
13. Dallas Cowboys (5-7)
14. San Francisco 49ers (5-7)
15. Indianapolis Colts (6-7)
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6)
17. Los Angeles Rams (6-6)
18. Arizona Cardinals (6-6)
19. Atlanta Falcons (6-6)
20. Denver Broncos (7-5)
21. Seattle Seahawks (7-5)
22. Washington Commanders (8-5)
23. Houston Texans (8-5)
24. Baltimore Ravens (8-5)
25. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4)
26. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3)
27. Green Bay Packers (9-3)
28. Minnesota Vikings (10-2)
29. Philadelphia Eagles (10-2)
30. Buffalo Bills (10-2)
31. Kansas City Chiefs (11-1)
32. Detroit Lions (11-1)