San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch appears to be taking the opposite track of Seattle Seahawks GM John Schneider. Schneider likes to build through the draft and augment those with good free agent moves. Lynch likes to find success differently.
According to draft guru Warren Sharp, the last four 49ers' drafts rank, in order, 31 (2023), 28 (2024), 31 (2025), and 32 (2026) in terms of "draft capital over expectation" (DCOE). That should equate to the 49ers being something more akin in the regular season to the Arizona Cardinals than the Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams.
While some of Lynch's picks have turned out to be pretty good, a vast many have also turned out to be busts. 2023 tight end Cameron Latu was taken in the third round, for instance, and was waived before the following season. Cornerback Renardo Green was taken in the second round in 2024 and was terrible in coverage last year.
Seattle Seahawks fans might laugh at the 49ers' draft, but the reality says something else
The list of draft failures is quite long for San Francisco, and the 2026 class could continue that trend. By most accounts, Lynch overdrafted many players, including wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, who was taken with the first pick of the second round after San Francisco had traded out of round one.
The problem with all of the above, though? As bad as John Lynch's recent drafts have been, the 49ers remain good and a real threat to the Seahawks for the NFC West crown. Even though San Francisco struggled with injuries in 2025, they still had an outside chance of being the top seed in the NFC.
Maybe John Lynch's penchant for poor drafts proves that an NFL team doesn't have to build one certain way. And, sure, Lynch got lucky by taking quarterback Brock Purdy with the last selection in the 2022 draft and having him turn out to be a perfect fit in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense.
Lynch has still made some savvy moves in free agency and trades, enough where even after San Francisco having many unproductive drafts recently, the team will be expected to make the playoffs and challenge for the division title yet again in 2026.
While many might be laughing at the San Francisco 49ers' draft decisions, the Seattle Seahawks know playing their NFC West rival in real games is no joke. Seattle is good, and San Francisco is good, and those teams, along with the Rams, help make the NFC West the toughest division in football.
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