In his second season as the New York Jets head coach, Robert Saleh selected cornerback Sauce Gardner at No. 4 overall over pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.

If Saleh goes to John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan and says, “For my defense to be the best of the best, I need an elite cornerback,” then the 49ers have no choice but to see if there is one in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Renardo Green showed plenty of promise during his rookie year, but his ceiling looks to be a high-end CB2, which is a compliment. Deommodore Lenoir is cemented in as the nickel, leaving a gaping hole after Charvarius Ward’s inevitable departure.

The 49ers have the No. 11 overall pick. In Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft, have five cornerbacks go in the first round. A top cornerback with prototypical size is projected to be avaiable when the 49ers are on the clock.

11. San Francisco 49ers

Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

Johnson is right there with Hunter for CB1 in this class despite missing a lot of time in 2024 with an injury. During his time at Michigan, Johnson picked off nine passes, showcasing high-end instincts and quickness. With Charvarius Ward hitting free agency, there’s a spot open opposite Deommodore Lenoir at corner, too. The 49ers allowed opponents a 58.5 QBR this past season, ranking in the bottom third. For San Francisco to get back on top in the NFC West, the secondary needs some love.

Other options include adding to the offensive line (especially with Trent Williams turning 37), shoring up the run defense with a defensive tackle or maybe even dipping into the receiver pool if Deebo Samuel Sr. ends up playing elsewhere.

This is a big week for Johnson. If he runs well at the NFL Combine, he could vault himself into the top half of the draft. Johnson has been a popular pick for a team that has been pretty vocal about building through the trenches.

In a draft where the talent lies in the trenches, one argument is taking a top-tier talent like Johnson and coming back in the second and third rounds to snag what’s left of the defensive line crop.

Johnson is one of the few non-defensive linemen at No. 11, valuable enough to warrant the selection. He’s on the same plane as Patrick Surtain Jr. and Sauce Gardner.

Here’s Kiper’s full mock draft. Let’s just say there are some “surprises.”

Mel Kiper’s full 2025 mock draft

1. TEN: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
2. CLE: Cam Ward, QB, Miami
3. NYG: Travis Hunter, CB, Colorado
4. NE: Will Campbell, OL, LSU
5. JAX: Mason Graham, DL, Michigan
6. LV: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
7. NYJ: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
8. CAR: Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
9. NO: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
10. CHI: Josh Simmons, OL, Ohio State
11. SF: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
12. DAL: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
13. MIA: Armand Membou, OL, Missouri
14. IND: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
15. ATL: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
16. ARZ: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
17. CIN: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
18. SEA; Tyler Booker, OL, Alabama
19. TB: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
20. DEN: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
21. PIT: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
22. LAC: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
23. GB: Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State
24. MIN: Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
25. HOU: Kelvin Banks Jr., OL, Texas
26. LAR: Josh Conerly Jr., OL, Oregon
27. BAL: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
28. DET: Oluwafemi Oladejo, EDGE, UCLA
29. WAS: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
30. BUF: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
31. KC: Aireontae Ersery, OL, Minnesota
32. PHI: Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss