49ers go for speed, experience in draft, insider Grant Cohn breaks it down

SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco 49ers selected eight players in the 2024 NFL draft this weekend, including four fifth-year seniors and one sixth-year senior. Among the players they chose was Ricky Pearsall in the first round, 31st overall. 

Pearsall is known as a great route runner with superb hands and one of the more physical receivers in the entire draft. 

The 49ers went for a "lock-down" cornerback in the second round, taking Renardo Green with the 64th overall pick. Green played five seasons at Florida State, finishing his senior season with 43 tackles, 13 pass deflections and one interception.

The Niners also went for speed in the draft, selecting running back Isaac Guerendo out of Louisville in the fourth round. Guerendo weighs 221 pounds and ran a 4.33 40 at the combine, making him a rare combination of speed and power. 

With their next pick, also in the fourth round, they took wide receiver Jacob Cowing from Arizona who ran a 4.38 40 at the combine.  

The 49ers had three fourth-round selections. With the first of those three picks, 124 overall, they selected safety Malik Mustapha out of Wake Forest. Mustapha is widely considered to be one of the hardest hitters of the draft class. 

One of the newcomers generating almost as much buzz wasn't drafted at all.  Wide receiver Terique Owens, out of Missouri State was signed as a free agent after the draft. His father is former 49ers Hall of Famer Terrell Owens.  

Now the question is, will he make this very talented and deep 49ers roster?

KTVU caught up by zoom with 49ers and NFL insider Grant Cohn to break it all down and find out how Cohn evaluated this year's Niners draft.