With the capital gained from Day 1, the 49ers focused on "buying" young talent to fill roster gaps:

: At No. 33, they selected wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling from Mississippi. Later picks included linebacker Romello Height (No. 70), running back Kaelon Black (No. 90), and linebacker Jaden Dugger (No. 154).

: In another mid-draft move, the 49ers traded No. 58 and No. 152 to the Cleveland Browns for Nos. 70 and 107.

: They then traded No. 30 to the New York Jets to acquire the very first pick of the second round (No. 33) and a fifth-rounder (No. 179). Day 2 and 3: Buying Depth

The story of the San Francisco 49ers in the 2026 NFL Draft was defined by a aggressive "buy and sell" strategy that saw General Manager John Lynch trade out of the first round entirely to stockpile assets for the future.

Entering the draft with the No. 27 overall pick, the 49ers opted to "sell" their position twice on Day 1 to move into the second round:

The "buy and sell" theme extended beyond the field to the franchise's ownership structure: