The San Francisco 49ers have a lot of minor needs for the 2026 NFL draft that could be filled with any of their picks. However, the offensive line or edge rusher should be the team’s primary targets with the No. 27 pick in the first round.
After that, though, it’s anyone’s guess who the 49ers will draft in the later rounds. ESPN’s Jordan Reid identified one mid-round prospect who would be a good fit: Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes.
Stukes primarily played at nickel corner last season, but there’s belief among multiple scouts I’ve talked to that he could be a free safety in the NFL. His range and tackling ability would both be pluses in San Francisco’s secondary.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder has a ton of college experience after he played 52 games over six seasons at Arizona. He finished his career there with 206 combined tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, seven interceptions and 29 defended passes. In 2025 alone, Stukes had 52 combined tackles and four interceptions in 10 games.
Stukes is a bit older at age 24 and had an ACL injury in 2024, but he was also a defensive leader at Arizona and NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote that “coaches will love his football character and versatility as a big nickelback or split safety.”
It’s unclear where Stukes will fall, but Pro Football Focus ranked him as the No. 61 prospect on their big board — which is somewhere between a late-second and early-third round player. The 49ers have the No. 58 and No. 127 picks, meaning they’d likely need to take Stukes in the second round if he’s a player they actually want.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers could target this mid-round secondary piece in 2026 NFL draft
Reporting by Oliver G., Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
