Following free agency deals and the addition of nine draft picks, national analysts have begun to forecast the San Francisco 49ers potential success for the upcoming season.
Many NFL experts have placed the 49ers in the Top 10 of their lists and foresee the team to be a strong contender heading into the 2022 season with their added playmakers and key returnees.
Here's a look at where several national media outlets have placed San Francisco in their post-draft power rankings:
NFL.com: 5
"The Niners don't seem at all eager to move superstar wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr., trade demand be damned. Kyle Shanahan said on Friday the 49ers have yet to receive an offer that was "even remotely close" to what they'd consider fair."
2021 NFL Draft Ranking: 9
"The 49ers still have Trey Lance with Jimmy Garoppolo at QB but the bigger non-trade news is keeping Deebo Samuel as the primary key cog in their offense, supporting loaded weapons behind a sturdy line. They didn't have the best draft because they didn't really need one, but they will get a defensive boost from a healthy Javon Kinlaw and free-agent addition Charvarius Ward."
2021 NFL Draft Ranking: 5
USA Today: 7
"In the past three seasons, this team has advanced to a Super Bowl and NFC title game with Jimmy Garoppolo behind center. Adding Charvarius Ward will help address the holes in the secondary. This is a team capable of losing to the Seahawks one (or both) weeks during the regular season and still popping up to haunt the Divisional Round. Doubt it at your own risk."
2021 NFL Draft Ranking: 7
CBS Sports: 9
"The quarterback situation is still unsettled, and if it's Trey Lance as the starter they might have to be patient early on. There is still an abundance of talent on this roster to make it a lot easier for him."
2021 NFL Draft Ranking: 6
Bleacher Report: 14
"The San Francisco 49ers weren't a big factor in the 2022 draft. Not after mortgaging their future a year ago to trade up and draft quarterback Trey Lance.
"The question now, after Lance spent most of 2021 watching Jimmy Garoppolo lead the Niners to the NFC title game, is whether Lance will get his chance to start this season.
"If he does, teammate George Kittle thinks that the sky is the limit for the youngster.
"'I love all of my quarterbacks. Trey has an insane ceiling,' Kittle said recently on the I Am Athlete podcast. 'Just needs some reps here and there. Just gotta throw the ball a little bit more. You can't really get better without playing games. How much better were you your rookie season to your third year? Just going against competition. Getting hit and getting back up. Dealing with adversity. How do you deal with it? Guys that come to the NFL and win their entire life and get hit in the face a couple of times, it's different. It's a learning process. Jimmy was a fantastic person for Trey to learn under for sure.'"
2021 NFL Draft Ranking: 11
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As for the rest of the NFC West, here's how the 49ers counterparts fared:
Arizona Cardinals
Highest Ranking: 15 (Bleacher Report)
Lowest Ranking: 20 (NFL.com)
Los Angeles Rams
Highest Ranking: 1 (USA Today, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report)
Lowest Ranking: 5 (SportingNews.com)
Seattle Seahawks
Highest Ranking: 23 (NFL.com)
Lowest Ranking: 28 (Bleacher Report)
