49ers Draft Profile: Offensive Line by Round

The 49ers have signed Trent Williams to a two-year, $50 million extension. So all the mocks predicting Utah’s Caleb Lomu at 27 are now moot. The Niners have dodged a bullet.

The Lomu pick would have been about buy one, get one free, a player that can go to guard now and tackle post-Trent. Lomu checks a lot of the boxes Kyle Shanahan values most: speed, agility, great range to the second level. However, Lomu has a critical weakness: he lacks power. Got worked when he faced the high draft picks of the Texas Tech defensive line.

Lomu is no longer an option, and the Niners can go back to kicking the can at tackle. Max Iheanachor has huge upside, but with left tackle secured for the next two years and only six picks in this draft, I don’t see the Niners drafting a tackle. There are higher priorities for the four picks in the fourth and the talent at tackle goes straight off a cliff after the top seven.

Guard

This now becomes an option at 27, or in a slight trade back. Adding a mauler at left guard can be the most impactful move in closing the gap with Seattle. The Niners have to punch a hole in the Seahawks' interior D line.

First Round – 27

Gone: Vega Ioane.

Keylan Rutledge (Georgia Tech) 6-4/318

A physical finisher in the run game who plays with a mean streak, he enjoys burying people. The mauler the Niners need that can move defenders off the line. He also led the Combine in the drill Kyle Shanahan values most at OL, the 20 shuttle, with a quick 4.54. A 99% win rate on true pass rush sets, eight pressures against, no sacks. He has taken snaps at center in workouts. If the 49ers draft a guard at 27, I think it’s Rutledge.

Chase Bisontis (Texas A&M) 6-5/315

Bisontis is explosive off the line, also plays with a mean streak, and finishes well. The A&M strength and conditioning coach says Bisontis is the strongest athlete he’s ever coached. Hand usage needs some work; he can hold them too low and wide, which leads to a high number of penalties, 19 career. Short arms at 31 ¾ leads to some lunging. Ran the 20 shuttle in 4.78, a good time, but well behind Rutledge.

Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon) 6-4/316

Massive 11-inch hands, over 34-inch arms, and an 83-inch wingspan. Good feet, strong hands, led the Combine with a 35-inch vertical. Pregnon brings power, but with less speed than Rutledge and Bisontis, a 5.21 40, 1.82 ten split, and 4.81 20 shuttle. 99% win rate on true pass rush sets, five pressures, one sack, one penalty. The concerns are stiff hips against speed rushers, and he needs to do a better job in recovery.

In the second round, the three guards above are not expected to fall to 58. The Niners could consider Gennings Dunker of Iowa, another fast 20 shuttle in 4.63 and a mover in the run game, but he plays with high pads and concedes leverage. Dunker is considered a guard only in the NFL, moving inside from the tackle he played in college.

Fourth Round – 127, 133, 138, 139

Gone: Jalen Farmer (projected in the 90s).

Billy Schrauth (Notre Dame) 6-5/310

Good balance, smart feet, average length, strong hands. Excellent in pass pro with a 98.6% win rate, two pressures, no sacks, and one penalty. Fluid puller, mean streak finisher that moves defenders. Key part of the line that opened holes for Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Can lunge and overextend. Injuries are the concern: MCL sprain, ankle and foot surgery. He’s missed nine games in two years.

Carver Willis (Washington) 6-5/307

The Niners held a formal interview with him at the Combine. Quick puller with a 4.71 20 shuttle. A contributor in the run game but a liability in pass pro with only a 91.4% win rate, 22 pressures, two sacks and four penalties.

Beau Stephens (Iowa) 6-6/315

Plays with power and leverage, good balance, experience in the wide zone. Concerns are short arms at 31 ¾ and slow feet with a 5.35 40 and a 1.82 ten split. Great in pass pro, 98.4% win rate, four pressures, no sacks. His lack of speed and length may lead Shanahan to pass.

The Niners have met with Alex Harkey of Oregon, more concerns than positives, nearly 25, short arms, and plays with high pads.

Center

This draft has talent at center, particularly in the 3rd and 4th, but by late 4th, potential targets in Logan Jones and Sam Hecht are likely gone. Alabama’s Parker Brailsford should still be on the board and has outstanding speed with a 4.95 40 and best in class 1.70 ten split, but he lacks the power to move defenders off the line.

Prediction: Billy Schrauth (Notre Dame) OG at 138.