One 49ers Rookie Suddenly Emerging in Heated Position Battle

The San Francisco 49ers have several position battles going on this summer.

There are questions at wide receiver, linebacker, cornerback, and safety, but the left guard position could be the most consequential. Left guard might be the only position in which the starter is still completely unknown.

For much of the offseason, the race was between veteran Robert Jones and second-year player Connor Colby. However, Jones was awful in the preseason opener, and Colby has been unable to pull away at all.

As a result, rookie Carver Willis is officially in the running for the job.

Willis Could Leap Jones, Colby, Before Week 1

The 49ers used a fourth-round pick on Willis in 2026. The Washington product was exclusively a tackle in college, but the 49ers moved him to guard.

Willis missed time this summer due to injury, so that put him behind in the competition. Also, moving positions is hard, so many wondered if Willis would be up to the task. Since coming back, though, Willis has caught the attention of his coaching staff.

"Love to get Carver in that (competition) too. Him missing a week or whatever it was with his concussion made him out of it a little bit, but he's been out two practices in a row," Kyle Shanahan said. "It's still early. We want to see those guys in the games, too, but it's definitely a battle for us to see who gets that spot.”

As Shanahan mentioned, Willis being out hurt him, but now that he's healthy, he has a real chance. The rookie performed well in the preseason opener, as well, as he ended with the highest PFF grade of any lineman. Jones, meanwhile, was the lowest-graded lineman.

In Saturday's practice, Willis got the chance to rotate in at left guard. Assuming the 49ers like what they see in practice, the rookie could end up starting in the next preseason game.

Willis Could Be 49ers' Wildcard

Willis played for Kansas State for four seasons and then played at Washington for his final season. The lineman earned a solid 79 grade from PFF in 2025 and only allowed two sacks in over 500 snaps.

Willis was among the best run blockers in the country in 2025. Because of that, and his solid frame and handwork, the 49ers feel like he can be a solid NFL guard. Beating out Jones and Colby will be a nice first step for the rookie.