Trading Up for Protection: 49ers Eyeing a Draft Day Deal for an Impact Offensive Lineman
Look at the San Francisco 49ers roster and figure out a way for a good chunk of a 10-player draft class to make the team’s 53-man cutdown.
It’s not easy.
That’s one of the challenges the 49ers face entering the NFL Draft. The team remains loaded with talent. Meanwhile, the front office used free agency to insulate the roster’s floor at some potentially problematic spots, so there’s an opportunity to swing big now.
In fact, it might be necessary to swing big if the 49ers want to follow the most efficient path forward. The draft is inherently a crapshoot, but the 49ers must simultaneously thread a needle to fit their new crop of players into the framework of the roster. And that means that a consolidation of picks to trade up — assuming there’s a mid-first-round prospect the 49ers are enamored with — makes a lot of sense.
This mock draft will operate in that reality. The 49ers are trading picks No. 31 (first round), 94 (third round), 135 (compensatory fourth round) and next year’s second-round selection to the Cincinnati Bengals for pick No. 18 in the upcoming draft.
That’d be the price of doing business, according to this model. And it’d set the 49ers up with an eight-pick collection starting in the middle of the first round. Let’s get to work.
Round 1, No. 18 (from Bengals): Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington
So, what makes Fautanu worth the big investment of trading up? It starts with his multi-positional value. The 49ers have faced a bevy of questions regarding their offensive line, which regressed significantly in pass protection in 2023. Left tackle Trent Williams will be 36 this season. Left guard Aaron Banks is in the final year of his rookie contract. Right guard Jon Feliciano has indicated that he plans to retire after this season. Other positions, including center and right tackle, can all benefit from upgrades — especially in pass protection.
Fautanu can theoretically plug all of those holes. He played primarily left tackle at Washington, but also saw action at left guard and packs the physical profile of a player who can potentially contribute at all five positions. Quality adaptability stands to immediately help a 49ers team facing so many question marks of various shapes and sizes up front.
Many evaluators believe that Fautanu, given his 6-3 height, will be better suited for guard at the NFL level. But his 35-inch arms stack up well against pro tackles, so there’s a best-of-both-worlds dynamic at play here since Fautanu boasts the short-area quickness of a more compact guard with the arm length of an exterior offensive lineman.
In “The Beast”, Dane Brugler writes that Fautanu “locks on and mauls defenders in the run game, turning bodies with sheer strength as a base blocker.” If Kyle Shanahan and company agree, this is a player they’ll covet. There’s an added bonus of picking Fautanu here: The 49ers can make sure the Los Angeles Rams, who’ve been stocking up on offensive linemen, can’t nab him at No. 19.
Round 2, No. 63: Brandon Dorlus, DL, Oregon
Versatility is also the theme of this second pick. Dorlus played across the entire defensive line for the Ducks. He can be an exceptionally athletic interior rusher at the NFL level. The 49ers have sought to develop such players for sub-package work. Think Arden Key and Charles Omenihu.
Oregon DL Brandon Dorlus had a 30 visit with 49ers. Played across the entire line for the Ducks. Kocurek might see him as the type of exceptionally athletic interior rusher that he covets.
Dorlus batted down 8 passes last season alone — good indicator of his feel for the game pic.twitter.com/H1kyY34MCi
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) April 10, 2024
Dorlus batted down 13 passes in college. He also reached nearly 21 miles per hour on the GPS tracker at 283 pounds. So there’d be immediate potential value on special teams, possibly within the context of the new kickoff rules that will more closely emulate standard scrimmage plays.
Either way, the 49ers must constantly work to replenish their defensive line, which has long been a primary engine of this unit. A longer-term outlook is needed along the interior, where Maliek Collins — Arik Armstead’s replacement — is only under contract for two seasons.
Round 4, No. 124: Caedan Wallace, RT, Penn State
This is the pick the 49ers received from the Dallas Cowboys for quarterback Trey Lance, so it might follow them around for some time if they don’t get it right. This also seems to be the sweet spot for a more developmentally oriented selection for the front, especially if the 49ers swing for an immediate impact lineman earlier.
Wallace started at right tackle for four seasons at Penn State, and it appears his athleticism would represent great value in the middle rounds. The 49ers added a year to right tackle Colton McKivitz’s contract last month, so they now have at least insurance at that position through 2025. However, McKivitz allowed 59 pressures and nine sacks last season, so they can certainly take a swing at raising the ceiling here.
In the fourth round, Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon
The top three cornerbacks for the 49ers in 2024 are projected to be Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir, and Isaac Yiadom. All three have deals that expire after the season, so it’d be wise to pump more talent into this pipeline.
After joining the Ducks from Alabama, Jackson played in just one season as a starter, although he recorded three interceptions and 12 pass breakups. At 6-3, he shares the same height as former 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman, so if the defense wants to go back to its historical roots, this guy may be a press-man.
Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright, RB, in Round 5, No. 176
Wright is probably off the board prior to this. Perhaps this is ridiculous because Brugler has a third-round rating on him. Stranger things have happened in the draft, though, and my selection of Wright in the fifth round is supposed to serve as an example of the 49ers’ approach, which is to not take a running back higher than this.
Therefore, the 49ers should jump at the chance to select Wright in the fifth round (he has a 4.38 speed rating and can break through contact). Wright might fit the 49ers’ scheme just as well as Elijah Mitchell, who is about to enter the final season of his rookie contract. If Wright is not available, Memphis running Blake Watson might be a good lower-round target.
Round 6, No. 211: Tip Reiman, TE, Illinois
Reiman’s eye-opening 40-yard sprint time of 4.64 at 271 pounds was recorded. The 49ers are merely searching for a complimentary weapon at tight end, but there is not a tight end with George Kittle’s 4.5 speed to be found in this draft.
draft fast tight ends https://t.co/NuLtqTSST3 pic.twitter.com/jRvdDIzKon
— Tej Seth (@tejfbanalytics) April 8, 2024
Reiman has already made the necessary development into a strong blocker. Despite his lack of experience as a receiver, he possesses sufficient mobility to suggest that he is a player with room to grow in that area.
No. 215 in Round 6: Sione Vaki, S., Utah
There is still a clear 53-man vacancy for the 49ers at safety. Rayshawn Jenkins and Julian Blackmon, two veterans who have since signed with other teams, are known to have visited them as free agents. It is also known that 49ers general manager John Lynch has not ruled out re-signing Tashaun Gipson Sr. and that star Justin Simmons is still a free agent.
It makes sense for the 49ers to invest in a rookie in the later rounds, even if they decide to add another veteran to strengthen the position. Remember that Talanoa Hufanga is about to embark on the last season of his rookie contract and is recuperating from an ACL tear. Some people may find Vaki’s upbeat style reminiscent to Hufanga’s college tape. Vaki has been to the 49ers, and Lynch is a skilled safeties assessor.
Round 7, No. 251: Oregon State wide receiver Anthony Gould
Gould is little at 5-8, but his 4.39 speed is impressive. With Ray-Ray McCloud III gone in free agency, the 49ers might want to consider taking a risk on a gadget weapon at the end of the draft. Gould has experience returning punts, yes. In 2022, he had the best return yardage in the FBS with 18.3. With a hole at punt returner on the 49ers roster, this could provide Gould the best chance of making the 53-man roster.
With their final draft choice, the 49ers might potentially select the next Brock Purdy. Do not ever say never.
(Top photo of Troy Fautanu: Kevin Sabitus / Getty Images)