It appears like the 49ers will almost certainly select an offensive lineman with their first-round pick in this year’s draft. The offensive lineman is determined by the mock draft, but Dane Brugler’s post-combine projection for San Francisco may make the most sense of any name thus far.
Brugler has seven offensive tackles before the 49ers are on the clock, leaving them with Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan.
While there may be more athletic tackles in the class with a better overall upside, Brugler emphasizes Morgan’s inside-outside versatility, which can help San Francisco handle both short-term and long-term problems.
Morgan, the eighth offensive lineman selected in our mock, is an excellent scheme fit for San Francisco. However, he makes sense in terms of timing since, despite only playing left tackle in college, he provides versatility on the line. Morgan can help fill in at guard or right tackle right immediately and might be the long-term solution on the left side if Trent Williams decides to retire.
This would be the best first-round pick for the 49ers. They require assistance with both right tackle and right guard. Adding Morgan would give them the freedom to play him in either position, giving them more options when assembling their roster. The 49ers can also select where he will play dependent on what free agency brings. If they find a reliable starting guard on the open market, Morgan may plug in at right tackle in 2024. If they want to stick with Colton McKivitz or locate a free agent alternative at right tackle, Morgan can simply slide in at guard.
Then there’s the long-term solution for filling the vacuum after Williams retires. It’s possible that they’ll need to devote significant efforts to finding his replacement. Adding Morgan, on the other hand, would entail potentially replacing Williams with a late first-round choice and taking on that daunting responsibility in the coming years.
If the 49ers can handle all of their huge offensive line problems with one choice, it’s hard to argue against that move, regardless of who falls to them at No. 31.
