NFL Media's Adam Rank has thrown his hat into the mock draft ring. However, there's a slight twist. Rather than projecting what NFL teams will do in Round 1, he's sharing what he believes they should do in Round 1. For the San Francisco 49ers at No. 31 overall, Rank suggests general manager John Lynch should focus on upgrading the offensive line. Specifically, he recommends finding a replacement for Colton McKivitz at right tackle.
Rank proposes that the 49ers use their first-round pick on former Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton.
"Last season, Colton McKivitz gave up nine sacks -- tied for fourth-most in the NFL, per PFF," Rank explained. "He's the reason you lost the Super Bowl. All right, he's not. But it wouldn't hurt to look for an upgrade at right tackle."
Addressing the offensive line is a popular projection for the 49ers. With the team concentrating on the defensive side during free agency, the draft may be the opportune time to bolster what many feel is the weakest unit on offense.
Including the 49ers' three playoff games, McKivitz surrendered 59 total pressures last season, tied for the league-high. Although his overall Pro Football Focus grade of 65.2 was the second-highest of his career, his 58.3 pass-blocking grade was his second-lowest.
McKivitz displayed improvement toward the end of the regular season, earning a 75.3 overall grade in the final five games compared to 58.7 in the preceding games. However, his overall grade dipped to 63.1 in the postseason.
Rank added, "Not to mention, the left side of your line (with Trent Williams) is getting up there in age, too. It's worth making this move for a developmental athlete with high upside."
At the NFL Scouting Combine, the 6' 7 3/4" and 322-pound Guyton posted a 40-yard dash time of 5.19 seconds, a vertical jump of 34.5 inches, a broad jump of 8 feet, 11 inches, a 7.5-second three-cone drill time, and a 20-yard shuttle time of 4.71 seconds.
Rank's colleague, analyst Lance Zierlein, described Guyton as an "ascending tackle prospect with the traits and tape to project a bright future as a high-level pass protector in the league."
Zierlein acknowledges that Guyton may never become a dominant run blocker but has shown enough in the pass-blocking department to make him an intriguing prospect. This is reflected in his Pro Football Focus grades from last season, where he earned a 72.9 pass-blocking grade but a lower 60.5 grade in run-blocking. In 355 pass-blocking snaps in 2023, he allowed 12 pressures and no sacks.
