The San Francisco 49ers' first-round position in the 2026 NFL Draft is now set following Sunday's playoff matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears. With the Bears' loss, San Francisco officially secured the No. 27 overall pick, sparking early speculation about how head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch might use the selection to improve the roster now that their playoff push has ended.
Two recently released NFL mock drafts project the 49ers addressing the same position in Round 1: offensive tackle. That projection is hardly surprising, given that left tackle Trent Williams will be 38 years old at the start of the 2026 season.
When asked whether it's safe to assume he plans to return next season, Williams left little room for doubt: "Yeah, that's accurate."
In his latest mock draft for Pro Football Focus, Gordon McGuinness has the 49ers selecting Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu with their first-round pick.
"Lomu disappointed as a run blocker in 2025, resulting in a 62.0 PFF run-blocking grade, but his 82.1 PFF pass-blocking grade was impressive," McGuinness wrote. "The 49ers need a long-term replacement for left tackle Trent Williams, and Lomu could be the perfect fit."
Lomu allowed eight pressures and no sacks across 383 pass-blocking snaps last season. While his 82.1 pass-blocking grade marked a career high, his 62.0 run-blocking grade represented a noticeable drop from his 70.1 mark in 2024.
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports has the 49ers going with a different player in the first round. In his latest mock draft, he has the team selecting Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling.
"Trent Williams' time will eventually come to an end, considering he will be 38 prior to next season," Edwards wrote. "The 2026 season is the final year of his contract. Even if Monroe Freeling does not start next season, the team would theoretically have an in-house replacement who benefited from learning under a Hall of Fame tackle for a year."
Freeling earned a career-high 85.7 pass-blocking grade in 2025 but also experienced struggles as a run blocker, posting a 61.6 grade. He allowed nine pressures and three sacks over 469 pass-blocking snaps.
With the 49ers picking late in the first round, offensive tackle appears to be an increasingly popular projection among early mock drafts. Whether it's Lomu, Freeling, or another lineman altogether, reinforcing the offensive line—and preparing for life after Trent Williams—could become a priority for San Francisco.
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