Longtime ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. released his debut mock draft, and he has the San Francisco 49ers following a familiar path. With the No. 27 overall pick, Kiper projects head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch to select Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu.
While future mock drafts might have the 49ers targeting a defensive lineman or wide receiver, offensive tackle remains a popular projection. Future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams has stated his intention to play in 2026, but he will turn 38 before the season begins.
With Williams entering the final year of his contract, San Francisco must begin preparing for the future at one of the roster's most critical positions.
For Kiper, Lomu checks several boxes.
"I recently moved Lomu into my top 25 rankings," Kiper wrote. "He is really good in both pass protection and run blocking, and his quickness is going to be an asset in the NFL. Could he be the heir apparent for Trent Williams at left tackle? Williams will turn 38 this summer and has just one year left on his deal.
"San Francisco can't kick the can down the road too much further on its long-term plan. Lomu had 24 career starts and allowed just three sacks during that time -- all in 2024."
According to Pro Football Focus, Lomu allowed eight pressures and zero sacks across 383 pass-blocking snaps in 2025. His 82.1 pass-blocking grade marked a career high, though his 62.0 run-blocking grade represented a noticeable dip from his 70.1 mark in 2024.
Kiper also highlighted the historical significance of the pick.
"With Lomu joining Spencer Fano in this mock, we might see both Utah offensive tackles in Round 1," Kiper added. "We've had two OTs from the same school both go on Day 1 only four times in the common draft era, most recently in 2020 with Georgia's Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson, per ESPN Research."
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