At some point, the San Francisco 49ers will have to address the future of the left tackle position. Right tackle Colton McKivitz, whose play improved this past season, is 29 years old and under contract through 2028. Trent Williams, however, is 37 and signed for just one more season. While Williams has expressed interest in playing longer, the 2026 season could realistically be his last.
NFL.com draft analyst Eric Edholm released his first 2026 NFL mock draft and has general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan reinforcing quarterback Brock Purdy's protection by selecting Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu with the No. 27 overall pick.
"He's not a physically dominant blocker, but Lomu has the strong technique and good balance to be a starting left or right tackle," Edholm wrote. "The 49ers won't have Trent Williams forever."
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Lomu allowed eight pressures and zero sacks across 383 pass-blocking snaps during the 2025 season. His 82.1 pass-blocking grade marked a career high, though his 62.0 run-blocking grade represented a noticeable drop from his 70.1 mark in 2024.
The 49ers place a premium on run blocking, giving Lomu ample opportunity to improve an area that PFF identified as a weakness in his play in 2025. He also profiles as a natural long-term replacement at left tackle, having logged 1,570 snaps at the position over the past two seasons.
Even if Lomu—listed at 6-foot-6 and 308 pounds—isn't ready to start immediately, he would benefit from developing behind a future Hall of Fame offensive lineman in Williams, who remains one of the NFL's most dominant and reliable forces in the trenches.
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