Gennaro Filice released his latest mock draft for NFL.com, and like many others, he has the San Francisco 49ers addressing the future of their most important offensive line position.
Trent Williams will turn 38 in July and is currently unhappy with his contract. While there is optimism that the situation will be resolved, it may be time for the 49ers to identify his successor.
With that in mind, Filice projects San Francisco to select former Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu with the No. 27 overall pick.
"As I stressed last week, San Francisco needs to find its successor to Trent Williams at left tackle," Filice wrote. "Spencer Fano has been the more-talked-about Utah OT throughout the pre-draft process, but Lomu actually manned the Utes' blind side over the past two seasons, offering a more prototypical frame for the position."
There has been no shortage of mock drafts linking Lomu to the 49ers, a pairing that makes sense—even if things are resolved with Williams.
"Presuming the 49ers ultimately work through this contract standoff with Williams, they could select the unrefined Lomu and allow him to marinate behind the soon-to-be 38-year-old who will receive a gold jacket in his 40s," Filice added.
Now, for a couple of three-round mock drafts...
Multiple mocks point to Lomu
CBS Sports' Mike Renner also released a three-round mock draft projecting Lomu to San Francisco in the first round.
"Lomu is the type of athletic tackle who can thrive in a Kyle Shanahan scheme," Renner wrote. "He needs to improve his nastiness and play strength, but when Trent Williams decides to hang it up, Lomu should be ready."
The 49ers hold one additional pick in the first three rounds—No. 58 overall—where Renner projects former Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard to San Francisco.
Another OT option emerges
Austin Swaim of Pro Football & Sports Network also released a three-round mock draft and has the 49ers targeting an offensive tackle at No. 27—this time, Clemson's Blake Miller.
Williams' situation heavily influenced the projection.
"The future could be now in the form of Clemson's Blake Miller," Swaim wrote. "Miller seems cast in a movie role as an NFL left tackle, with a lean 6-foot-7 frame and 34 1/4-inch arms. The testing numbers were even better, considering a 5.04-second 40-yard dash and 32-inch vertical jump.
"If you like an inventory of tape to make a decision, Miller has plenty of it from 54 college starts. His best attribute is his footspeed, but the actual footwork coordination, hand placement, and initial punch aren't my favorite in this class."
Swaim notes he has a second-round grade on Miller, but the opportunity to secure a potential successor to Williams could be too enticing for San Francisco to pass up.
He also projects the 49ers selecting former Tennessee wide receiver Chris Brazzell II in the second round. Brazzell is scheduled to visit the team this week.
"It's hard not to 'scout the helmet' when Josh Heupel's system fails to translate his receivers' responsibilities to those they'll have in the pros," Swaim wrote, "but the way that Chris Brazzell II glides in and out of routes with great footwork would be a good replacement for Brandon Aiyuk's previous role with the team. The concern, as with other Vols wideouts, is his route tree and physicality."
Kadyn Proctor enters the mix
FOX Sports analyst Rob Rang released his first-round mock draft and has the 49ers selecting former Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor at No. 27.
"Even if Trent Williams returns, the 49ers should be looking for a developmental plan behind him," Rang wrote. "An upgrade to Colton McKivitz at right tackle wouldn't be a bad idea, either. Some see Proctor's ideal spot at guard, and with the 49ers losing Spencer Burford in free agency, the Alabama product could also help there, if Kyle Shanahan preferred. "
Receiver also in play at No. 27
Not every analyst has the 49ers targeting the offensive line early.
In his mock draft for Pro Football Focus, Bradley Locker projects San Francisco selecting former Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion with the 27th pick.
"The 49ers will likely consider either a receiver or edge rusher here, and with Mesidor gone, it figures to leave Concepcion as the pick," Locker wrote. "Concepcion's career 9.3% drop rate is somewhat alarming, but his natural separation and excellence on horizontal routes would be compelling for Kyle Shanahan. With Brandon Aiyuk not a 49er for much longer and Ricky Pearsall struggling with injury, Concepcion creates a buffer in the team's new-look receiving corps."
More support for Concepcion
USA Today's Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz also has the 49ers selecting Concepcion in his latest first-round mock draft.
"Adept at breaking free of coverage and making things happen with the ball in his hands, Concepcion is the kind of target whose skill set could be maximized in Kyle Shanahan's system," Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote. "The ultra-versatile slot dynamo could feast as a major run-after-catch threat who capitalizes on the attention that defenses place on Ricky Pearsall, Mike Evans, and George Kittle, as well as Christian McCaffrey."
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