San Francisco 49ers: Ranking 10 Best Players on Offense in 2016
No. 5 – Daniel Kilgore
At this stage in his career, it is fair to say Marcus Martin’s career with San Francisco has not been a success.
Martin struggled mightily at center in 2015 after an underwhelming rookie year and, given his performances in his first two seasons, should be playing second fiddle to Daniel Kilgore.
Kilgore was on the sideline for much of last term having suffered a leg injury in the 2014 campaign but, when he did return in the latter half of 2015, looked like a player good enough to nail down the starting center spot.
Sixth-year player Kilgore is a thickly built offensive lineman with huge legs and strong hands, which he uses effectively to remain stout in pass protection.
Kilgore is a very difficult man for interior pass rushers to get by and, prior to his 2014 injury, was in the conversation as one of the top centers in the NFL.
At the time of his injury last year Daniel Kilgore was our 11th ranked center with a +4.2 overall grade. #49ers
— Jeff Deeney (@PFF_Jeff) December 5, 2015
Yet there are flaws in his play, Kilgore has decent footwork and can pick up new targets on the fly but is not particularly athletic in space and could serve to perform with more aggression and use a sharper punch.
However, the film shows a player who is very tough for opposing defenders to disengage from and – when he is at his best – Kilgore is among the top five players on the offense. If he can recapture his 2014 play, then the Niners’ O-line should improve markedly in 2016.
Next: No. 4