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San Francisco 49ers: Making the case for Ohio State OL Billy Price in the NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 14: Offensive lineman Billy Price #54 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks over the line against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 14: Offensive lineman Billy Price #54 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks over the line against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /
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The San Francisco 49ers need help along the offensive line in this upcoming NFL Draft. And Ohio State offensive lineman Billy Price would be a solid pickup. Let’s explore why.

After giving up their own second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft to acquire quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, the San Francisco 49ers still have one more in the round — courtesy of the New Orleans Saints — to grab additional talent this upcoming April.

And if he falls that far, Ohio State center/guard Billy Price would be a smart pickup.

The context and reasons are pretty simple. San Francisco’s offensive line has been one of the primary weaknesses this season. According to Football Outsiders, this unit currently ranks 19th in both run blocking and pass protection.

San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers /

San Francisco 49ers

The biggest problems have been along the interior, of course. Left guard Laken Tomlinson, filling in for an injured Joshua Garnett (knee), has been a liability and owns a 48.9 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus.

And that’s one of the reason’s Niner Noise is hyped over Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson in Round 1.

But another liability has been center Daniel Kilgore — a 47.1 overall grade, per PFF.

Kilgore’s 23 total hurries allowed are tied for second among all qualifying centers, per PFF, and he’s also bound for free agency this offseason.

This is where Price comes in.

Breaking Down the Scouting Report

At 6-foot-4 and 312 pounds, Price has the ideal size for an interior O-line position. He has the versatility to line up at either guard or center, but it’s likely NFL scouts will view him at the latter spot at the pro level.

Checking out the DraftBreakdown.com video below, where Price is lining up at right guard, you can get an idea of his abilities in both run support and pass protection:

Our friend Jon Dove over at With the First Pick offered up an insightful scouting report on Price as well. Read over it, and then go back to watch the film.

Dove’s pros on Price state:

"Price plays with an edge always working to the whistle. His combination of a non-stop motor and savvy makes him a reliable player.In pass protection, he keeps a wide base and anchors after contact. His strong lower half helps him keep pressure out of the quarterback’s face. Price is also very aware of his surroundings and knows when to work of one block and onto another.He routinely fights to gain inside hands which helps him remained engaged to the defender. Overall, he’s someone who can be counted on in pass protection.His skills as a run blocker are tied to his snap awareness, toughness and use of angles."

Dove does point out Price lacks the “explosiveness” and has relatively short arms, which will be something of a burden at the next level.

Breaking Down the Fit with the 49ers

Centers are of extreme importance for 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. It’s why the Atlanta Falcons made the move for veteran center Alex Mack amid their run up to Super Bowl LI when Shanahan was the team’s offensive coordinator.

We have no clue whether or not Price will ever become a player like Mack. But looking back at the film, you can see the same kind of zone-style blocks that are inherent to Shanahan’s offense.

More from Niner Noise

It’s hard to say if Price will drop down late into Round 2 of the NFL Draft. The Niners’ second-round pick currently sits at No. 56 overall, and Price could long be gone by that point.

Perhaps a trade up, or down, is warranted. But it wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Keep in mind, San Francisco made its investment in Garoppolo earlier this season. Now falls the task of protecting him.

Finding a quality guard is a necessity, and adding a center like Price would do even more to give Garoppolo adequate protection while setting up the Niners O-line for a long, long time.

Next: Full 7-round mock NFL Draft for the 49ers in 2018

Simply put, the 49ers could do much worse than target Price.