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San Francisco 49ers: 5 late-round prospects to target in the 2018 NFL Draft

By Logan Stanley

DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 08: Holton Hill #5 of the Texas Longhorns at Cotton Bowl on October 8, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 08: Holton Hill #5 of the Texas Longhorns at Cotton Bowl on October 8, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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PASADENA, CA – NOVEMBER 14: Luke Falk (4) of the Washington State Cougars is sacked by Takkarist McKinley (98) of the UCLA Bruins as Cole Madison (61) of the Washington State Cougars, Riley Sorenson (58) of the Washington State Cougars look on during the first quarter of a game at Rose Bowl on November 14, 2015 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA – NOVEMBER 14: Luke Falk (4) of the Washington State Cougars is sacked by Takkarist McKinley (98) of the UCLA Bruins as Cole Madison (61) of the Washington State Cougars, Riley Sorenson (58) of the Washington State Cougars look on during the first quarter of a game at Rose Bowl on November 14, 2015 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Guard Cole Madison

Age: 23 years old

Height: 6 feet 5 inches

Weight: 308 pounds

If there’s one trait we know that head coach Kyle Shanahan looks for in offensive linemen, it’s agility. Cole Madison, from Washington State, has it.

Madison was a tight end in high school and actually started his career at WSU as a wide receiver before converting to offensive line. The switch did not negatively impact Madison, who finished his career as a Cougar as one of the nation’s best offensive tackles.

Per PFF, Madison owned the second highest overall grade (90.3) among all tackles. So why he is listed here at guard? Because that’s where scouts project Madison will be his best.

The 49ers signed Jonathan Cooper in the offseason, and the team also has Laken Tomlinson, Joshua Garnett and Erik Magnuson in the mix at the guard positions. In summary, there’s still questions at guard for San Francisco.

Madison did well in pass blocking, surrendering just 12 sacks on 3,012 snaps during his three seasons played at WSU, according to PFF.

Here’s Lance Zierlein’s breakdown of Madison:

"Madison’s athletic ability, foot quickness and ability to sustain blocks on the move make him a desirable target for teams who want offensive linemen who can excel in space. However, his lack of anchor in pass protection will likely be targeted by pass rushers looking for holes to exploit. A move inside to guard could benefit Madison, if he can add strength and play with better knee bend."

As Zierlein mentioned, Madison can play in open space. That’ll be important in Shanahan’s scheme.

Another dimension Madison brings to the field is his tenaciousness. That’s a quality many offensive line coaches look for in their players. Are they “mean” and “tough” inside the hash marks?

Madison certainly is.

In PFF‘s rankings, Madison is the No. 11 guard and NFLDraftScout.com projects him as a fifth-round pick. Zierlein put Madison in the 5-6 round range.