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San Francisco 49ers: 2018 NFL Draft recap, best & worst picks

By Florito Maniego

"THE PICK IS IN" for the San Francisco 49ers during the 2018 NFL Draft (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
"THE PICK IS IN" for the San Francisco 49ers during the 2018 NFL Draft (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – APRIL 26: A video board displays an image of Mike McGlinchey of Notre Dame after he was picked #9 overall by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – APRIL 26: A video board displays an image of Mike McGlinchey of Notre Dame after he was picked #9 overall by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

Best Pick: OT Mike McGlinchey

Although the 49ers had more evident positional needs heading into the draft, finding a long-term pass protector for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo turned out to be a great move for John Lynch and Co.

ESPN’s NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Field Yates first reported the team would be moving on from then-starting right tackle Trent Brown. Joe Staley will also be 34 years old before the 2018 regular season starts and thus, finding his future successor makes sense.

As a result, McGlinchey became an excellent pickup for San Francisco considering those aforementioned circumstances.

The 6-foot-8, 312-pound offensive tackle will likely replace Brown at the right side of the trenches. And, with his superb run blocking skills, McGlinchey should make an immediate impact to Kyle Shanahan’s run game.

While he still needs improvement as a pass protector, McGlinchey was rated as the top offensive tackle in this year’s draft. Pro Football Focus Draft gave McGlinchey an overall grade of 95.0 for his run blocking, which is the highest among all draft-eligible offensive tackles.

Considering the importance of protecting the 49ers’ biggest investment in Garoppolo, McGlinchey was evidently the best acquisition for the team in this year’s draft. If he continues to refine his technique and transition well into the pros, the Notre Dame product should become a formidable force on the offensive line in the future.