Niner Noise
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2020 NFL Draft: 3 Round 1 prospects 49ers hope fall to No. 31

By Peter Panacy

TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 10: Xavier McKinney #15 of the Alabama Crimson Tide knocks down a pass by Nick Fitzgerald #7 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 10: Xavier McKinney #15 of the Alabama Crimson Tide knocks down a pass by Nick Fitzgerald #7 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Andrew Thomas, Georgia Bulldogs
Andrew Thomas #71 of the Georgia Bulldogs (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /

Andrew Thomas. 3. player. 814. . Offensive Tackle. Bulldogs

It doesn’t seem likely the 49ers would use their first-round pick, assuming a trade down won’t happen, on an offensive tackle. But the rumblings about replacing aging veteran left tackle Joe Staley have been going on for a while now. And with Staley turning 36 years old before the start of the regular season, one can see how this might be a pressing need sooner than later.

While reserve lineman Daniel Brunskill could be a potential option, it wouldn’t be shocking to see San Francisco do something different than one of the other notable areas of need, such as safety or cornerback, grabbing an offensive tackle to eventually replace Staley.

After all, right tackle Mike McGlinchey going to the Niners in Round 1 back in 2018 was a bit of a shock.

If that’s the case, Andrew Thomas of Georgia would be a player the 49ers hope slips on draft day. Currently, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller has him ranked the No. 23 overall prospect on his pre-NFL Combine big board.

Thomas has instant-starter pedigree written all over him, suggesting he could be a plug-and-play fallback option if Staley elects to retire this offseason, even though reports suggest the contrary.

Still, that doesn’t change the long-term need, and Thomas being available would at least make the Niners think twice about going in another direction.