2020 NFL Draft: 3 dark-horse targets for 49ers first pick in Round 1

Now this would be an out-of-the-box pick.

Or would it?

In 2018, Mike McGlinchey appeared to be the heir apparent to veteran left tackle Joe Staley. The 49ers have enjoyed featuring both the past two years, and it looks as if that’ll be the case this season, too. But finding a replacement for the soon-to-be 36-year-old Staley, either in his left tackle spot or in relief of a would-be McGlinchey move to the opposite side of the line, is something the Niners need to consider sooner than later.

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In the interim, San Francisco could seek an offensive lineman with the capability of starting at guard, and there’s a bit of a question mark at right guard following the team’s decision to move on from the veteran, Mike Person, this offseason.

That’s where Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs comes in.

Wirfs, 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds, primarily played right tackle at the college level and could be an immediate quality starter at right guard until he grasps the nuances of playing on an open end. In a season or two, the idea would then be moving McGlinchey over to the left and letting Wirfs bump outside.

And the Niners seem to like Iowa’s offensive system. Just ask quarterback C.J. Beathard and tight end George Kittle, who preceded Wirfs with the Hawkeyes.

Smart teams build in the trenches, and smarter teams make sure they’re strongest at the line of scrimmage first before worrying about other spots.

The 2020 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 23.