49ers NFL Draft: San Francisco’s best, worst moves in 2020
By Peter Panacy
49ers’ Worst Move in the 2020 NFL Draft: Colton McKivitz in Round 5
Perhaps this is the cliche “splitting hairs” analogy here, which is entirely possible.
But the 49ers probably would have been wiser using their fifth-round pick on someone other than West Virginia offensive lineman Colton McKivitz.
Nothing against McKivitz, of course, as he looks like a decent backup lineman who has extensive collegiate tackle experience and can probably hold his own at the pro level inside at guard.
But the pick was made a bit redundant by the Trent Williams selection. And while offensive line depth is never a bad idea, particularly with NFL rosters increasing to 55 players, there were other positions of need which weren’t exactly addressed.
Especially within the secondary.
San Francisco could potentially lose defensive backs Richard Sherman, K’Waun Williams, Jaquiski Tartt and Ahkello Witherspoon to free agency in 2021, and there aren’t exactly a lot of bona fide options currently on the roster to replace any of them. While it’s possible some of these names are re-signed between now and next year, there isn’t exactly a contingency plan in place.
The NFL Draft provided some fallers and late-round sleepers in the secondary, too, namely Nebraska cornerback Lamar Jackson and Virginia corner Bryce Hall.
San Francisco passed on both, grabbing McKivitz, which seemed more of a luxury pick than anything else.