San Francisco 49ers: 3 early position battles to watch in 2020
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: Offensive Line Depth
Colton McKivitz wasn’t the only addition the 49ers made for their offensive line during the NFL Draft.
If anything, arguably the biggest bit of Niners news during the three-day draft period was veteran left tackle Joe Staley retiring, which was preceded merely minutes by news San Francisco had traded for former Washington Redskins Pro Bowl tackle Trent Williams.
The transition from Staley to Williams at left tackle should be seamless, while there’s no reason to assume anything but Mike McGlinchey starts on the opposite side. Interior linemen Weston Richburg and Laken Tomlinson are shoo-in starters, too.
However, right guard is pretty provocative, particularly with Mike Person no longer on the roster. For now, Daniel Brunskill and Tom Compton appear to be in the running to start.
But that’s where McKivitz comes into play.
At West Virginia, McKivitz was primarily a tackle. Yet his future at the pro level is likely pegged for guard duty, at least early on, adding to the level of competition inside. Compton, McKivitz and the 49ers’ 2019 undrafted free agent, Ross Reynolds, should be considered players to watch here.
On the outside, don’t overlook last year’s rookie draft pick, Justin Skule, and veteran Shon Coleman as top competitors for the vital swing tackle role behind Williams and McGlinchey.