San Francisco 49ers: 5 rookies who’ll impress most in 2020 training camp
By Seth Hanson
49ers Offensive Lineman Colton McKivitz, Round 5
The 49ers took West Virginia offensive tackle Colton McKivitz with their fifth-round selection. McKivitz was the Big-12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2019. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 301 pounds, but with a shorter wingspan, he will most likely play inside at guard at the pro level.
His athleticism and size might not be anything to write home about, but his style of play is. The consensus among most draft analysts was McKivitz is very physical and plays to the whistle. Those are the kind of guys you have to have on your team even if they never end up becoming a star. Guys who will set the tone with their physicality and effort are necessary for the success of any team.
McKivitz most likely won’t ever be the best lineman on the roster, but if he can carry his style of play from West Virginia into San Francisco, he will always be one of the most respected.
With the 49ers’ starting right guard spot up for grabs, McKivitz could be a possible dark horse, if not, he will be competing with the guys ahead of him on the depth chart and pushing them to be better. And while we all have our fingers crossed for a healthy season for everybody, history says there will be some guys dinged up along the offensive line at some point during the season.
If McKivitz can learn the playbook and improve on his technique, he may be a guy who pays huge dividends down the road for this 2020 team.