San Francisco 49ers: 5 players who’ll struggle in 2020 training camp
By Peter Panacy
No. 5: 49ers Offensive Lineman Colton McKivitz
The Niners envisioned their fifth-round pick from the 2020 NFL Draft, West Virginia offensive tackle Colton McKivitz, being a versatile backup piece to support both the interior and exterior spots behind San Francisco’s already-established starting crop.
McKivitz projects to be a guard at the next level with a slight ceiling of potentially being a starter at some point down the road.
Yet his development is likely going to be hindered by the pandemic and lack of offseason workouts.
Transitioning from the college ranks to the pros is never easy for an offensive lineman. The blocking schemes are often much more complex, and it won’t help Kyle Shanahan operates one of the most complicated and intricate outside-zone blocking schemes in the entire NFL. While the added classroom work and remote training could have helped some, it won’t replicate the muscle memory needed by working alongside fellow linemates in actual practices.
McKivitz’s acclimation to the NFL ranks in such a complex system could end up taking a lot more time than it otherwise could have, and it wouldn’t be a shock if he had a tougher time leading up to Week 1.