49ers NFL Draft Target No. 4: OT Samuel Cosmi
If the Niners figure out a way to re-sign their new starting left tackle, Trent Williams, between now and 2021, this particular selection would be a moot point.
But Williams is a pending free agent, and San Francisco agreed not to place the franchise tag on him next season. It’s either a re-sign deal with the Niners or he hits the open market and commands anything in the range of $12 million to $17 million annually.
Just like the case with Dee Ford, it’s going to be awfully difficult for the 49ers to configure enough cap space to fit Williams into their long-term plans.
San Francisco does have depth tackles available, yes. But it’s going to be necessary to find a run-blocking mauler with excellent pass-protection skills ideally fit to Kyle Shanahan’s zone-blocking scheme.
Fortunately, Texas lineman Samuel Cosmi checks off those boxes.
At 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds, Cosmi moves exceptionally well for a player his size. While there’s some rawness to his game, all the tools are in place for the Niners to land a quality blindside blocker for years to come.
That’ll be especially important with right tackle Mike McGlinchey due for an extension in the near future.