SF 49ers: Grading 2020 rookie NFL Draft class after one season

Round 5: SF 49ers Offensive Lineman Colton McKivitz

Being inactive on day two of the NFL Draft, the Niners had to wait until Round 5 to land another player, doing so by making a draft-day trade to land former West Virginia offensive tackle Colton McKivitz.

McKivitz was projected to move inside to guard, yet San Francisco’s sheer attrition along its offensive line throughout the season forced McKivitz to occupy a number of different spots, although his primary role ended up being a reserve right guard in 2020.

The results weren’t exactly impressive, though.

On 301 offensive snaps played, McKivitz surrendered three quarterback hits, 12 pressures and one sack while generally looking out of sorts in both run blocking and pass protection, ultimately earning him a lowly 53.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

It’s important to acknowledge, however, McKivitz didn’t get the full offseason of workouts and minicamps because of the pandemic to acclimate to Kyle Shanahan’s complex zone-style blocking system, which assuredly limited his first-year abilities.

So McKivitz’s grade has to be taken with a proverbial grain of salt, although the initial results indicate he might be nothing more than a third-string offensive lineman at the pro level.