SF 49ers: NFL Draft options after potential Deshaun Watson trade

SF 49ers Center Options

As stated in the last slide, the SF 49ers offensive line struggled with health and consistency during 2020.

While pending free-agent Ben Garland should be retained as a veteran presence at center for the offense, the team needs to find a long-term solution at the position. With Ohio State’s Josh Meyers, Georgia’s Trey Hill, and Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater climbing draft boards, we look at adding Alec Lindstrom of Boston College at center.

While Lindstrom is a “light” 6-foot-4, 290 pounds, he will be able to add weight as he goes. He is a smart, polished player with great technique and an NFL pedigree. His father, Chris, played in the NFL, and his brother, also Chris, was a first-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2018. They could also look at Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey, Landon Dickerson of Alabama, or Penn State’s Michael Menet at different points of the draft.

Dickerson was projected to go higher, but with a knee injury suffered against Florida in the SEC Championship game, he will most likely slide a bit. And while the Niners certainly may be hesitant adding a player coming off an injury, Dickerson may be the type of guy who they can pick up in later rounds and groom to be the long-term answer at center.

Kyle Shanahan relies heavily on his center to anchor the offensive line, so whoever he chooses will be someone he feels can be a quick study and mesh seamlessly sooner rather than later.