SF 49ers 3-round mock NFL Draft with Round 1 trade-down

Round 3, Pick No. 84 Overall (from Bears): SF 49ers select OT Walker Little, Stanford

The Niners have to accept the very real possibility Trent Williams signs elsewhere this offseason on a massive free-agent deal worth, perhaps, in the ballpark of $18 million annually — a number San Francisco can’t likely afford.

Even if Williams stays, it’ll likely mean the SF 49ers move on from right tackle Mike McGlinchey after his rookie contract runs out after 2021 or 2022 (depending on whether or not his fifth-year option is exercised).

And even if both tackles are somehow retained, it would be wise for the Niners to reinforce their depth along the offensive line anyway. That depth was tested to the extreme in 2020, and the options of depth linemen like Justin Skule and Colton McKivitz weren’t exactly promising.

One needs to look no further than the connection general manager John Lynch has with his alma mater, Stanford, to see why going after offensive tackle Walker Little could be a possibility.

Walker’s draft stock took a hit in 2019 when he suffered a knee injury, and his subsequent decision to sit out all of 2020 in light of the global pandemic likely means he dips well into Round 3.

But that’s a position where San Francisco can bank on Little’s upside.

As a pass-protector, Little is excellent and shows what it takes to be reliable on the left side at the pro level. While his run-blocking skills could use some work, there’s enough from the 6-foot-7, 320-pound lineman to suggest a solid fit within Kyle Shanahan’s offense.