49ers NFL Draft 2021: Grades for each pick based on value
By Peter Panacy
49ers draft OL Jaylon Moore, Western Michigan, at No. 155 overall
Picks for the offensive line are neither flashy nor garner the kind of attention for the skill positions. And the Niners already grabbed an offensive lineman, Aaron Banks, earlier in the NFL Draft anyway.
But after missing out on Round 4 picks, seeing Western Michigan offensive lineman Jaylon Moore fall into Round 5 had to be a positive sign.
The 6-foot-4, 311-pound Moore primarily played tackle at Western Michigan, but his value is increased by projecting as a guard at the next level, and San Francisco has a need to bolster the depth there behind Banks, Tom Compton, Daniel Brunskill and Colton McKivitz, potentially pushing one or two of those names off the roster by the end of training camp.
While Banks might not be seen as a perfect scheme fit, the same shouldn’t be said of Moore, who moves well in space and made a name for himself with his sideline-to-sideline blocking abilities.
As far as zone movers go, Moore is one of them.
Some draft boards pegged Moore as a late third-round pick, likely slipping into the early portions of Round 4. True, the 49ers had other needs they needed to address sooner. But Moore could find himself shouldering a vital load as a primary backup his rookie season, potentially working his way towards becoming a quality starter in a couple of years.
Not bad for a fifth-round pick.