NFL Draft: 3 offensive guards 49ers watch if Aaron Banks goes bust

49ers NFL Draft Target No. 3: Emil Ekiyor, Alabama

At 6-foot-3 and 324 pounds, Alabama right guard Emil Ekiyor isn’t a high-profile prospect who’ll wind up going on the first or second day of the NFL Draft, but his intangibles might be enough to entice a team like the 49ers to seek out some quality depth on day three with the long-term hopes of turning him into a starter.

One of the reasons why is Ekiyor isn’t overly athletic and will struggle with side-to-side movements. But when he’s in his space, it’s easy to see how he can win with quality hand placement and strength. As far as run support goes, Ekiyor is a high-quality option to explore. And it isn’t as if his lateral mobility is a complete liability. He simply doesn’t move quite as well as many of the other interior linemen in the upcoming draft class.

A three-year starter, one who played a number of positions already for the Crimson Tide, Ekiyor might want to trim his weight just a little bit but without sacrificing his tenacity and physicality.

Currently, it’s looking as if Ekiyor would be a top-end Round 5 selection, making him a perfect target for the Niners with one of their late-round picks.