49ers 7-round offense-only mock NFL Draft for 2022

Round 3, Pick No. 105 Overall (Compensatory): 49ers select C Luke Fortner, Kentucky

A long-term tackle and guard upgrades aren’t the only things the Niners have to consider early in this year’s NFL Draft.

They should also look at the hard realization veteran Pro Bowl center Alex Mack, who’ll turn 37 years old this season, is on the verge of retirement. And while Mack appears to be coming back for one more year with San Francisco, Kyle Shanahan will want to identify Mack’s replacement sooner than later.

Shanahan has long preferred veterans in this spot, but a player as cerebral as Kentucky center Luke Fortner would be a wise choice.

At 6-foot-4 and 307 pounds, Fortner makes up for a relative lack of athleticism with some excellent football IQ, diagnosing blitzes and calling for pass-protection sets as a well-developed starter for the Wildcats.

With the ability to double as a backup guard immediately out of the gate, the 49ers could work on honing Fortner’s skill set into an eventual starter’s role to replace Mack at some point down the road, likely in 2023 if the latter calls it a career.

Now having taken two offensive linemen in this mock draft, the Niners can focus on other areas of need.