5 sleeper draft prospects 49ers must watch closely at NFL Combine

49ers Prospect No. 2: Ricky Stromberg, Center, Arkansas

If Jake Brendel decides to move on from San Francisco in 2023, the team will definitely find a center at the top of their priorities in the offseason. If there’s one position that can find solid starters in the later rounds, it’s here.

One player buried in the Day 3 quagmire but who could develop into a reasonable starter in the NFL is Arkansas center Ricky Stromberg, a four-year starter with the Razorbacks who’s also played guard at times.

The first thing to say off the bat is this isn’t some underrated gem who has fallen because centers tend not to be taken with premium picks, generally. He’s not going to wow people athletically, and he has had problems with elite defensive prospects in the past.

But there are traits there that show he could be a starting center in the NFL. He’s a versatile player who can play anywhere on the interior, and he has the power to sustain blocks. He’s got a big frame for a center (6-foot-4, 318 pounds) and he knows how to use the power.

If Stromberg can perform well at the NFL Combine and at the Arkansas pro day, he looks like a Day 3 pick who could develop quickly as a starter.