Offensive tackle is a popular prediction for the San Francisco 49ers, but could the team instead look more to the interior for their Thursday night selection?
Picking near the end of the first round, it's understandable that there's quite a lot of variance on who the San Francisco 49ers are going to select. Indeed, there's not exactly a lot of agreement on the player when you look at the mock drafts that are out there.
Read More: Mock draft roundup: Who the experts have the 49ers taking at No. 27
Matt Maiocco is a longtime 49ers' beat reporter, and he's added another name to the team's watch list, and it's not a name that's been linked to San Francisco before at this stage on Thursday night.
""If the 49ers were to select Chase Bisontis from Texas A&M, would that be a surprise? I haven't...maybe you have, I haven't seen too many or any mock drafts that have assigned the 49ers to him at No. 27.""Matt Maiocco
Chase Bisontis is a name gaining steam for the San Francisco 49ers at 27
Chase Bisontis would be a bit of a reach at No. 27, but not an egregious one. He's expected to go in the early second round, but teams do routinely grade prospects based on ability and even with 32 picks it doesn't mean 32 players get first-round grades.
Indeed, it can be a lot less.
So players picked at No. 27 are often graded in the second round, which accounts for a lot of variance in terms of surprise picks that late. It makes sense for the 49ers though, as Bisontis is a rock-solid selection that could fill a Day 1 position of need at left guard.
Even though he played right tackle as a freshman season with the Aggies, he's not suited to play tackle in the pros, meaning he isn't the Trent Williams heir fans want, but if the 49ers can reach an agreement to keep Williams, they can either address OT later in the draft or hold off one more year as long as some plan is in place.
As for Bisontis himself as a prospect, he's an athletic guard who tested well at the NFL Combine and has excellent tape at Texas A&M. He has short arms, which is why he probably can't be a tackle in the NFL, but his ability to be a rock solid pass-blocker while offering good run support (he's not as quite as good at run blocking at this stage, but by no means deficient), and his athleticism makes him a strong fit in the zone blocking scheme the 49ers use and a worthwhile pick at No. 27.