The San Francisco 49ers have spent a first-round pick on an offensive lineman only once during the Kyle Shanahan era, but the 2026 NFL Draft may very well mark the second such occasion.
Having a surefire Hall of Famer in Trent Williams at left tackle, plus a schematic mastermind like Shanahan, can cover a lot of flaws in the trenches.
However, the Niners could lift their offense to the next level with a savvy upgrade at left guard that should be available to them on Day 1 of the draft.
We're talking about a prospect the team's more local scouts should be all over. His name is Emmanuel Pregnon, and he has all the makings of an All-Pro guard.
Emmanuel Pregnon is an X-factor who can unlock new levels to 49ers offense with 27th overall pick
Shanahan's system is built around an outside-zone running scheme, spearheaded by Christian McCaffrey. Having athletic offensive linemen is a must, and Williams is the true X-factor on the perimeter who makes it go with his exotic movement skills.
Third-year right guard Dominick Puni has proven to be a big hit as a third-round pick who started from the jump. If the Niners paired Puni with another supreme athlete like Pregnon on the interior, this San Francisco rushing attack would be as lethal as ever.
In his final season at Oregon, Pregnon logged a 93.0 PFF zone blocking grade. The film is the film, y'all.
say hello to oregon left guard emmanuel pregnon, wrecking dudes in the run game pic.twitter.com/zKADRXeXDU
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 17, 2026
Furthermore, Pregnon allowed just one sack over the last three years on 1,537 pass-blocking snaps. So not only is he a major asset as a zone-run blocker; Pregnon is an elite pass protector who'd form such a strong left side of the line in that department alongside Williams.
The better the 49ers' O-line can be for Brock Purdy in true pass sets, the more balanced their offense can be, and the better they can manage rallying from deficits.
Comebacks haven't exactly been Purdy's forte. In 49 career games with 45 starts, he has just four fourth-quarter comebacks and game-winning drives among his 30 wins. When the competition really heats up in the playoffs, Purdy has a pedestrian 89.1 passer rating.
I know. The NFC Championship game comeback against the Detroit Lions did happen. That was thanks in large part to a would-be Purdy interception bouncing off Kindle Vildor's helmet to Brandon Aiyuk for a touchdown.
Bottom line is, raising the floor for Purdy in obvious passing situations amid high-stakes games should be near the top of the Niners' immediate priority list. Pregnon does just that in spades, and again, enhances an already-strong run game.
Projected left guard starter Connor Colby ranked 74th out of 77 qualifying guards in PFF's pass-blocking grades last year. Free-agent addition Robert Jones is a fringe starter who missed all of last season with a broken bone in his neck. Another acquisition, Brett Toth, is more of a depth/backup utility interior blocker.
Feels as if there's room for improvement if those are the 49ers' most viable left guard options, no?
San Francisco doesn't have any picks past the fourth round in this year's draft. Only two before the 127th pick in Round 4. This team is ready to win now, so it becomes all the more imperative to find a Day 1 starter who can raise the floor for an entire unit.
Pregnon seems to fit that description better than most prospects who are bound to be available at No. 27 overall.