49ers Draft OT Kingsley Suamataia in Latest Mock Draft

The 49ers are in win-now mode. They can't afford to spend a first-round pick on a player who's on an entirely different timeline.

Round 1 of the NFL Draft is two weeks away, and as it draws nearer, more and more analysts expect the 49ers to take an offensive tackle.

NFL.com's Gennaro Felice published his latest mock draft today, and he projects the 49ers to take BYU offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataiai with pick no. 31.

"The man who provided one of the more entertaining podium sessions at the NFL Scouting Combine is also one of the most intriguing developmental prospects in an exceedingly deep OT class," Filice writes. "With a five-star pedigree, an NFL frame, a mauler mentality and college experience at left and right tackle, Penei Sewell’s cousin offers a lot to work with. He’d initially serve as the 49ers’ swing tackle, but with some refinement, it’s not hard to imagine him becoming a beast in Kyle Shanahan’s scheme."

Felice makes a compelling case for Suamataia, but he has a big red flag: He's a developmental prospect. The 49ers absolutely don't need to take one of those in Round 1. The last time they did that, they drafted Trey Lance, and that didn't work out.

The 49ers are in win-now mode. They can't afford to spend a first-round pick on a player who's on an entirely different timeline.

Suamataia has a big frame and he's fast, but he's missing power and technique, which is why he struggled in the Senior Bowl practices. And if he struggled there, he certainly will struggle as a rookie if he even plays.

Suamataia would be the wrong pick for the 49ers.