Four Questions: Takeaways from The Combine

At least nine offensive linemen are projected for the first round, which would be a record. The problem for the Niners at pick 31 is they would choose ninth or maybe tenth.

The NFL draft class of 2024 has been measured and tested, the position groups that most helped their cause were the offensive linemen and wide receivers. At least nine offensive linemen are projected for the first round, which would be a record.

The problem for the Niners at pick 31 is they would choose ninth or maybe tenth. Hence the rumor from The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami that the 49ers are hoping to move up in the draft for a tackle that can start on Day 1.

1. After the Combine is Amarius Mims now out of reach?

My draft crush Amarius Mims, offensive tackle from Georgia, measured at 6-7 ¾, 340 pounds, with massive mitts at 11 ¼ and 36 1/8^th arms. Then he ran a 1.78 10 and a 5.07 40. The top tier of The Combine has freaks, aliens, and now Thanos.

The bad news for the 49ers is it’s inevitable that Thanos will move up. That big that fast always does. Some analysts are predicting the top 12-15. That’s likely too far for the Niners to reach in trade. In addition, Mims’ numbers are so rare teams will be more reluctant to trade out of the pick, they’ll want him for themselves.

Then the final blow, the league has faced a shortage at tackle for so long and this class is so talented it’ll be selling water in the desert. The tackles will go early.

2. So now what?

The Niners can hope that Mims falls to 20 due to team position needs, but will likely have to turn to other targets. J.C. Latham of Alabama measured at 6-6/342, a high floor/limited upside prospect with tools. Troy Fautanu of Washington proved he’s a tackle in measurements with 34.5-inch arms and displayed his explosion in the testing. Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton ran a slow 40 but a solid ten, his vertical ranked 3^rd in the class, and he moved well in drills.

The Niners met with first-rounders Mims, Latham, Guyton, and Taliese Fuaga of Oregon State at the Combine. I would expect they’ll also meet with Fautanu.

The rumored trade-up goal is starting tackle. That’s Mims, Fuaga, and Latham, maybe Fautanu, but not Guyton who lacks the NFL strength to start. It’s also not Jordan Morgan, a starter in pass pro but not run blocking, nor Kingsley Suamataia, who needs to add NFL core strength and technique.

3. If Guyton is the best tackle left on the board within a reasonable range (26-31) do the 49ers draft him or pivot? Who else do they like?

I think the Niners are looking for a starter and they pivot to Graham Barton of Duke, projected as a center in the NFL and he starts over Jake Brendel. Barton is the 2^nd ranked center in the draft class, Jackson Powers-Johnson of Oregon is first, but expected to be picked in the 20s.

One surefire way to predict 49ers interest is top GPS speed within the first five yards, provided by Next Gen Stats. Joe Alt led the top five at 14.14 mph and is out of reach, but the 49ers met with all of the other four: Tanor Bortolini (Wisconsin) C (4^th), Gottlieb Ayedze (Illinois) G (7th), Isaiah Adams (Illinois) G (4^th), and Christian Haynes (UConn) C/G (2^nd). Haynes got center reps at Mobile in one-on-ones and played well.

This offensive line class is elite at the top, in my view the Niners want to draft a starter out of that group, preferably moving up for a starting tackle (Fuaga, Mims, Latham, Fautanu) with Barton at starting center as the fallback if those four are gone.

4. The wide receivers ran very fast at Indy, what are the chances the Niners draft one early?

Xavier Worthy of Fresno’s Central East and the University of Texas broke the Combine 40 record at 4.21. Worthy is also an exceptional punt returner, and comes from Kyle Shanahan’s alma mater where he has close ties to the program. Shanahan will be interested. John Lynch will need to pour water on that, offensive line is the primary weakness and needs to be addressed.

I think the 49ers meetings with receivers at the Combine are plan B’s in case they can’t reach contract extensions with Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings. Reports are the Niners plan to meet with Aiyuk after free agency and are confident they can re-sign Jennings. If so, I think wide receiver slides down the priority list.

Washington slot receiver Jalen McMillian tested well in the jumps and makes sense as a 3^rd rounder with crisp routes and long 32+ arms, the concern is his arms are offset by a 10% drop rate. Ricky Pearsall of Florida is everything the Niners would want and a punt returner, but he doesn’t last to the 3^rd. A possible late sleeper is Oregon State’s 5-8/174 Anthony Gould with 4.39 speed, smart routes, but with short arms, and an 8.3% drop rate. He’s also a punt returner.

One more punt return flyer is Penn State slot DB Daequan Hardy, he ran a 4.38 40 and ran back two punts for touchdowns this year. His catch rate against was in the 50s and he had five PBU’s. Penn State is proven to produce secondary players. Hardy is projected as a late Day 3 pick.