Three Reasons the 49ers Should Avoid Drafting an Offensive Lineman with an Early Pick
Throughout the draft process, rumors have circulated that the San Francisco 49ers will take an offensive lineman with one of their two first-round selections in the upcoming the 2020 NFL Draft.
Last season, the 49ers offensive line experienced sporadic injuries, including a stretch when Joe Staley missed nine games and Mike McGlinchey missed four. However, during that period of time, Kyle Shanahan's high-powered offense showed zero signs of regression.
Here are three reasons why the offensive line should be put on the back burner come draft day:
1) The window to win is now: If you're trying to make a run at another Super Bowl, drafting an offensive lineman who's not guaranteed to start this season wouldn't be the most impactful move. The 49ers would benefit more from drafting players who will impact the team in 2020, such as a wide receiver, cornerback or defensive tackle in the early rounds. All have legitimate chances of starting day one.
2) Kyle Shanahan has shown he can patch holes on the offensive line: Shanahan has displayed his ability to overcome deficiencies among the front five, using guys like Justin Skule to maintain proper protection during the absence of starters. Sure, the refurbished offensive line last season did hamper Jimmy Garoppolo's time in the pocket, but it still was serviceable, to say the least. Meanwhile, the running game didn't skip a beat, exemplifying Shanahan's ability to scheme guys in the proper position to succeed. The 49ers finished the season with the second-most rushing yards in the NFL.
3) The 49ers have weaknesses in other areas that are more immediate: The biggest issue the 49ers faced last season their cornerbacks. Now, Richard Sherman is coming off a Pro Bowl season, but opposite him is a revolving door of corners featuring Ahkello Witherspoon and Emmanuel Moseley. With their best cover corner (Sherman) entering the final season of his current contract, it would be wise to plug the hole at corner now before it becomes much bigger.
