Will the 49ers Find Their 2023 Starting Right Tackle in the NFL Draft?
The 49ers did a fine job addressing their needs in free agency.
Javon Hargrave gives them a desperately needed boost at defensive tackle, Jon Feliciano gives them their swing offensive lineman, and Isaiah Oliver steps in as the starting slot corner. However, there is still a need for a starting right tackle with Mike McGlinchey's departure leaving it vacant.
Colton McKivitz is the projected starter going into training camp. That would be a massive leap of faith from the 49ers to have McKivitz as the starter after playing in only five career games. With free agency long gone and no immediate trades to be made, that just leaves the NFL draft as the last chance for the 49ers to fill that need.
So, will the 49ers find their 2023 starting right tackle in the NFL draft?
It's highly unlikely. Without a draft pick in the first and second rounds, it makes it extremely difficult to find a capable starter. Yes, the 49ers have a multiple third round picks, but they are at the end of the round. They are basically fourth round picks. Of course, the 49ers have managed to find starters in other positions in year's past, but there aren't too many who catapulted themselves as a Week 1 starter.
Besides, history suggests that middle round draft picks who are offensive tackles are not immediate starters. It is possible to do so with center and guards, but with tackles it is very unlikely to find them. Usually they are projects who need a year in the team's program to refine their technique, quickness, and strength. Given that 2023 is an "win now" season for the 49ers, I'd be hard pressed to envision them starting a rookie at offensive tackle unless they were a prominent prospect.
To make matters worse, the bulk of the top offensive tackle prospects play on the left. It is slim pickings for players who play right tackle. Tennesse's Darnell Wright, Ohio State's Dawand Jones, and Old Dominion's Nick Saldiveri are the main prospects who played solely or most of their college career at right tackle. So unless the 49ers want to force a left tackle to play on the right side, then the chances of them getting some to start immediately and comfortably in 2023 is unlikely.
Since this draft is rich with left tackles, the 49ers might as well look for a future replacement for Trent Williams. That is the best use of their draft picks here than to force one of them to play out of position. Then again, I wouldn't put it past the 49ers to do that either as they always play rookies away from their natural spots. It is definitely on the table for them to do so and if that rookie fails, then they can revert them back to the left side for next year.
A starting right tackle in the 2023 NFL draft might be possible for the future, but for this upcoming season, it is looking more and more likely that the 49ers will rock with McKivitz.
