The 49ers are Targeting an Offensive Lineman Early in the NFL Draft

The San Francisco 49ers have positioned themselves to go in a lot of different directions in the 2026 NFL draft. However, one of their picks may have been revealed. The 49ers need a left guard, and John Lynch admitted that the team may add their starter in the draft.

Will the San Francisco 49ers draft a left guard high in the 2026 NFL draft?

Lynch spoke at the NFL owners' meetings this week. He noted left guard is a competition and the team is not done yet.

“I don’t think we are done yet,” said Lynch. This was an insinuation that the NFL draft would be where the team makes this happen.

San Francisco 49er — Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The interesting thing is that the 49ers only have two picks on the first two days of the NFL draft. You can find starters on day three, and all of the 49ers' day three picks are in round four, where starters can be found. However, the odds of finding one are much lower, and that person would come in as depth competitor to start, not as a legitimate option to start.

So if you are making a mock draft between now and the start of the draft, you should probably a left guard in at pick 27 or 58.

What is interesting is that there is no lock for a great option to be there as well. Vega Ione is going to be gone, which would leave Chase Bisontis and Emmanuel Pregnon as the next best options. Both would be a bit rich for pick 27 and would be gone by pick 58. Kadyn Proctor could start at left guard and move out to left tackle after Trent Williams retires. Is he the best fit at pick 27?

Keylan Rutledge is a name to look at as well. Pick 58 may be a bit high for him, but if the 49ers need a legitimate starter, they would have to make the selection then.

Of course, if they did want to give Robert Jones and Connor Colby a fair chance, they could wait until the fourth round to add a third name to compete. The issue would be that they now have three non-legitimate options competing to earn one spot.

The question may end up being more about how and who the 49ers take and less about whether the 49ers draft a left guard early in the 2026 NFL draft. How will it happen?