All 49ers

ESPN Projects the 49ers to Draft Ohio State OT Josh Simmons in Round 1

The 49ers can't afford to miss on this pick.
Grant Cohn|
Dec 29, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Josh Simmons (71) blocks Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Darius Robinson (6) during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Dec 29, 2023; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Josh Simmons (71) blocks Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Darius Robinson (6) during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

In this story:

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers almost never draft the best player available in Round 1.

Instead, they usually draft for need, which is why they've missed on so many high draft picks -- see Solomon Thomas, Reuben Foster, Mike McGlinchey, Javon Kinlaw and Trey Lance.

This year, the 49ers desperately need an offensive tackle, because they haven't drafted one since 2021, Jaylon Moore will be a free agent, Colton McKivitz will be a free agent next year and Trent Williams will be 37 in July.

That's why ESPN's Matt Miller projects the 49ers to take Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons with the 11th pick.

"Christian McCaffrey's injury issues were the headline for the 49ers' offensive woes this season, yet their offensive line was a mess and will be a priority fix for general manager John Lynch," writes Miller. "The 49ers made a great selection on guard Dominick Puni in the third round of the 2024 draft, but a plug-and-play right tackle who could eventually take over for All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams could be the next step. Simmons is recovering from a torn ACL suffered Oct. 12, but he was in the mix to be the first tackle off the board prior to getting hurt."

Simmons would be a great pick if he hadn't torn his ACL. But taking a medical risk with the 11th pick isn't a good idea. Javon Kinlaw's knee was flagged at the NFL Scouting Combine and the 49ers drafted him anyway with the 14th pick, and that was a huge mistake.

The 49ers used to draft injured players practically every year under general manager Trent Baalke, which is a big reason he got fired. Almost none of those risks worked out.

The 49ers can't afford to miss on this pick. If they want Simmons, they should trade down and take him.

Download and follow The Cohn Zohn Podcast.

Published
Grant Cohn
GRANT COHN

Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat where he wrote the Inside the 49ers blog and covered famous coaches and athletes such as Jim Harbaugh, Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Willis. In 2012, Inside the 49ers won Sports Blog of the Year from the Peninsula Press Club. In 2020, Cohn joined FanNation and began writing All49ers. In addition, he created a YouTube channel which has become the go-to place on YouTube to consume 49ers content. Cohn's channel typically generates roughly 3.5 million viewers per month, while the 49ers' official YouTube channel generates roughly 1.5 million viewers per month. Cohn live streams almost every day and posts videos hourly during the football season. Cohn is committed to asking the questions that 49ers fans want answered, and providing the most honest and interactive coverage in the country. His loyalty is to the reader and the viewer, not the team or any player or coach. Cohn is a new-age multimedia journalist with an old-school mentality, because his father is Lowell Cohn, the legendary sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle from 1979 to 1993. The two have a live podcast every Tuesday. Grant Cohn grew up in Oakland and studied English Literature at UCLA from 2006 to 2010. He currently lives in Oakland with his wife.

Share on XFollow grantcohn
Home/News