Was Drafting Mike McGlinchey a Whiff by the 49ers?

Mike McGlinchey has donned the red and gold uniform of the San Francisco 49ers for the last time. He will now be putting on the blue and orange uniform of the Denver Broncos after he signed a five-year deal with them for $87.5 million with over $50 million of it guaranteed.

McGlinchey cashed out on his new deal with his new team and is currently holding the biggest payout of any offensive lineman in free agency thus far. A wise move for the 49ers to not even attempt to match it as he's not even remotely close to being worth that. McGlinchey was one of the most polarizing players on the 49ers for the past five years next to Jimmy Garoppolo.

It didn't start out that way as McGlinchey was really solid for the first couple of years of his career. His game really started to fall off in 2020 along with his mental toughness, specifically when it came to criticism about him. Some of it was well deserved, while some was exaggerated. He ends his 49ers tenure as a good run blocker and a flawed pass protector. For a guy who was a top-10 draft pick, it wasn't a great return on investment for the 49ers.

So, was drafting McGlinchey a whiff by the 49ers?

It definitely was. McGlinchey was by no means a bust. It's not like he was an atrocious offensive tackle. He was fine, but the thing is when a team is drafting in the top-10, that player HAS to be a hit and HAS to be cornerstone for years to come. McGlinchey wasn't that and a lot of that really started when he began trimming down in size.

Whether it was his decision or one the 49ers tasked him with, that was really the beginning of when it all went downhill. He could move laterally quicker and beat a defender to the spot, but when it came to holding onto his blocks for a stretch -- he struggled. Injuries might have played a role in capping his ceiling, but really it looked like when his physique became slim is when he really became flawed.

He was a fine run blocker who would have lapses in pass protection on critical plays. That was his low point, and it was not something the 49ers wanted to sit by and be okay with anymore, which is why they let him walk. Again, McGlinchey was not a bust as he made it five years with the 49ers as a starter.

But he was easily an over-drafted player and one that the 49ers whiffed on. Top-10 picks have to be impact players who remain on the team for at least a second contract. Had McGlinchey been stronger and more polished, then the 49ers easily re-sign before he played on the final year of his rookie deal.

He will go down as a whiff.