The San Francisco 49ers are coming into the 2026 NFL Draft with a few clear positions of need that John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan need to address.
While the edge rusher and wide receiver needs are very apparent, the 49ers are also in the market for offensive tackle help. Trent Williams has an uncertain future, and the 49ers need to prepare for life after Williams.
ESPN’s Matt Miller revealed just where exactly the 49ers plan to address this need. He revealed the 49ers view offensive tackle as a priority in the draft, but not necessarily in Round 1.
49ers interested in OT, but not necessarily in Round 1
“In reading the tea leaves and talking to people around the league, the 49ers don’t necessarily view offensive tackle as a Round 1 priority,” Miller writes.
This is an interesting note from Miller, as it’s clear the 49ers have a need at the position and are interested in adding such a player.
But that doesn’t mean they will be aggressive and use their 27th overall pick to add this new offensive tackle as depth behind Williams for a year or two.
In a contending window, relying on a rookie offensive tackle can come back to haunt them, so ideally, Williams has his contract worked out for at least the 2026 season.
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But, beyond this upcoming season, there is a lot of uncertainty about the 49ers’ offensive line. Preparing for life beyond Williams is smart.
It seems as if the 49ers are making such plans, but not necessarily in the first round. They have the 58th pick as well, where they could take an OT to develop for a year or two.
After that, they have the 127th, 133rd, 128th, and 139th picks in the draft to take a flyer or two on offensive linemen down the board on Day 3.
It would not be a surprise if the 49ers added some offensive tackle depth during the draft, but despite the position being very important and potentially a huge need, the 49ers aren’t locked into OT in the first round of the draft.
