There’s a new normal in the NFL pre-draft process. Prospect visits that used to be conducted in person at the team facility and/or at a restaurant nearby, are now being done via FaceTime due to the league’s new rules amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
The 49ers took part in one of those video chats with TCU offensive lineman Cordel Iwuagwu, who told the Draft Wire’s Justin Melo about the ‘visit.’ San Francisco was among four teams he talked with over FaceTime.
While the 49ers have an opening at right guard that they may aim to address early in the draft, Iwuagwu isn’t a prospect they’d circle that early.
He got a ton of experience playing for the Horned Frogs in the Big 12, with two starts and eight appearances as a redshirt freshman. Then he started all 14 games at left guard as a sophomore, and held that starting spot through the first four games of his junior year before an ankle injury pushed him out for the season. Iwuagwu was back as the starting left guard for his senior campaign and started all 12 games while earning an honorable mention for the All-Big 12 team.
Typically early-to-mid-round offensive line prospects do something that really jumps off the screen on film, but Iwuagwu looks like the kind of player who’ll need to find the right scheme fit and coaching staff to eventually find playing time in the NFL.
One thing that does stand out with him are his 33 3/4-inch arms to go with a 6-3, 308-pound frame. He was also a consistent starter outside of his one injury, and earned a captaincy in his final season. There are a lot of boxes he checks that may be enticing for San Francisco.
If the 49ers believe he’s more athletic than he looks on tape and that he can fit into their offense, they may take a late-round flyer on him to try and add more depth to the offensive line going into camp.