colton mckivitz – Page 5 – Syndication Server

Projecting roles for each 49ers 2020 NFL draft pick

The 49ers have five draft picks who could all carve out significant roles on their roster.

The 49ers went into the 2020 NFL draft with a purpose. They turned limited draft capital into five selections that all filled needs and easy-to-envision roles as rookies.

It won’t be easy to replicate last year’s success, but their draft class should give them an opportunity to do so with a relatively similar roster.

Here’s what kind of role each of the 49ers’ five 2020 NFL draft picks should have in their rookie seasons:

DL Javon Kinlaw

There’d be no drop off between Kinlaw and DeForest Buckner in an ideal world. The reality is Kinlaw likely won’t step in and play at an All-Pro level. However, the No. 14 overall pick will be tasked with stepping into the role largely occupied by Buckner on the defensive front. He’ll hold up blockers in the run game and collapse the middle of the pocket as a pass rusher. Whether he can play almost 80 percent of the snaps remains to be seen, but he’ll be tasked to carry a heavy load along the interior of the defensive line right away.

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2020 49ers draft class: All 5 picks made

Breaking down all 5 49ers picks in the 2020 NFL draft class.

The 49ers wound up with five picks in the 2020 NFL draft after a slew of trades, including one that landed them seven-time Pro Bowl tackle Trent Williams from Washington.

They didn’t fill all of their pre-draft needs, but their shrewd moves around the board landed them players who should be able to carve out contributing roles right away.

Here’s a quick breakdown of each selection:

Round 1, Pick 14 | DL Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina

The 49ers traded back one spot from pick No. 13 to snag Kinlaw. He is a a 6-5, 324-pound monster in the middle with the athleticism to play all over the line. Kinlaw uses his long arms and explosiveness to light up offensive linemen and quickly shed them on his way to the backfield. The sack numbers aren’t great (10 in his last two seasons), but his physical skill set puts his ceiling in the realm of DeForest Buckner, who he was brought in to replace. They want a strong defensive line – and Kinlaw gives them that opportunity.

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Why did 49ers draft West Virginia OL Colton McKivitz?

Colton McKivitz can be a factor if he can successfully move to guard in the NFL.

The 49ers moved into the fifth-round of the draft in a deal that sent running back Matt Breida to Miami. They used that fifth-round selection on West Virginia offensive tackle Colton McKivitz.

McKivitz is the second offensive tackle the 49ers acquired on Day 3 of the draft after they traded two picks to Washington for Trent Williams. He joins a roster that includes Mike McGlinchey, Shon Coleman and last year’s sixth-round pick Justin Skule. Daniel Brunskill also spent time at tackle last season. There are a ton of bodies at that position, including two starters.

So why did the 49ers pick up a tackle with the fifth-round pick the acquired for Breida? Because McKivitz probably won’t stay at tackle.

He told Draft Wire’s Justin Melo that some teams he spoke to saw him as a right tackle, but other clubs discussed a move to the interior.

“Speaking to a few different NFL teams at the Senior Bowl, the consistent feedback I received was that the league views me as a right tackle,” McKivitz said. “I’ve played a little guard in my time as well, and some teams mentioned that as a possibility. The league sees me as a tackle at the end of the day, but they think I’m versatile enough to basically play anywhere.”

Versatility is key along the offensive line, and having players that can play multiple positions helps with roster flexibility. Brunskill joined the 49ers as a tackle and started games there with Mike McGlinchey out. He was also first off the bench at right guard when Mike Person was hurt. McKivitz could wind up filling a similar role.

He only has 33 3/4-inch arms, which isn’t ideal for a tackle. He’s also not particularly athletic, so a move to the interior could mitigate some of his physical shortcomings and turn him into a good-sized guard.

McKivitz was asked by 49ers reporters after he was drafted whether the team asked him to play guard, and he said his contact with San Francisco was limited after the combine. He also explained what his limited is on the interior.

“I played one game at guard in 2018,” McKivitz said. “And then at the Senior Bowl I played guard.”

If he can step in early on and show off some versatility at multiple offensive line spots, he could be a factor on the 49ers’ roster early in his career. San Francisco using a fifth-round pick on him seems to indicate they think he can do that.

49ers trade Matt Breida to Dolphins for 5th-round pick, draft OL Colton McKivitz

The 49ers traded RB Matt Breida to the Dolphins for a fifth-round pick that they used to draft West Virginia OL Colton McKivitz.

The 49ers made their second trade of the day Saturday when they sent running back Matt Breida to the Dolphins in exchange for pick No. 153. San Francisco then used that pick to select West Virginia offensive tackle Colton McKivitz.

Breida was a popular name in trade rumors leading up to the draft after he signed a one-year restricted free agent tender to stay in San Francisco. It was going to be tough for him to get snaps in a crowded backfield, and the 49ers were in need of some draft capital after not selecting for three entire rounds. Snagging an early Round 5 pick for Breida is pretty good value.

The 49ers signed Breida as an undrafted rookie in 2017, and he’s produced at a pretty good clip with the club. He averaged 5.0 yards per carry in 43 games across three seasons. The last two years he dealt with some injury issues, and fell out of favor after fumbling three times in his final 17 carries in 2019.

San Francisco used the additional selection to pick up West Virginia offensive tackle Colton McKivitiz.

McKivitz measured in at 6-6, 306 pounds at the combine. He doesn’t have great measurables from a size or athleticism standpoint, but NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein lauded McKivitz for his nastiness as a blocker.

There’s a chance San Francisco tries to transition McKivitz to the interior where his size becomes less of a negative factor and he can use his aggressiveness to help move bodies around inside.

If the team plans to keep him at tackle, he’ll jump in with Shon Coleman and 2019 sixth-round pick Justin Skule to compete for the swing tackle job.