San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan doesn’t believe in taking offensive linemen early just for the sake of it, and his philosophy is a total shake-up compared to how most of the league operates. He’s not against drafting an O-lineman in the first round, but if that guy isn’t a superstar, Shanahan is looking elsewhere, plain and simple.
The Truth About Those Early Round Linemen
Look, the 49ers haven’t snagged an offensive lineman with a first- or second-round pick since Aaron Banks went 48th overall back in 2021. That’s a long run, and Shanahan isn’t shy about why. He’s got total faith in his offensive line coach, Chris Foerster, saying, “Chris is as good of a coach as there is.” But Shanahan quickly added a crucial caveat: “it doesn’t just mean that, hey, give him whatever and he’s going to turn him into stuff. You’ve got to get the right guys.” Finding those right guys is a team effort between Foerster and the personnel department.
Shanahan says the big question for him is the actual gap between the best available lineman on the board and someone they could snag on Day 2 or 3. He specifically mentioned the 2026 draft, where he just didn’t “love” any lineman available at No. 27 overall. And the linemen he *does* love, the true game-changers, usually don’t even last past the middle of the first round. He put it like this: “Man, Chris, myself, some personnel guys, we think that guy in the third round might be this close to being as good. So why would we do that when we can go get a guy who can rush the quarterback, a guy who can touch the football?” It’s all about value, and Shanahan thinks that value for linemen often isn’t there early.
“A Pro Bowl Type Dude”: The Only Real Exception
Shanahan isn’t just bucking the trend, he’s straight-up calling out a league-wide habit. He thinks a ton of teams draft offensive linemen just because it’s a “safe” move, rarely drawing criticism, and those players almost never totally flame out. But here’s the kicker: a first-round lineman who plays like a fourth-rounder is still a starter, sure, but there isn’t a ton of separation among those guys until you hit a true star. He’s got an exception for that, though: “If it’s a Pro Bowl type dude, hell yeah, that guy’s so worth it.” That’s the only time he’s truly going all in early.
By passing on those early-round linemen, Shanahan says it lets the 49ers load up on pass rushers and those dynamic skill players who can actually get into the end zone. It definitely helped that they were able to trade for a guy like Trent Williams, one of the best offensive linemen of all time, and also develop some Day 2 picks like Jake Brendel, Colton McKivitz, and Dominick Puni. This approach, leaning on Day 2 and Day 3 picks up front, truly defines how the 49ers build their roster, and it’s a strategy that clearly keeps paying off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply