Getty 49ers general manager John Lynch could shore up the offensive line in the draft.
While the San Francisco 49ers prep for a Divisional Round showdown, the front office already has the 2024 NFL Draft in sight, too.
The 49ers could use more talent on the offensive line for next season, and Bleacher Report suggests Oregon State offensive lineman Taliese Fuaga as a top prospect. B/R staff notably highlighted both guard spots, right tackle, and center as the biggest areas of concern for 2024.
Fuaga, a 6-foot-6, 334-pound lineman, “has some position versatility in the trenches” according to B/R staff. He mainly played tackle for the Beavers, but Fuaga also “projects well at guard in the NFL”, B/R staff wrote.
Oregon State OT Taliese Fuaga took a massive step forward this season. Would not be shocked if he ends up going in the Top 15 of the 2024 NFL Draft
“Fuaga is an efficient mover out of his stance with good initial quicks to get to landmarks with low pads and heavy hands, delivering jolt at the point of attack,” B/R’s scout Brandon Thorn wrote.
“He works combination blocks effectively, bumping and feeding to secure the first level before taking very good angles on climbs to intersect backers. … Fuaga plays with a flat-back posture with his head out of blocks in pass protection and a firm, quick anchor. He balances heavy hands with light, independent strikes to disrupt the timing of tightly aligned rushers,” Thorn continued.
Taliese Fuaga Has Some Downsides but a Good Value for the 49ers in Late First Round
Despite Fuaga’s upside, Thorn identified a few areas of concern. Thorn wrote that Fuaga “tends not to bring his feet with him in time when shifting his weight”, “will get manipulated out of position”, and “needs to clean up letting his outside hand get down the middle of rushers”.
“Overall, Fuaga has the size, power and run-blocking skills to earn a starting role in his first training camp at guard inside a run-first, play-action-based system. He also has enough quickness to play tackle in a pinch,” Thorn concluded.
Highest Graded Run Blocker this season:
🦫 Taliese Fuaga: 93.4
Bleacher Report ranks Fuaga as the No. 29 overall prospect in the draft, which means he could easily land where the 49ers pick. The Niners will pick based on their playoff finish.
Since the 49ers will start the new league year with $1.36 million in salary cap space, adding much-needed depth in the late first round makes sense.
Taliese Fuaga a Two-Year Starter for Beavs
San Francisco would receive a seasoned lineman if Fuaga is available in the draft.
A three-star recruit, Fuaga started 25 games for the Beavs and earned All-Pac-12 honors in 2022. He helped the Beavs tally 409.2 yards of total offense per game in 2023 and 396 yards per game in 2022 — both winning seasons.
Highest graded PAC-12 Offensive Lineman this season:
🦫 Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State: 87.2
Thorn described Fuaga as a “more athletic” Halapoulivaati Vaitai for a pro comparison. Vaitai has similar size at 6-foot-6, 332 pounds, and he has 86 career games and 48 starts in his time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions.
“Fuaga has a large frame with good arm length and well-dispersed thickness throughout his frame,” Thorn wrote. “He has solid athletic ability with good initial quickness out of his stance and very good power.”
Thorn rates Fuaga as a “potential impact player”, and that could help the 49ers, which dealt with a share of injuries on the offensive line in 2023.