With the 2023 NFL draft rapidly approaching, talent evaluators from dozens of different outlets have begun to mock various players to various teams, with some even going deep enough into the evaluation process to predict potential players for the San Francisco 49ers, who don’t have a pick until the end of the third round.
Fortunately, in his latest mock draft for NFL.com, draft analyst Chad Reuter did just that, as his 2.0 mock goes all the way to the fourth round, with hypothetical John Lynch using all three of his third-round picks instead of trading up or down. With needs all over their depth chart both in the starting lineup and in reserve roles, Reuter decided to fortify the trenches for the 49ers and added a trio of linemen who could fill roles for the team in 2023 and well into the future.
Blake Freeland Can Compete With Colton McKivitz at RT
With Mike McGlinchey officially a member of the Denver Broncos, Reuter decided to use the 49ers’ first pick to select Blake Freeland, a 6-foot-8, 302-pound tackle out of BYU, at pick 99.
“A sky-scraping tackle prospect with outstanding length and good fluidity, Freeland should get much stronger with time in an NFL weight room,”Lance Zierlein wrote in his NFL.com draft profile. “He is an effort-based run blocker who has to really crank up the work rate and technique to try to overcome his leverage disadvantages due to his height.
“He plays with decent technique in protection and does a nice job of battling through adversity inside the rep. However, he might lack the bend and range to get out and redirect speedy edge-benders. Freeland is an unfinished product with a modest ceiling as a pro.”
A four-year starter at BYU who recorded the top athleticism score among offensive tackles at the NFL combine thanks to his 120-inch broad jump, his 37-inch vertical jump, his 1.68 10-yard split, and his 4.98 40-yard-dash time, all of which ranked in the 90th or greater percentile according to Mockdraftable, Freeland has all of the physical tools to become a long-term starter at tackle. If, however, it takes him some time to transition to the NFL level, the 49ers have Colton McKivitz on a two-year deal, who could serve as a bridge starter opposite Trent Williams.
The San Francisco 49ers Address the Interior at Pick 101
After addressing the exterior offensive line with the selection of Freeland, Reuter has the 49ers going right back to the offensive line two picks later at pick 101, selecting Sidy Sow, the 6-foot-5, 323-pound guard from Eastern Michigan.
“Sow has played a high number of snaps during his time at Eastern Michigan,” Zierlein wrote in his NFL draft profile. “Despite the starting experience, he struggles to find proper angles in the running game and respond to blitzes/twists in pass protection. While he could continue to improve and has some physical traits to work with, making a roster will be an uphill climb.”
While the 49ers have starters at place in Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford at left and right guard, respectively, after losing Daniel Brunskill to the Tennessee Titans in free agency, the team could use some additional reinforcements, even after signing Matt Pryor and Jon Feliciano.
Like Freeland, Sow is a certified athlete, with the second-highest athleticism score among guards at the 2023 combine, with his 110-inch broad jump, his 32-inch vertical, and his 5.07 40 time all ranking in the 90th or higher percentile, according to Mockdraftable. If the 49ers want to add athleticism to their offensive line and reload the trenches with two Day 2 talents, adding Sow at pick 101 is certainly a possibility.
San Francisco Addresses the Defensive Line With Pick 102
After attacking the offensive line with their first two selections in the 2023 NFL draft, Reuter decided to turn his attention to the opposite side of the ball with pick 102, adding 6-foot-4, 251-pound defensive end KJ Henry from Clemson to Steve Wilks‘ defense.
“Highly athletic edge defender with good size,” Zierlein wrote in his NFL draft profile. “Henry has upfield burst, but he tends to be a face-up rusher and will need to improve his hand usage for more effective corner turns. He can be dynamic when twisting and blitzing as a moveable piece around the defensive front and he does a nice job of setting up a buttery smooth inside rush that is often too quick for tackles. He can dart and disrupt as a one-gapper with his hand in the ground but has more trouble than expected in setting firm edges as a run defender. Henry’s strengths and weaknesses are well-defined, with the upside to become a starter.”
After losing starting defensive end Samson Ebukam to the Indianapolis Colts and Charles Omenihu to the Kansas City Chiefs, the 49ers could use some further reinforcements on a defensive line that doesn’t have a clear starter opposite Nick Bosa at defensive end.
Though he isn’t the same level of athlete as Freeland and Sow, as his 29th-ranked athleticism score proves, Henry still turned in a 4.63 40-time that ranked in the 86th percentile, according to Mockdraftable and could compete with Drake Jackson, Clelin Ferrell, and Austin Bryant for a spot in Wilks’ starting lineup.
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49ers Tackle the Trenches in New 4-Round NFL Mock Draft