Could the 49ers grab their center of the future in the 2025 NFL Draft?

There are a few offensive linemen surging through the pre-draft process at the Senior Bowl.

The San Francisco 49ers have a couple of holes to address when it comes to their roster for the 2025 season.

Among the top priorities is at center, where the 49ers have gotten sub-optimal play from veteran Jake Brendel over the past few seasons since signing him to a four-year, $20 million deal.

Since Kyle Shanahan has been the head coach in San Francisco, the 49ers have opted to go for veterans at center, usually ones with familiarity in the system, be it Alex Mack, Daniel Brunskill, or more recently, Brendel. That came after the team signed Weston Richburg to a five-year deal back in 2018, which didn’t pan out due to injuries, but showcased another veteran option at the position.

Looking ahead to the 2025 season, the 49ers should add some competition at center, but should that come in the form of the draft or via free agency?

From the initial outlook of the upcoming draft, pundits have seen this draft as weaker along the interior line, but there are a few prospects who are slowly rising their way into the spotlight.

Through the first day of the Senior Bowl, perhaps there wasn’t a bigger riser than North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel, who played tackle in college, but debuted on the interior on Tuesday.

Zabel, a 6’6, 300-pound lineman, spent the last two years at tackle for the Bison, while also having some guard experience, where he showed off his run-blocking talents in North Dakota State’s run-heavy offense.

But, he also showed off some of his pass-blocking skills in 1-on-1 drills at the Senior Bowl, winning a number of quality reps against a good group of defensive linemen in attendance

Zabel, who could be the top interior offensive lineman on the board in this draft, could potentially be a draft candidate for the 49ers in the second round of the NFL Draft, changing the narrative of veterans taking over at the position.

Here’s what Bleacher Report’s Brandon Thorn had to say about Zabel as a prospect.

“Grey Zabel is a two-and-a-half-year starter at both tackle and guard spots inside North Dakota’s run-heavy (64-36 run-pass split), multiple-run scheme. Zabel has a well-proportioned build with good athletic ability and play strength,” Thorn wrote.

“Zabel excels as a run blocker using very good pad level and leverage to work inside/underneath his target on angle-drive and base blocks, working to step on the toes of the defender, work his hips through and seal off rush lanes behind his back. Once he gets defenders lifted he shows a firm understanding of how to create displacement away from the ball and he strains hard late in the rep to create knockdowns. Zabel can get stacked and lifted himself if he loses the initial leverage battle and will struggle to regain control quickly enough to save the block due to a narrow base and being a little light in the pants.

“In pass protection, Zabel has smooth, calculated footwork to square up rushers with good strike timing and placement to create lift and quickly transition into his anchor to grind down the bull-rush. He will struggle to consistently protect the corner and prevent his outside hand from getting pinned against high-side rushes that suggest a move inside will be necessary as a pro.

“Overall, Zabel shows starter-level physical tools with refined run blocking skills and understanding of leverage that signal he can become an immediate role player and potential starter within his first year or two with center likely being his best fit.”

The 49ers identified a quality tackle-turned-interior prospect in last year’s draft with the selection of Dominick Puni, who was a multi-year starter at tackle for Kansas before moving to right guard for San Francisco.

That could be the case once again for the 49ers, with Zabel emerging as a top interior offensive lineman in the class.