The 49ers have made another offensive line selection
The San Francisco 49ers have added players who they believe can be immediate contributors. Wake Forest safety Malik Mustapha is the only junior of the five picks. But even Mustapha is a four-year player and a team captain.
Round 1: WR Ricky Pearsall
Round 2: CB Renardo Green
Round 3: OL Dominick Puni
Round 4: S Malik Mustapha
Round 4: RB Isaac Guerendo
Round 4: WR Jacob Cowing
Those are COVID-19-year players. The team is telling us they recognize their Super Bowl window is now and don’t have time to develop “hopefuls.” Every player listed above was a multi-year starter in college. That wouldn’t change in the sixth round, as they added a sixth-year senior.
After their longest hiatus from picking in the draft, the Niners selected USC offensive lineman Jarrett Kingston with the 215th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Kingston will not be a consensus great value pick but was ranked 297th on the consensus big board.
Kingston spent the first five years of his college career at Washington State, appearing in 36 games. He became the Cougars starting left tackle in 2022 but started 16 games at left guard. He moved to the other side of the line this past season after he transferred to USC, and started 12 of the Trojans’ 13 games. Kingston played 395 snaps at right guard and 270 snaps at right tackle in 2023.
The last time the 49ers selected a USC offensive lineman was 10 years ago when they selected Marcus Martin in the 2014 NFL Draft. Martin at the time was seen as a steal as he was taken in the third round when many saw him as a possible Day 1 pick. That did not work out and Martin struggled mightily. Here’s hoping USC can hand the 49ers a better offensive line prospect a decade later.
The Niners only have one selection remaining. Barring a trade, San Francisco will round out their draft class with the 251st overall pick.