The 49ers have been linked to several offensive line prospects on Day 1 and 2.
The 2025 NFL Draft is less than two weeks away, as the San Francisco 49ers currently have the No. 11 overall pick.
Most of the discourse has been around the 49ers’ first-round pick, and rightfully so, as the team needs instant impact rookies after a quiet offseason.
But, there are several needs that San Francisco could address in this draft, so let’s go through every position and find realistic targets for the 49ers. So far, we’ve gotten through the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends.
Now, it’s time to wrap up the offense with the offensive line.
Day 1
The offensive line is a very realistic spot for the 49ers to address at No. 11, and could be a position involved with a trade up or trade down as well.
Ultimately, much of the consideration will be a wait-and-see, as San Francisco will have to see whether one of the top linemen fall, or if they’re willing to jump on one of their players at No. 11.
Missouri OT Armand Membou
I expect LSU’s Will Campbell to be taken inside the Top 10, placing him out of range for the 49ers. So, he doesn’t make the cut.
But, Missouri’s Armand Membou is a very intriguing offensive tackle prospect that could potentially fall and be the pick at No. 11. There have even been reports suggesting the 49ers could trade up a few spots for a player like Membou, who seems to fit what San Francisco likes with tackles.
Yes, he has shorter-than-usual arms at 33 1/2’’, but his overall athletic profile makes up for it, and he could end up being the top tackle in the draft.
It’s not very common that a tackle that San Francisco likes falls to them. That could be the case with Membou, who has been on a Top 30 visit, in the first round.
Texas OT Kelvin Banks
There has been significant buzz between the 49ers and Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks.
In a way, it feels his ceiling is the 49ers at No. 11, but San Francisco has met with him at the combine, hosted him on a Top 30 visit, and head coach Kyle Shanahan has a strong connection with his alma mater, Texas.
Banks’s athleticism stands out as what seems like a solid fit in the 49ers offense. He also has 33 1/2’’ arms at 6’5, 315 pounds, and could also end up as the top offensive tackle in the draft, according to pundits.
Here’s what NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein said about Banks.
“Three-year starter who has gone to battle in the trenches with current and future pros,” Zierlein wrote. “Banks will come into the league as an early starter but his run blocking is more pro-ready than his pass protection. He’s technically sound and scrappy in the ground game, with the quickness and athleticism to get to all move blocks. He has the leverage and strain to hold his own at the point.
“Banks has the slide quickness to deal with speed, but he must become more proactive in attacking power rushers and long-limbed attackers to prevent them from dictating the terms. He needs to improve his anchor and hand placement but he should become a long-time NFL starter at either tackle or guard.”
The question is whether he’ll end up at guard, which may make No. 11 too rich for Banks, but the 49ers have certain parameters for drafting offensive linemen, and the Texas product seems to fit that mold.
Day 2
Minnesota OT Aireontae Ersery
Ersery has been a fringe first-round pick according to analysts, so getting him at No. 43 would be good value.
At 6’6, 330 pounds, Ersery also has 33 1/8’’ arms, so they’re on the smaller part of the tackle spectrum. He’s seen as a quality run blocker with good enough athleticism, and could end up being a future tackle for the 49ers in the second round.
Here’s what Bleacher Report’s offensive line guru Brandon Thorn had to say about Ersery, giving him a second-round grade.
“Aireronte Ersery is a three-year starter at left tackle inside Minnesota’s balanced, zone-based run scheme. Ersery has a well-rounded, lean build with long limbs, good play strength, and solid athletic ability.
“Ersery is a well-versed zone run blocker with good pace and feel on combo blocks to get into proper fits, overtake and release on time. He shows solid athletic ability to gain ground laterally to cut off the backside, line up backers on climbs, and pulls around the edge. Ersery shows good competitive toughness and physicality as a finisher to strain and set the tone. He will get over-aggressive, two-hand strike and overextend on kick-out blocks that stutters and slants across his face can slip by with ease.
“In pass protection, Ersery has good footwork in his sets to work at a 45-degree angle, get vertical and expand his set points against upfield, high-side rushes and power step with an effective ‘catch’ hand to close the door on inside counters. Ersery quickly sorts basic line games and stunts with proper spacing and timing. He also flashes the snatch-trap technique to defeat the long-arm and circle punch technique to work around swipes/chops to the outside. While Ersery can defeat outside swipes/cross-chops, he can be late with his strike and is susceptible to being set up and baited by tempo, stutters, and hesitations that creates a short corner.
“Overall, Ersery is a long, tactful blocker with good play strength, competitive toughness, and enough athletic ability to stick at tackle in the NFL. However, his upright playing style and average recovery skills likely cap his ceiling as a middle-of-the-pack starter.
The 49ers have certain traits that stand out for tackles. If Ersery fits that mold, getting him in the second round is good value, and could be an option for San Francisco.
Oregon OT Josh Conerly
Similar to Ersery, Oregon’s Josh Conerly has received a lot of late first-round buzz, but could very well slide to No. 43, depending on how the tackles fall in the draft.
Another athletic tackle prospect who stands 6’5 or taller with 33 1/2’’ arms, Conerly is on the leaner side at 311 pounds. He also seems to fit best in a zone-blocking scheme, which matches well with the 49ers.
Here’s what Thorn had to say about the Oregon product:
“Josh Conerly Jr. is a two-year starter at left tackle inside Oregon’s 52-48 run-pass split, multiple run scheme. Conerly was a high school running back until moving to the offensive line as a sophomore before becoming the top-ranked offensive tackle recruit in the nation. Conerly has a lean, well-rounded build with good arm length, athletic ability and adequate play strength.
“Conerly wins as a run blocker by quickly getting out of his stance and into fits on time with proper leverage on angle-drive blocks to wall off and secure rush lanes. He is light on his feet with good burst as a puller, on screens and climbs to intersect targets. While Conerly gets into place and can stay attached to blocks well, he shows below-average power that results in stalemates and being pried open gradually to allow penetration across his face.
“In pass protection, Conerly is a loose, fluid mover with efficient footwork to his spot using angled or vertical sets with the redirect skills to mirror counter moves. Conerly uses his length well with solid placement to work inside the frame of rushers and keep them at his fingertips. He runs into trouble against rushers that can weaponize tempo, stutters and hesitations that get him broken down, flat-footed and leaning into contact. This can lead to a tardy anchor against speed to power, drifting and creating soft edges that force him into recovery mode.
“Overall, Conerly has good athletic ability, recovery skills, and the frame of a starting tackle. However, he shows rudimentary footwork in the run game and lapses in pass protection technique that signal him as a potential starter early on. But he is young enough to work his way into a starting role within his rookie contract.”
Once again, size and measurements will be important for the 49ers evaluation. But, if they can get a potential future tackle at No. 43 that fits what they like, that would be good value.
Day 3
William & Mary OT Charles Grant
When it comes to a true tackle prospect, William & Mary’s Charles Grant fits that mold at 6’5, 311 pounds and 34 3/4’’ arms. Now, those traits could bump him up to Day 2, rather than on early Day 3, but the 49ers have shown interest, hosting him on a private workout before the draft.
Grant’s elite length matches a need for the 49ers at offensive tackle, and he’s a developmental prospect with tons of experience, albeit at the FCS level. He played in a zone-heavy system at William & Mary, and is good on the move, as athleticism and length could be his calling card at the next level.
He may need to bulk up as a leaner offensive tackle, and it may take more of an adjustment jumping up, but Grant has the traits to be a 49ers-style offensive tackle.