The San Francisco 49ers have a path in this year’s draft to resetting their offensive and defensive lines for long-term success.
In 2024 they struggled in the trenches on both sides of the ball, highlighting their need to revamp both of those units. Free agency should be a factor for the short-term. Long-term fixes should come via the NFL draft, and a new mock draft from our friends at the Draft Wire outlines a way San Francisco can land two quality linemen in the first two rounds.
In Round 1, the 49ers select LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell, who might be the best OT in the class. A glut of talent at other positions allows Campbell to slide all the way to them at the No. 11 overall pick.
Campbell has the requisite size to play OT in the NFL. LSU lists him at 6-6, 323 pounds. He started all 38 games he played across three seasons with the Tigers and was a consensus All-American in the 2024 season. All 38 of his starts came at left tackle, which may be a requirement if the 49ers are going to use their first-round pick on a tackle. Although Campbell is good enough that he’d be an easy pick regardless of which side of the line he played on.
The ideal scenario is one where Campbell plays on the right side and provides an upgrade over RT Colton McKivitz, then flips over to his natural left side once Trent Williams retires.
This would be a home-run selection for San Francisco.
In the second round they jump to the other side of the ball where they scoop up Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen.
Nolen only played three years of college and improved every season, culminating in a breakout 2024 campaign with the Rebels where he was outstanding against the run while racking up 35 tackles and six sacks per Pro Football Focus.
He’s listed at 6-3, 305 pounds and he looks to have the athleticism to play multiple spots on the defensive line. It’s a bit of a risk for San Francisco since Nolen was a little inconsistent as a pass rusher during his first two years with Texas A&M, but he was always effective against the run. PFF had him down for only five missed tackles in 35 career games.
There’s a ton of upside for a player with Nolen’s size and skill set, and landing him in the middle of the second round would be an excellent way for the 49ers to round out their first couple of picks.