Colton McKivitz emerges as big winner from 49ers' 2023 NFL Draft weekend
McKivitz emerges as big winner from 49ers' draft weekend originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SANTA CLARA — The 49ers were prepared for Colton McKivitz to get his chance a year ago. Now, there is little question the starting job at right tackle is his to lose.
The 49ers’ top free-agent departure was right tackle Mike McGlinchey. But the organization did nothing to fill his spot because they believe his replacement already is on the team.
San Francisco did not use any of their nine draft picks on an offensive lineman in the 2023 NFL Draft.
“We would’ve loved to take an O-lineman, but the draft did not work out that way,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said.
“We weren’t going to take one just to take one,” general manager John Lynch said of offensive tackles.
The 49ers selected five defensive players, three offensive players and one kicker during the course of the seven-round draft.
Lynch was asked if the draft weekend could be interpreted as a vote of confidence for McKivitz.
“Very much so,” he said. “We believe in Colton.”
Apparently, the 49ers believe in McKivitz so much that a year ago they were willing to trade McGlinchey. Lynch revealed last week the 49ers shopped McGlinchey in a trade because they knew they would not be able to retain him this year as an unrestricted free agent.
Sure enough, McGlinchey signed a lucrative contract with the Denver Broncos in March. Meanwhile, the 49ers secured McKivitz, 26, on a two-year, $4.56 million extension this offseason.
It took some time for McKivitz to convince the 49ers he could handle the job.
The 49ers evaluated him as a “Gold Helmet” for his talent, character and willingness to work and be a good teammate. San Francisco selected him in the fifth round out of West Virginia.
He appeared in 14 games with three starts as a rookie, but was among the team’s final cuts before the start of the next season.
McKivitz began 2021 on the practice squad but eventually played his way into a backup role and started the team’s must-win game against the Los Angeles Rams in the final week of the regular season when left tackle Trent Williams was unavailable.
“It took him a little while, but I think over time as his confidence grew, you started to see all those traits and qualities,” Lynch said. “The spirit, as we call it, really started to show. And Colton is sneaky talented, as well. We like him a lot as a player.”
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Ultimately, the 49ers did not believe they could have selected an offensive lineman at any point in the draft who could beat out McKivitz.
“We’re going into that draft hoping to find depth and hoping to find some competition,” Shanahan said. “But to go into that draft and you think you’re going to find someone to start over someone like Colton would be very unusual.”
Lynch said the 49ers’ inactivity at offensive tackle also represents confidence that it would have been nearly impossible for any rookie to beat out Jaylon Moore and veteran addition Matt Pryor for roles behind McKivitz and All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams.
