Months of speculation are almost over. On Thursday night, the 49ers will use their first-round choice in the NFL draft, and we won’t know who they take until the moment it’s announced on stage.
They may move down from No. 9 overall or move up. They may take one of the players that has been projected by most to be on their radar – such as linebackers Roquan Smith or Tremaine Edmunds or defensive backs Minkah Fitzpatrick, Denzel Ward or Derwin James.
Or, they may throw a curve at groupthink and take Notre Dame offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey.
This week, as the draft grew closer, McGlinchey’s name has surfaced as a possible target, even though some believe taking him at No. 9 would be too high.
Peter King of Sports Illustrated’s Monday Morning Quarterback and Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network each have connected the 49ers with McGlinchey.
Though King has predicted the 49ers will take Smith, of Georgia, he wrote San Francisco has a lot of interest in McGlinchey and wouldn’t be surprised if he were selected.
Said Jeremiah, on KNBR this week according to Niners Nation: “I’ve heard some buzz down the stretch here hey, they could consider an offensive tackle, and McGlinchey, I think most people view him as a top tackle in the draft. That’s too early for me, but – you know, look, hey – there are people that have different opinions on these guys. He seems to be somebody that could go off the board right there to one of the Bay Area teams. I wouldn’t sleep on that possibility at all for him to come in and be your right tackle and eventual successor to Joe Staley (at left tackle).”
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Current right tackle Trent Brown is coming back from a shoulder injury in 2017. He isn’t participating in team workouts now, but is expected to be ready by training camp. He’s entering the final year of his contract, however, so the situation at his position has a question mark over it.
McGlinchey is 6-foot-8 and 309 pounds. The scouting report by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com says McGlinchey has “the quick feet, athleticism and brute strength to be a very good NFL starter.”
As Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com noted, too, McGlinchey has the ability to play guard, which would allow him to get into the lineup soon if Brown is the starter at right tackle in 2018.
