Mel Kiper Jr. Projects to the 49ers to Draft Texas OT Kelvin Banks Jr.

The 49ers probably would love to take the best player available with the 11th pick in the upcoming draft, but they almost have to address the trenches.
Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Detailed view of the jersey of Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. (78) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Detailed view of the jersey of Texas Longhorns offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. (78) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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The 49ers probably would love to take the best player available with the 11th pick in the upcoming draft, but they almost have to address the trenches.

They've left themselves no choice. Trent Williams will be 37 next season and the 49ers haven't drafted an offensive tackle since 2021, plus Javon Hargrave will be a cap casualty in a couple months and the 49ers don't have a quality replacement. Realistically, the 49ers could address either offensive tackle or defensive line with their first-round pick.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. just released his first mock draft of the year and he projects the 49ers to take Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr.

"Banks has a ton of experience, having started 42 games over his college career — and he allowed only three sacks over that time," writes Kiper Jr. "I’m curious to see his Combine measurements — height might be a question mark if he’s 6-3 or shorter — but he has the movement traits and strength to seal off the edge in pass protection. The 49ers still have Trent Williams locking down the left side for two more seasons, but he will be 37 at the start of next season. It’s time to start planning for the future. Plus, Banks could help on the right side for now, where the Niners have missed Mike McGlinchey (signed with Denver two years ago)."

Banks also could start his career at guard and then move to left tackle when Williams gets injured or retires. But the 49ers have to make sure that he has the requisite height and length to play offensive tackle. Otherwise, they shouldn't pick him.

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Grant Cohn
GRANT COHN

Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat where he wrote the Inside the 49ers blog and covered famous coaches and athletes such as Jim Harbaugh, Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Willis. In 2012, Inside the 49ers won Sports Blog of the Year from the Peninsula Press Club. In 2020, Cohn joined FanNation and began writing All49ers. In addition, he created a YouTube channel which has become the go-to place on YouTube to consume 49ers content. Cohn's channel typically generates roughly 3.5 million viewers per month, while the 49ers' official YouTube channel generates roughly 1.5 million viewers per month. Cohn live streams almost every day and posts videos hourly during the football season. Cohn is committed to asking the questions that 49ers fans want answered, and providing the most honest and interactive coverage in the country. His loyalty is to the reader and the viewer, not the team or any player or coach. Cohn is a new-age multimedia journalist with an old-school mentality, because his father is Lowell Cohn, the legendary sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle from 1979 to 1993. The two have a live podcast every Tuesday. Grant Cohn grew up in Oakland and studied English Literature at UCLA from 2006 to 2010. He currently lives in Oakland with his wife.