Which Tight End will the 49ers Draft This Year?
Before we answer that question, it’s important to understand what type of tight end the 49ers are looking for.
The 49ers almost certainly will draft another tight end this year.
They drafted two last year — Cameron Latu and Brayden Willis. Willis was a decent special teams player, but Latu was flat-out awful at everything in training camp, which is why he spent the season on I.R. and the 49ers recently tried to sign Lions backup tight end Brock Wright. Ultimately, the 49ers were unsuccessful in acquiring Wright, which means they have to draft one for the second year in a row.
Which tight end will the 49ers draft?
Before we answer that question, it’s important to understand what type of tight end the 49ers are looking for. They’re looking for a backup who specializes in blocking. Not a starter. Not the next George Kittle. Merely the next Charlie Woerner, who was the 49ers’ blocking tight end from 2020 to 2023 before signing this offseason with the Atlanta Falcons for three years and $12 million. Keep in mind, Woerner caught just 11 passes in four seasons with the 49ers. He was just a blocker, and a good one.
When the 49ers drafted Latu, they probably thought he could replace Woerner, because they tested similarly at the NFL Scouting Combine. Both are 6’4″, both are 245 pounds and both run 4.78 40s. They’re slow. Which means the 49ers most likely are looking for another slow tight end they can take on Day 3 of the Draft.
Michigan’s A.J. Barner would fit what the 49ers are looking for. He’s the top-rated blocking tight end in the draft and he should be available in Round 4 or 5. And he caught only 64 passes in college, but Michigan rarely passes the ball, so he might have untapped potential as a receiver.
