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49ers Draft Carver Willis to Fill Left-Guard Vacancy

4/26/2026

Summary

Carver Willis Drafted 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers selected Carver Willis with the No. 127 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to compete for the left-guard job.
Willis, a 6-foot-5, 303-lb rookie who played tackle at Kansas State and Washington, was projected as a guard or center and must learn the 49ers’ zone-blocking scheme.
The left-guard opening follows Ben Bartch’s move to Detroit and Spencer Burford’s signing with Las Vegas, leaving Connor Colby, Robert Jones, Brett Toth and Nick Zakelj as rivals.

Summary

49ers Graded

Pro Football Focus gave the 49ers a D grade, the lowest, and the Jaguars D+.
The 49ers traded 133rd pick to Baltimore for the 154th and a 2027 sixth-round pick, with timers of five minutes in rounds 4-6 and four in round 7.
Draft ended on April 25, 2026 at Point State Park/Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, with rounds 4-7 at noon ET and airing on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

History

Historical Context

The San Francisco 49ers have long used later-round picks to fill roster gaps, a pattern illustrated when they selected quarterback Tim Rattay in the seventh round (212th overall) of the 2000 NFL draft. Rattay’s rise from backup to starter echoed the team’s historic reliance on mid-round talent, a strategy that continues with 2026 pick Carver Willis at No. 127.

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Carver Willis Drafted 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers selected Carver Willis with the No. 127 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to compete for the left-guard job.
Willis, a 6-foot-5, 303-lb rookie who played tackle at Kansas State and Washington, was projected as a guard or center and must learn the 49ers’ zone-blocking scheme.
The left-guard opening follows Ben Bartch’s move to Detroit and Spencer Burford’s signing with Las Vegas, leaving Connor Colby, Robert Jones, Brett Toth and Nick Zakelj as rivals.

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