The San Francisco 49ers’ decision to pick Notre Dame offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey caught plenty of people off-guard. There was some chatter earlier in the week, with Peter King and Daniel Jeremiah priming the rumor pump. Mock drafts moved in that direction late in the week, but it was still a bit of a surprise given the 49ers other needs.
Following the draft, general manager John Lynch offered a comment that summed up the McGlinchey pick pretty well. He was asked about the importance of protecting their big investment in Jimmy Garoppolo, and he got into the premium nature of the tackle position.