The San Francisco 49ers have added some interesting pieces, but they’re still dealing with a contract situation for a star player. And Mel Kiper’s mock draft target addresses the Trent Williams situation.
Kiper pointed the 49ers in the direction of a tackle, according to ESPN.
“You probably see an offensive tackle to San Francisco and think ‘Trent Williams heir apparent,’ ” Kiper wrote. “But Miller actually played 97% of his college snaps on the right side. Perhaps he'd transition to left tackle if the Niners can't figure out Williams' contract situation, but I like Miller as an upgrade over Colton McKivitz on the right side regardless of what happens there.
“The 6-foot-7, 317-pound Miller would bring consistency and reliability to this O-line. (San Francisco also signed Vederian Lowe as some insurance at left tackle.)”
Will the 49ers go with a line pick at No. 27?
It makes sense because the 49ers must have a strong offensive line for quarterback Brock Purdy to play at an elite level. The 49ers ended the 2025 season as the No. 5-ranked offensive line, according to Pro Football Focus.
“The 49ers' offensive line was rarely at full strength this season,” Zoltán Buday wrote. “Left guard Ben Bartch was available for only two short stints during the regular season, and left tackle Trent Williams also missed time toward the end of the campaign.
“Still, Colton McKivitz had a breakout season at right tackle for San Francisco. The West Virginia product finished the regular season with a 90.3 PFF run-blocking grade, which ranked fourth among all offensive tackles.”
So, that indicates they’re already strong there. Wouldn’t that make them more likely to get help elsewhere?
But for this Kiper prediction to be on target, it has to be in direct relation to the team feeling like it won’t be able to keep Williams around. Of course, another factor is Williams’ age. He will be 38 years old before the 2026 season begins.
