San Francisco 49ers: UDFA Ross Reynolds can make the team

The San Francisco 49ers loaded up their roster with talent in the 2019 NFL Draft, but they may have gotten a gem on the UDFA crop in OG Ross Reynolds.

The San Francisco 49ers upgraded their roster in a big way through the 2019 NFL Draft, but they did nothing in the 2019 draft to upgrade their offensive line.

Not that they desperately needed it or anything, but the 49ers passed on offensive linemen completely with their eight picks after using their top pick in 2018 on Notre Dame tackle Mike McGlinchey.

Not only did the 49ers not use any one of their eight draft choices on the offensive line, they also only signed one UDFA offensive lineman among their entire UDFA class. That UDFA lineman was Iowa Hawkeyes guard Ross Reynolds, a late-bloomer for the Hawkeyes who served as a backup his first  three years with the team and became a full-time starter in 2018.

Reynolds was coached up well as all Hawkeyes linemen are, and was an instant factor for the Hawkeyes in the run game.

It’s telling that in Reynolds’ first year as a starter with the Hawkeyes he was already a 2nd-team All-Big Ten selection.

He obviously excelled in the running game but may need some work as a pass protector. His situation with the 49ers is pretty favorable considering if the 49ers have a weakness on their offensive line, it’s at the interior positions.

Despite not drafting anyone the last two seasons on the interior, the 49ers spent a bunch of money on Weston Richburg to be their new center and brought in Mike Person last offseason as well as Ben Garland this offseason.

It’s not like Reynolds is going to go into camp and win a starting position, but these Hawkeyes linemen are coveted by NFL teams. The Hawkeyes have 38 players in the NFL and 13 of those are offensive linemen.

Literally one of every three Hawkeyes in the NFL is an offensive lineman, which goes to show just how well the program has developed these guys within the last decade or so.

And of course, there are many others through the years.

What makes Reynolds a particularly interesting fit for the 49ers is their use of zone concepts in the Kyle Shanahan offense. Reynolds is well-versed in the type of offense he will see in San Francisco from his time with the Hawkeyes, a major factor in the team (perhaps slightly over-) drafting CJ Beathard in Shanahan’s first year with the team back in 2017.

Former Hawkeye George Kittle has done quite well for himself in San Francisco’s offense as well.

It’s not a guarantee that a player like Reynolds will succeed in this 49ers offense, but he stands a pretty good chance with their interior line depth and his ability to adapt quickly to this type of system.