49ers no longer have the No. 1 offensive tackle, per PFF

One of the things you could—and probably—count on each year before the season started was seeing San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams pop up in Pro Football Focus’ offensive tackle rankings. Since 2022, Williams has been number 1 in their rankings. 2021? He came in second behind David Bakhtiari.

And that streak is snapped before the 2025 season. In PFF’s annual offensive tackle rankings, Trent Williams comes in fourth. The three above him, in order, are Jordan Mailata (Philadelphia Eagles), Tristan Wirfs (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and Rashawn Slater (Los Angeles Chargers)

Here’s what PFF’s Zoltán Buday had to say about this year’s ranking:

Williams, who turns 37 in August, had a down year in 2024 and missed significant time due to injury. He still earned an 85.6 PFF overall grade, which ranked seventh among offensive tackles. That’s a high mark for the rest of the league, but Williams had earned a 90.0-plus PFF overall grade in each of the previous four seasons, and ranked first in three of four.

He gets the benefit of the doubt here, and if he can stay healthy, he is still one of the best players at the position.

Two things to take from this:

1: Williams was injured last year, which obviously hurt his stock.

2: Does anyone else who wanted Tristan Wirfs instead of Javon Kinlaw in the 2020 NFL Draft think that’s salt on the wound? Man, how different would the 49ers be now: Williams on one side, Wirfs on the other (with ample time to learn until Mike McGlinchey leaves in free agency).

Williams is getting up there in age, but if he can stay healthy, I wouldn’t be surprised if he regains his No. 1 spot in 2026. What makes me more nervous is the thought that this, while just one ranking, could be the start of his regression.

The 49ers wanted to take an offensive lineman in the 2025 NFL Draft, and it’s understandable from a best-player-available perspective why they didn’t. That said, Williams won’t be around forever. What’s the answer? Right now, there isn’t one.

Williams ranks ahead of Philadelphia Eagles’ Lane Johnson and Detroit Lions’ Penei Sewell, who are at No. 5 and 6, respectively. The Eagles have both their right and left offensive tackles in the top five, which is also worth noting.

Do you think it’s fair to put Williams fourth in 2025? Or is this the first crack in the armor of a Hall of Fame run?