The 49ers’ attempts to address the offensive line in the 2025 NFL draft (or lack thereof) have elicited eyerolls from fans. Aaron Banks departed in free agency for the Green Bay Packers, and no one knows how much gas left tackle Trent Williams has left in the tank. Then there’s the center, which depends on who you ask.
Dominick Puni, a third-round rookie, took the starting right guard job and never looked back. Alongside Trent Williams, he’s the lone highlight of the 49ers’ offensive line. Puni was a hit, sure, but given the state of this line, you could also say they got lucky. And they might be getting lucky again.
So three holes, and in the draft, the 49ers drafted a guard. In the seventh round. And that was it. His name: Connnor Colby. And that guard might be this year’s Puni.
And if you caught the preseason game against Denver, you already saw why. Colby posted the highest PFF grade of any 49ers offensive player (just edging out fellow rookie Drew Moss). A few days later, when Ben Bartch went down with an elbow injury, Colby slid in — and he didn’t look out of place.
Ok, another offensive lineman showing that he may be a diamond in the rough. Here’s the thing: he might be better in pass protection than run blocking. Who would have known? Iowa, Colby’s alma mater, wasn’t that much of a passing team, but when Colby arrived in camp, it was his pass blocking that was ahead of his run blocking.
“You don’t get to see a lot of that on Iowa tape and just his size and stuff,” Kyle Shanahan said in his press conference Thursday. He has an advantage with his size being in front of people, and his feet and stuff have been able to do it too. So, he’s catching up in the run game, but he’s had more of an advantage in the pass game so far.”
Shanahan’s acknowledgment of Colby’s pass protection echoes (and was an answer to a question regarding) 49ers offensive line coach Chris Foerster’s statements about Colby’s ability. Foerster called Colby’s pass blocking a strength.
The last time the 49ers drafted an Iowa player and didn’t know what they had based on tape alone was tight end George Kittle. You saw how that turned out. Kittle could block, which was why he was drafted. His pass-catching wasn’t as well-known, which is why he was drafted on Day 3.
In 2023, pass blocking was a huge weakness. In 2024, it improved with the addition of Puni. He alone didn’t allow a single sack until Week 12. Now add Colby to this mix, and the 49ers might be slowly changing from a weakness to a strength.
They still have the Trent Williams succession plan to figure out. But in 2026, they may be able to look directly to that and not worry about a potential gaping hole left by Banks. If Colby works out, there are fewer holes to fill.
Hopefully, there’s more offensive line to come before free agency comes calling for these guys.
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