Could the 49ers target a center in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft?
The San Francisco 49ers are heading into an important draft for the franchise later this month, as they look to fill their depth and future needs with younger talent, having finally returned to the first round for the first time in three years.
A key position of importance throughout the draft process has been the offensive line, given the talented top-heavy offensive tackle class in this draft, with possibly nine players at the position being taken in the first round.
The 49ers themselves could take an offensive tackle with their first selection, depending on the board, potentially solving an issue, both for the present and the future.
But, San Francisco could also use some help along the interior offensive line as Aaron Banks and Jon Feliciano are scheduled to be free agents in 2025, while Jake Brendel has been average to below-average as the team’s starting center.
Potentially addressing the interior late on Day 2 or on Day 3, an intriguing option could be Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman Tanor Bortolini, who rose up boards after a strong showing at both the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine.
You can watch the video version above, while the audio is shared below.
Bortolini’s profile
Bortolini came into the 2024 NFL Combine standing at 6’4, 305 pounds, while possessing 31 1/2’’ arms and 9 3/4’’ hands.
The interior offensive lineman excelled in the athletic testing, ranking among the top offensive linemen in a number of categories.
He ran a 4.94 40-yard dash(2nd among OL), 1.69 10-yard split (2nd), 7.16 three-cone (1st), and 4.28 20-yard shuttle (1st).
His three-cone time was exceptional, breaking Jason Kelce’s record for the fastest recorded by a center prospect at the combine, but the overall testing numbers displayed his elite athleticism.
Now, while Bortolini’s athleticism is a clear plus, there are concerns about his size and arm length, which represent more of a center’s profile, although teams have expressed interest in him potentially playing guard at the next level as well.
As a player, Bortolini seems to best fit in a zone-run scheme where he can move out in space as a blocker, with his run-blocking primarily standing out on tape.
Bortolini’s technique seems like his calling card, which will be the way he combats the issues with his frame, as he’s quick to get up into his pass sets as a center, while showcasing quick feet in protection.
The offensive lineman can struggle with power at times, while his shorter arms also likely serve as his main negative during the draft process.
While Bortolini likely plays center at the next level, the Badger has showcased versatility throughout his collegiate career, having played at all five seasons, while starting full years at both center and guard at Wisconsin.
Bortolini’s pre-draft process
Following the season, Bortolini elected to forgo his final year of eligibility, getting immediately to training, where he worked in Texas with OL Masterminds’s Duke Manyweather.
During that training, Bortolini set to work on improving his athletic testing, as well as his technique as he prepared for the combine.
“I went to the sports academy in Frisco, Texas, with Duke Manyweather,” Bortolini shared with me. “Great place to train, but basically it’s a grind. You’re going to be working out a lot, so about three times a day. The first one’s strength, the second one’s position work, and the third one’s speed and agility. So, it’s really doing all these things for about two and a half months prior to the combine to get yourself in a position to be successful there.”
“It was really great. I really enjoyed my time there. But it’s different, man. It’s a different kind of training than what you’re used to, you know, offensive line-wise. You’re never running forties, and now it’s what you’re doing. You’re running three-cone drills, your 40-yard dash, things you would never really do on the football field, but things to really excel at when you get to the combine. So it was, it was a different kind of training, but I really enjoyed it.”
A specific goal of the offensive lineman was to display his short-area quickness, which Bortolini ultimately did, posting the best 20-yard shuttle time and second-best 10-yard split of the participating group.
But, in doing so, Bortolini also targeted aspects of his training that could apply past the combine to the NFL in order to best prepare him for the next level.
“I think short-area quickness is something I really wanted to showcase at the combine and making sure I did well in those drills,” Bortolini said. “And I felt like I did that, do that at the combine, which was really exciting to kind of hit your goals that you set prior to.”
“But for me, it was really just more football-focused, trying to work with Duke on stuff that’s going to apply to the game when you get drafted. It’s not so much about just pre-draft, [but also] about post-draft and how you put yourself in a position for long-term success.”
Additionally, as he went through the pre-draft process, the offensive lineman prided himself on the versatility he showcased at Wisconsin, having played all five positions, which resonated with NFL teams well.
“The versatility is a big thing. A lot of teams like that, you know, because if you’re not going to be the guy starting day one, you need to be able to back up multiple spots,” Bortolini acknowledged. “So seeing that I have experience in those areas that I feel comfortable flipping in and out of spots is something that they really thought was great and then just really trying to find the best fit.”
“Teams really had a lot of good things to say, and, I mean, there’s always things you can work on, but I think the versatility part is really huge in that if you’re not going to be the guy day one, you have to be able to play those spots.”
While the short-area quickness and versatility were strengths heading into the draft prep process, Bortolini sought to work on his snapping, as the offensive lineman was inconsistent in that department last season with the Badgers.
“Snapping was the biggest thing for me,” Bortolini said about his offseason work. “[Working with Duke], that was something I started drilling since the first day I was there. So it’s something that I’ve been working on day in, day out, and I could just see the steady improvement over the past two and a half months, which is great.”
“You know, it’s something that if you’re really working at it, it’s something I really wanted to see get better, and it has been getting better, so I’m really excited about that. And then blocking is something I’ve always been doing or done well, in my opinion, at least.”
“But if you don’t do one thing well, such as snapping, it gets overshadowed a little bit. And that’s all right. You know, it’s something you have to be clean overall in your game and a clean player. But I think just some of those specific blocks, hand placement, [at] the next level, there’s not a lot of room for error. You know, the details matter quite a bit. Hand placement, eyes. So really getting better at those small little things that are going to allow me to excel.”
Fit with the 49ers
Bortolini’s style of play fits how the 49ers operate, and his versatility would be a big plus for a team that especially values that attribute with their backup players.
The offensive lineman would likely play center at the next level, where the 49ers have yet to find a young, reliable option to take over for years at a time, going from Weston Richburg to Alex Mack to Jake Brendel throughout the Kyle Shanahan era.
With the need to get younger and cheaper at several positions, Bortolini could be a logical fit on early Day 3 as the 49ers look to add competition along the offensive line, with his athleticism especially standing out.
How would the offensive lineman approach the fit with the 49ers?
“It’d be awesome,” Bortolini said. “I mean, you watch San Francisco, it’s a team that prides itself on being able to run the ball, which is something I can or relate really similar to Wisconsin, is that we always pride ourselves on being able to run the ball and run the ball well. And that’s something that that team prides itself on as well.”
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