2011 49ers Grades: Daniel Kilgore & Mike Person

I thought we would combine Daniel Kilgore and Mike Person into a single post in part because they are in somewhat similar situations. While Kilgore is believed to have a bit more upside, both spent virtually all of their time on the sidelines in 2011. Kilgore got one snap as an extra blocker against the Pittsburgh Steelers while Person was inactive for all 16 games.

Both Kilgore and Person played tackle in college, but it is anticipated that both will make their way towards the interior of the line. That has been the plan for Kilgore all along, while Person is a little more of an unknown. Both guys would have benefited from a full offseason last year for assessment, but the odds were not particularly high that either would have snatched a starting job.

Now they get a full offseason and Kilgore is the one I'm most intrigued about given some of the 49ers needs. The 49ers are likely going to let Chilo Rachal walk while Adam Snyder remains up in the air. We don't really know how the team views Snyder as a long term option and is probably looking for ways to address the right guard position in some measure. Jonathan Goodwin is also signed for a couple more years but eventually the team will look to transition in a long term solution at center.

Could Kilgore move into the right guard position sooner rather than later? You can go back to our selection post after the 49ers traded up into the fifth round to draft Kilgore. Also, we had another breakdown of some scouting reports on Kilgore a month after the draft. If the team is high on Kilgore, that could very well lower the likelihood of a particularly high pick on the guard position.

One very specific option is for the 49ers to retain Adam Snyder as a short term answer and hope that Kilgore can push him enough to take his job this year or in training camp next year. Or do they bring in a day two guard prospect to compete with Kilgore and others (potentially Snyder if they bring him back)? It all comes down to their thoughts on Kilgore's long-term potential, because if they think highly of him, do they really spend a day one or day two pick on a guard?

Mike Person on the other hand is a tougher one to figure out. He was a seventh round draft pick so the team does not have much invested in him. This will be a big offseason for him as he looks to establish some kind of role with the team. They should have a good idea by the end of training camp what he brings to the table now and what his potential might hold moving forward. Whether that guarantees him a roster spot in 2012 remains to be seen.