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Depth at the offensive line was a question mark heading into the 2019 NFL Draft for San Francisco and, much to the chagrin of many, the Niners did not do much to address that need. They drafted offensive tackle Justin Skule in the 6th round (Vanderbilt), but nothing was done to address the depth on the interior portion of the line.
That is until undrafted free agent Ross Reynolds out of Iowa was signed - the hope is that his ability and efficiency in run-blocking will translate well to what Kyle Shanahan is doing on offense (well enough to at least challenge to make the team as a depth-piece).
At a Glance
College: Iowa
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 295 lbs
Arms: 32 3/4”
Hands: 9 7/8”
40-yard dash: 5.25
Strengths and Weaknesses
It took a while for Ross Reynolds to gain his footing for the Hawkeyes but eventually was named starting left guard during his junior year and never looked back. He shows good patience on his timing and combo blocks and plays with good leverage and athleticism in zone game. His athleticism comes in handy as he can move over to center and play there if need-be.
A major knock on Reynolds - although it can be corrected - is his pass protection technique. He won’t be challenging for any starting jobs this season or next but if he can work on and solidify becoming a sound blocker in the passing game and while adding more mass to his frame he could develop into a nice find for San Francisco.
Odds of Making the Team
So what kind of shot does Ross Reynolds have of making the final 53 man roster?
Well, starters Laken Tomlinson and Mike Person have a firm-enough grasp on things for there not to be any cause for concern in terms of them losing their jobs.
When looking at the likes of Erik Magnuson and former first-round pick Joshua Garnett, though, that’s where things get a little interesting. Garnett has not lived up to the hype during his tenure as a 49er and Magnuson has regressed enough to where it’s becoming a reality that he may not make it out of the preseason.
If Ross Reynolds can showcase his prowess with run-blocking, then it stands to reason that Kyle Shanahan could decide to keep him around as a nice little depth piece for the 2019 season.