The Golden Prospect for the 49ers

San Francisco has reportedly been in the market to trade up before the draft this upcoming week. The 49ers have a lot of pressure to have early-round success in this draft. A trade-up for their golden prospect would be intriguing and it would mean some major changes could be on the horizon for the team. Who is this golden prospect they could be eyeing though?

The 49ers have some big holes on each side of the ball. However, there are none bigger than the trenches. Specifically on the offensive line, veteran and perennial All-Pro tackle Trent Williams is 38 years old and has been derailed by injuries throughout the past couple of seasons. Outside of him, there aren't many promising contributors other than what Dominick Puni showed us in his rookie campaign at right guard. Missouri’s Armand Membou is a prospect I would run in the car to secure his protective services as the potential heir-apparent to Williams.

Membou was a star for the Tigers in 2024 with his protection of quarterback Brady Cook. He never got much draft hype entering the collegiate season and was looked at as comparable to former teammate Javon Foster, who was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Starting all 13 games in 2023 and 12 games in 2024 at Right Tackle, Membou has proven over this career and draft process that he should be valued far greater. His combined performance was when he cemented himself as arguably the best tackle in the draft.

One thing about the 49ers is that they usually don’t view the offensive line as a top priority under Kyle Shanahan. However, the offensive line is a big need for San Francisco. Membou would usher in much-needed youth at a position San Francisco should feel required to address. Taking the best players available at positional needs is essential for the 49ers to stay competitive and refresh the team with talented youth. Relying on 30-plus-year-old stars isn’t a recipe for future success when those star veterans decide to move on. The 49ers need all the protection for their quarterback under center, and Membou, I think, would make them scream “Eureka!”