Former West Virginia Mountaineer Colton McKivitz is set to become a regular starter in his fourth season with the San Francisco 49ers.
The 26-year-old McKivitz played at West Virginia from 2015-2019, being named the Big 12 Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year his final season there. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
McKivitz has appeared in 28 games with the team over three seasons with five starts. He has seen action at both guard and tackle in those starts.
The 49ers allowed Mike McGlinchey, who was the regular starter at right tackle the last five seasons, to walk in free agency. The team did not address the position at the draft and Matt Pryor was brought in to compete for the job as well.
The 49ers have liked the progress that Colton McKivitz has made over the years with the 49ers. He garnered a career-best 69.4 grade from Pro Football Focus on 71 snaps last season.
“He is a very good run blocker and his protection is really solid and consistent,” 49ers offensive line coach/run game coordinator Dave Foerster said. “He’s got a consistent personality. He’s a really tough, hardworking guy. He’s a great character guy… he’s made of the right stuff.”
“I think that knowing the job is his coming into it and it’s his job to lose kind of, although there will be guys that are there to compete if it doesn’t work out. I think it is also going to help build his confidence. He is good for the position.”
Recently, McKivitz was named to PFF’s all-breakout team for 2023. They mention how Matt Pryor has more starting experience, but McKivitz played really well in his only start of 2022, garnering an 87.3 pass-blocking grade against a pretty stout Los Angeles Rams pass rush.
If McKivitz wins the starting right tackle job in training camp, he will join Geno Smith, Kyzir White, Rasul Douglas, David Long Jr., and Mark Glowinski as former West Virginia Mountaineers that are projected starters in the NFL for 2023.
