SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ Notre Dame offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey got picked No. 9 overall Thursday night by a 49ers team looking to protect quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and enhance coach Kyle Shanahan's offense.
McGlinchey likely will take over at right tackle in place of Trent Brown before possibly transitioning to left tackle once Joe Staley retires in perhaps a couple years.
Staley, the 49ers' longest-tenured player and an 11th-year veteran, received a pay raise last week for the remaining two years of his contract. Brown is recovering from shoulder surgery and unsigned beyond 2018. If the 49ers make Brown expendable in a trade, they could plug in McGlinchey immediately as a starter, with Garry Gilliam a backup tackle after he re-signed on a two-year deal.
The 49ers were able to stay out of the draft's top-heavy market for quarterbacks, having acquired Jimmy Garoppolo Oct. 30 from the New England Patriots in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 43 on Friday).
Three quarterbacks went in the first seven picks: Baker Mayfield (Browns, No. 1), Sam Darnold (Jets, No. 3) and Josh Allen (Bills, No. 7).
Garoppolo went 5-0 in December as their newfound starter, thus taking the 49ers out of contention for claiming the No. 2 overall draft spot for a second straight year; they subsequently dealt No. 2 to the Chicago Bears last year and instead drafted Solomon Thomas at No. 3.
Defenders were taken with the 49ers' top picks in the previous five drafts: safety Eric Reid (2013), defensive back Jimmie Ward (2014), defensive end Arik Armstead (2015), defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (2016) and defensive lineman Solomon Thomas (2017).
The 49ers entered the draft with nine picks, and their next schedule one is not until No. 59 overall in Friday's second round.
