Jan. 22, 2026, 9:15 p.m. PT<\/p>\n
The offseason has officially started for the San Francisco 49ers,<\/a> and they’ve already begun making roster moves that they hope will give them a better shot to win in 2026.<\/p>\n While the new league year doesn’t start until March, the NFL draft has become a year-long cycle with experts doing their best to predict where certain players will go during the seven-round event.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, ESPN’s Mel Kiper released his latest 2026 NFL mock draft,<\/a> and he believes the 49ers<\/a> will take Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu with pick No. 27 in the first round.<\/p>\n “I recently moved Lomu into\u00a0my top 25 rankings,” Kiper wrote. “He is really good in both pass protection and run blocking, and his quickness is going to be an asset in the NFL. Could he be the heir apparent for\u00a0Trent Williams\u00a0at left tackle? Williams will turn 38 this summer and has just one year left on his deal. San Francisco can’t kick the can down the road too much further on its long-term plan. Lomu had 24 career starts and allowed just three sacks during that time — all in 2024.”<\/p>\n Williams said he isn’t thinking about retirement yet, but it’s unlikely he’ll play long beyond the 2026 season. With Colton McKivitz signing an extension earlier this season, Lomu would have to either sit for a year or move to guard.<\/p>\n Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.<\/a><\/p>\n