April 5, 2026, 1:49 p.m. PT<\/p>\n
The San Francisco 49ers<\/a> should be on the lookout for offensive line help in the 2026 NFL draft. One prospect they met with in person, Wyoming’s Caden Barnett, could be a target for them if they trade into the later rounds.<\/p>\n Barnett met with the 49ers<\/a> at Wyoming’s Pro Day according to Sports Illustrated’s Justin Melo. There are a handful of reasons for optimism about Barnett as a late-round prospect, but perhaps none more than his nickname \u2014 Vanilla Gorilla.<\/p>\n Barnett was a three-year starter for the Cowboys and primarily played offensive tackle. After measuring in at 6-3, 316 pounds at this year’s combine there’s a strong chance his measurables may push him toward an interior offensive line role in the NFL. That might also work well for his play style where Barnett likens himself to an old-school type of offensive lineman.<\/p>\n “Oh, powerful in a phone booth,” Barnett told Melo. “Without question. I like to punch somebody in the mouth right off the ball. That\u2019s how I play the game. That\u2019s my style of play. I always say I was meant to play football in the 1980s or 1990s. That\u2019s the era of football where you could really let it loose (laughs). That\u2019s what I\u2019m meant to do.”<\/p>\n San Francisco needs to find interior OL help so adding a project with experience at tackle who can potentially develop as a guard or center is something the 49ers have done with multiple prospects in the past. A recent seven-round mock draft<\/a> by ESPN’s Matt Miller didn’t have Barnett going in any of the draft’s 257 picks, so the 49ers may be able to target the Vanilla Gorilla in the undrafted free agent pool if they don’t acquire a late-round pick.<\/p>\n Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.<\/a><\/p>\n