2018 NFL Draft: Grading every first-round pick after rookie year

9. Mike McGlinchey, OT, San Francisco 49ers

2018 Stats: N/A

The good grades just keep coming for the Top 10 picks of the 2018 NFL Draft. The latest goes to Mike McGlinchey, the second offensive lineman to come off the board who is already a staple along the San Francisco 49ers’ front five.

There was a lot of uncertainty around the 2018 class of offensive linemen (outside of Nelson). It wasn’t even clear who would come off the board when, or how they’d fair as rookies. And yet, McGlinchey quickly took that uncertainty and pummeled it into submission.

At one point, Pro Football Focus was talking about the Notre Dame alum as an Offensive Rookie of the Year sleeper candidate. He was playing an integral role in one of the NFL’s most productive running games, opening huge holes for Matt Breida to run through. Although the campaign never gained a full head of steam, there’s no denying that McGlinchey proved his worth as a rookie.

Especially as the 49ers look to build around Jimmy Garoppolo, having a quality front five is going to be crucial. While I won’t speak on any of the other four starting offensive linemen, I can say with certainty that McGlinchey gave his team plenty to look forward to as we head into 2019.

Grade: A