The San Francisco 49ers added offensive lineman Carver Willis in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and the former Washington tackle is already preparing for a likely transition inside to guard at the NFL level.
Willis said the positional shift wasn't a surprise during the pre-draft process, as multiple teams projected him as an interior lineman.
"I knew it was probably going to happen," Willis said. "I didn't take any offense by it. There's a lot of guys that have done it before me."
Willis emphasized a team-first mindset, saying, "I'm not a guy that's going to sit there and be like, 'I'm a tackle and have a huge ego about it.' I like playing offensive line. Where that is on the offensive line, I don't really care."
The 49ers first connected with Willis at the Senior Bowl and later conducted a formal interview at the NFL Scouting Combine. His familiarity with San Francisco's offensive system should ease the transition, as Washington runs concepts similar to the 49ers' scheme.
Throughout the evaluation process, Willis said the message from teams was consistent.
"That's something every team talked to me about," he said. "So yeah, I'm happy to do it no matter where they need me on the line. I've kind of said this whole time: I just want a shot in a playbook, and anywhere they need me on the line, I'm game. But every team talked about the interior."
The opportunity could come quickly. Left guard remains the only unsettled spot on the 49ers' offensive line entering the 2026 season, with Willis expected to compete alongside Connor Colby and Robert Jones.
Adjusting from tackle to guard presents new challenges, particularly with the speed and physicality of interior play.
"It's a different game inside in little ways," Willis said. "Things get on you quicker. Guys are a little bit bigger, so that adjustment, I think, will be interesting."
Willis is also open to contributing at center if needed. He has trained with Denver Broncos center Alex Forsyth, gaining insight into the position's demands.
"He told me center is the hardest pre-snap position, but one of the easier post-snap positions on the O-line," Willis shared. "So, for me, the adjustment to center will be a lot more pre-snap communication than I'm used to, making the calls and doing all that. That'll be an adjustment, but one I think I'm very capable of doing."
One opportunity Willis is especially eager to embrace is learning from veteran left tackle Trent Williams, widely regarded as one of the best offensive linemen of his generation.
"It's pretty cool," Willis said. "He's one of those guys that is an all-time great. He is a legend. Any way I can learn from him, or any part of his game I can learn from, or his process, I'm excited for it.
"One of the first things I said, when I got drafted, to my family was, I can learn from Trent. I'm excited about the ability to go and do that."
Comments