Membou is the only true blue-chip offensive tackle prospect in this draft.
The 49ers have 11 picks in the upcoming draft. That means they have more than enough ammo to trade up in Round 1 if they want to.
And according to reports, the 49ers have called teams that are picking the top six about potentially trading up, which begs the question: who would the 49ers want to trade up for?
Four years ago, they traded up from the 12th pick to the 3rd pick a month before the draft without a particular player in mind. At first, it seemed they wanted Mac Jones. Then, they ultimately decided to draft Trey Lance, but they gave up on him after just four starts. Which makes you wonder how much they truly wanted him in the first place.
This year if they were to trade up, they probably wouldn’t take a quarterback. They’re currently negotiating a contract extension with Brock Purdy and have said they intend to keep him around for a long time.
So they could trade up for Ashton Jeanty, a running back who could replace Christian McCaffrey.
Or, they could trade up for Travis Hunter, a cornerback-wide-receiver hybrid who could replace Charvarius Ward and Deebo Samuel.
Or, they could trade up for Abdul Carter, a generational edge rusher who could play opposite Nick Bosa for years.
Or, they could trade up for Armand Membou, the only true blue-chip offensive tackle prospect in this draft.
The 49ers don’t currently have a glaring need for an offensive tackle, but Colton McKivitz will be a free agent in 2026 and Trent Williams will turn 37 in August. Technically, the 49ers could wait until next year to draft an offensive tackle, but they might not be in a position to trade up for one as good as Membou.
In addition, the 49ers seem to understand that their Super Bowl window is closed for 2025 and could reopen in 2026 if they play their cards right. So drafting with an eye toward next season wouldn’t be a surprise.