The San Francisco 49ers desperately need help on the interior of the offensive line.

Thankfully, the 2024 NFL Draft is a good one in which to have such a need.

NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah held a conference call ahead of next week's Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and was asked about his recent mock draft, in which he tabbed Duke's Graham Barton, a tackle pegged to move inside to guard at the next level, as the pick for the 49ers at 31st overall in the first round.

There is no doubt the Niners need to address the guard spot. Their failings at right guard, with Spencer Burford making a key error in protection after replacing injured veteran Jon Feliciano, were a huge reason why the 49ers lost Super Bowl 58 to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime.

But the 49ers have typically not valued the guard position highly in the draft under head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch. The highest they have picked a guard is Aaron Banks in the second round in 2021. He is now the 49ers' starter at left guard.

Jeremiah was asked, therefore, if taking Barton in the first was a little bit of a reach for San Francisco.

He replied: 

"I don't necessarily think that's too high. He started a ton of games. He's played center. I think that's where his ultimate best position is going to be is at center. He can play anywhere. Obviously recently having played left tackle. I had a higher grade on him just to compare the two players you're talking about with him and Banks. I had a higher grade on him. I don't think that's crazy. I would say when you look at the interior guys in this draft, there's other options too. I have done more work since my initial top 50 list came out. I'll end up having Jackson Powers-Johnson over Graham Barton, but I really like Graham Barton too and I like Zach Frazier. I think all three of those guys would be plug and play guys. I'm not telling you anything you don't know, but they're win now, let's go mode, and I think these guys — those three interior guys are plug and play for me."

Having three guys in the first-round mix that Jeremiah thinks are 'plug and play' guys is, on the surface, excellent news for San Francisco given its struggles on the interior.

Oregon's Jackson Powers-Johnson is a center with guard versatility, as is West Virginia's Frazier, who made 37 starts at center and nine at left guard.

And therein lies the problem.

Jeremiah has great confidence in each of Barton, Powers-Johnson and Frazier. However, only Powers-Johnson, who played predominantly right guard in 2022, has experience playing at what is the biggest hole on the interior. The 49ers signed center Jake Brendel to a four-year extension last offseason and, while his best work comes in the run game rather than pass protection, he finished the year strong and was far from the reason the 49ers failed to finish the job against the Chiefs.

Are the 49ers going to spend a first-round pick on a player whose best position is center when they have glaring needs at tackle, on the defensive line and at slot corner? The answer would appear to be no.

Given Powers-Johnson's experience at right guard, he may well be a player they would consider, but it's difficult, after two years without a first-round pick, to see them spending one on a player who doesn't fill an immediate need.

Barton, Powers-Johnson and Frazier may well have the talent to be day one starters, but realistically only one of them has the background to start for San Francisco at a huge problem area in 2024.

49ers have chance to reunite with familiar faces in free agency

It might be the best approach.