The 49ers have made versatility one of the hallmarks of the offensive linemen they’re meeting with before this year’s draft, so it makes sense they’d find some interest in UCLA interior lineman Atonio Mafi. San Francisco will host Mafi on a top 30 visit per the Draft Network’s Justin Melo.
While a top 30 visit is perhaps more noteworthy than a combine or Senior Bowl meeting, it doesn’t necessarily mean the 49ers are targeting that player.
However, it’s easy to see where Mafi would intrigue them.
He is listed on UCLA Athletics’ website at 6-4, 339 pounds. That’s plenty big for an interior lineman. Mafi played both left and right guard for the Bruins, but he began his career on the defensive side. As a freshman he started nine of the 12 games he played at nose tackle where he was credited with two pressures and 12 tackles by Pro Football Focus.
The following year he was on the defensive side again where he put up six pressures and 17 tackles.
By 2020 he’d switched to the offensive side where he was a reserve his first year. In 2021 he earned three starts in the 12 games he played. In 2022 he was a full-time starter at left guard.
Over his career he played both guard spots, and his defensive mindset is still present in his physicality as a blocker. His athleticism doesn’t jump off the screen while watching him, but that’s something Aaron Banks was able to overcome by his second season. Conceivably Mafi could do the same.
If they’re going to make a long-term bet on an interior OL project, Mafi checks a lot of boxes even if he still needs some polish on the offensive front.
