The San Francisco 49ers entered the 2026 NFL Draft with just six picks, but a flurry of trades allowed them to add eight new players over three days. Among the late-round gems they snagged in the fourth round is Washington offensive tackle Carver Willis—a versatile lineman who's already embracing a potential position change as he makes the leap to the pros.

Willis, who spent five seasons at Kansas State before transferring to Washington for his final year, started 27 games at right tackle over the last three seasons. But when teams started calling during the draft process, they weren't asking about his tackle skills. They wanted to know if he could slide inside to guard.

"Yeah, that's something every team talked to me about," Willis 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."

The 49ers' assistant general manager confirmed the team's vision for Willis, noting that while he has tackle ability, the scheme he ran at Washington closely mirrors what San Francisco asks of its interior linemen—especially in the run game, where outside zone concepts require quick, aggressive movement off the ball. The front office believes Willis could actually be even better at guard than he was at tackle.

For his part, Willis is taking the shift in stride, pointing to one of the NFL's all-time greats as inspiration. "I look at Zack Martin. Zack Martin is probably the best to ever do it, and he played tackle in college," Willis said. "So, I don't think there's anything to be offended by. I'm not a guy that's going to sit there and have a huge ego about it. I like playing offensive line. Where that is on the offensive line, I don't really care. I like competing, so for me, anywhere along the five is good with me. I'm not particular to tackle, guard, or center. Just tell me what to do and I'll go get it done."

That kind of versatility and team-first attitude is exactly what the 49ers value in their offensive line room. Whether Willis ends up protecting Brock Purdy from the inside or filling in on the edge, he's ready to suit up, hit the playbook, and compete. For a late-round pick, that's the kind of mindset that turns depth into a starting opportunity.