\u201cSan Francisco got to work on the offensive line Saturday, taking offensive tackle Carver Willis in Round 4 and Cruz here. Cruz ran a 4.94 in the 40-yard dash at the combine and has positional versatility that will serve him well in San Francisco.\u201d<\/p>\n
Field Yates<\/p>\n
Cruz\u2019s athletic profile stands<\/a> out immediately. At over 300 pounds, running a sub-5.0 40-yard dash is extremely rare. That combination of size and speed is typically associated with early-round picks, which helps explain why there is optimism surrounding his long-term potential.<\/p>\n There are two ways to evaluate a selection like this. On one hand, the physical traits are difficult to ignore. A player with that level of size and movement ability has a higher ceiling than most prospects taken in the fifth round. With time to develop<\/a>, especially alongside a player like Trent Williams, there is a path for that upside to be realized.<\/p>\n Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n On the other hand, Cruz was still available in the fifth round despite those measurable traits. That suggests there are areas of his game that require development. While the athletic tools are present, the gap between potential and production is something teams clearly weighed during the draft process.<\/p>\n When comparing Cruz to other players selected in that range, the upside becomes clearer. Yates listed a run stopping defensive tackle, two fullbacks, and a running back as the other best fifth-round picks. These are role players with low upside. In that context, selecting a prospect with high-end physical traits represents a different type of approach.<\/p>\n Even if the pick does not develop into a long-term solution, the strategy behind it is straightforward. Rather than selecting a lower-ceiling player, the 49ers used the opportunity to target a prospect with rare traits and developmental upside.<\/p>\n That makes Cruz one of the more intriguing late-round selections for San Francisco. While there is uncertainty around how his career will unfold, the combination of size, speed, and versatility gives the pick a level of upside that is uncommon at that stage of the draft.<\/p>\n![\"San](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/01kqg394npvfk7hve3a4.jpg\" "\\"San")
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\"){kind=icon}
Add us as a preferred source on Google