The 49ers selected Cruz in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 179th overall.
Cruz (6-foot-6, 313 pounds) might lack the size and reach (33 and 3/4-inch arms) to stick at tackle, but the Kansas product is extremely athletic and might be able to develop into a noteworthy guard if tackle doesn’t work out. It didn’t work out at tackle when Cruz was at Syracuse from 2021 to 2024 — he was benched as left tackle after starting there in his sophomore and junior years. Cruz played right tackle with more success for Kansas, but his 4.9 speed and 35-inch vertical still might work better at guard.