The 49ers have made a habit of valuing versatility from their offensive linemen, which is why Penn State’s interior OL Juice Scruggs makes sense as a late-round target for them in this year’s draft. Scruggs had a formal meeting with the 49ers at the NFL combine per Justin Melo of the Draft Wire.
Scruggs is built with NFL size at 6-3, 301 pounds, though he looks bigger on film. He also has experience at multiple positions along the offensive line. Often there’s an assumption of versatility with a prospect based on their size or skill set, but the Nittany Lions actually used Scruggs at multiple spots.
It took him awhile to get going in his college career. He got to Penn State in 2018, but he played just one game that year, then redshirted his 2019 campaign. In 2020 he appeared in seven games with no starts. Then in 2021 he started 13 games, followed by a 2022 season where he started all 12 games at center.
He may not be ready to start at a specific position right away, but the 49ers may not need that. They’re lacking in interior OL depth and the only player who could fill the void left by OL Daniel Brunskill is recently-added veteran OL Jon Feliciano.
There’s a real chance a player like Scruggs could come in and win a top reserve job thanks to his ability to play center and experience at the two guard spots. If he plays well enough at C, he could ultimately unseat Jake Brendel who signed a four-year contract with San Francisco this offseason.
While the 49ers may not address the interior of their OL early in the 2023 draft, players like Scruggs should be on their radar later on.
