Colton McKivitz Drafted by 49ers
Colton McKivitz came to Morgantown from Belmont, Ohio, as part of the 2015 class. Initially overlooked (as the fifth-highest rated offensive lineman in that class), the redshirt senior developed into a stable mainstay on the offensive line the last three seasons. In terms of snap count, he was the most experience veteran on the Mountaineers team last season. On Saturday, he found a landing spot with the San Francisco 49ers. Colton McKivitz was drafted by the 49ers in the 5th round with the 153rd pick of the NFL Draft.
McKivitz is only the fourth offensive lineman drafted from the Mountaineers since (and including) 2010. The other three offensive line draftees from the Mountaineers were Selvish Capers (7th round in 2010), Mark Glowinski (4th round in 2015), and Yodny Cajuste (3rd round in 2019). He was the second Mountaineer taken in the 2020 draft. The Carolina Panthers took safety Kenny Robinson with the pick immediately before McKivitiz.
Even last season, playing as part of a much-maligned offensive line, McKivitz offered much-needed steadiness on the left side of the line. The less often one hears an offensive lineman’s name called, the better. And, simply, McKivitz was a silent mainstay in the offensive front. Over the course of the season, McKivitz played every snap available. Based on his efforts over the past three seasons, he earned an Honorable Mention to the All Conference Team in 2017 and 2018. Then, in 2019, McKivitz earned a third-team All-American spot and second-team All Conference.
McKivitz projects as a right tackle or swing tackle in the NFL. He could also find his footing as a guard, though he does not fit the traditional skill set. Scouts value his nasty streak, strength, and work ethic as valuable traits that will translate to the next level. NFL.com, however, projects McKivitz as a career backup. We wish McKivitz the best of luck as he starts his NFL career with the 49ers.
