A six-year college lineman who moved from Kansas State to Washington and now projects as an interior option for San Francisco after being drafted as a tackle.
Carver Willis spent six college seasons bouncing between right tackle at Kansas State and left tackle at Washington before the 49ers drafted him in the fourth round in 2026. Despite being taken as an offensive tackle, most evaluators expect his NFL future to be inside at guard or center.
Path to the league
Willis, a Colorado native out of Durango High School, played across five seasons at Kansas State from 2020 to 2024, working through a redshirt year and starting at right tackle after an injury to a teammate opened the door. He transferred to Washington for his final season in 2025 and started at left tackle before accepting a Senior Bowl invite and declaring for the draft.
Career highlights
In his final season at Washington, Willis started 10 games at left tackle, allowed just two sacks, and earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors. Pro Football Focus graded him among the top 25 qualified offensive tackles nationally in 2025.
2025 season recap
Willis capped his college career at Washington in 2025 with 10 starts at left tackle and a 79.0 overall PFF grade, ranking 23rd among 632 qualified tackles. The 49ers selected him with the 127th overall pick in the fourth round, and reports out of San Francisco's rookie camp suggest he could ultimately kick inside to guard rather than stay at tackle.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Carver Willis
- ESPN: Carver Willis
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Offensive Tackle
- Group
- offense
- College
- Washington
- Hometown
- Durango, CO, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
