49ers’ 4th-round rookie ‘making a push’ to start in Week 1, per Kyle Shanahan

Every offseason, an unheralded player will beat the odds and make the 53-man roster. The San Francisco 49ers have several players who could be exactly that, and coach Kyle Shanahan will have to think hard before releasing their final lineup on Sunday.

The 49ers ended their preseason with a win over the Las Vegas Raiders, 18-12, at Allegiant Stadium on Thursday.

Aside from Eddy Piñeiro, who kicked 6-of-6 field goals, Carver Willis also stood out. Willis played left guard in the first half and showcased his versatility as a pass protector and a run blocker.

The 49ers drafted Willis in the fourth round in April, and he has a good chance to start in his rookie year. Even Shanahan said so himself.

“I think he is making a push (to start). Some (positions) are undecided yet. I really want to see how he did in the whole half of play he got today,” stated Shanahan in the video posted by The Athletic’s Vic Tafur.

“But we’ve put in a lot at practice too, and we want to make that decision, most likely, I wanna say, about Monday.”

Is rookie Carver Willis making a push to be the 49ers starting LG? pic.twitter.com/IXCqqROiv9

— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) August 28, 2026

With Robert Jones, Brett Toth, and Austen Pleasants all dealing with injuries, and Connor Colby being relegated to the second unit, Willis will have to take advantage of the opportunity and keep impressing in practice to earn Shanahan’s nod.

Willis played offensive tackle at Kansas State and Washington in college, and transitioning to left guard is not easy. But he has fully embraced it, and Shanahan has taken notice.

“I like where he’s at. I like the way he’s working. He’s developing. He’s a young player, and we’ve just got to keep pushing him,” said the veteran coach in a report from The Athletic’s Matt Barrows.

The 49ers will take on the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1.

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