This is from USA Today Touchdown wire. Interesting information.
Star OT prospect may have fallen off 49ers board in 1st round after injury update
Story by Kyle Madson, Niners Wire
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Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Josh Fryar (70) and Texas Longhorns linebacker Colin Simmons (11) in action during the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images© Jerome Miron, Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
We may be able to remove one potential offensive line option for the
San Francisco 49ers with the No. 11 overall pick in this year's draft.
Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons on Saturday at the NFL combine told reporters the season-ending knee injury he suffered on Oct. 12 was a patellar tendon tear, not an ACL tear. Any major knee injury is going to be at least a small red flag for an offensive line prospect, but the patellar tendon tear could be a major red flag that removes him from first-round consideration for the 49ers.
Professor of UCSF Orthopedic Surgery Dr. Nirav Pandya wrote on Twitter that the last 15 years of data aren't promising for an NFL player trying to come back from a torn patellar tendon.
The 49ers have had multiple players deal with patellar tendon injuries including center Weston Richburg and defensive end Drake Jackson. Richburg tore his patellar tendon in 2019 and never played again. Jackson's injury happened midway through the 2023 campaign. He missed all of 2024 and it
doesn't sound like he's on a path toward contributing in 2025.
Perhaps the 49ers view Simmons as a long-term option who can spend 2025 getting healthy, and then can step in to help in 2026 and beyond as an eventual replacement for left tackle Trent Williams. With some of their other glaring needs, however, it would be a pretty significant risk to select a player dealing with such a rough injury that high in the draft.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Star OT prospect may have fallen off 49ers board in 1st round after injury update