McGlinchey impresses in debut against top foe
On Friday, as 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke glowingly about rookie right tackle Mike McGlinchey’s preseason debut, he said the ninth overall pick resembled the same player he scouted at Notre Dame.
For his part, McGlinchey didn’t feel like he was back in South Bend, Ind., during the game against Dallas.
In fact, McGlinchey immediately recognized things were far different when he took the field and eyeballed the player opposite him, a man who tied for second in the NFL in sacks last year.
“That first drive, you go out for your first time, and DeMarcus Lawrence is the first guy that you see — it’s a little nerve-racking,” McGlinchey said. “But I settled in there pretty good, and thought I did a pretty good job.”
Lawrence, the Pro Bowl defensive end who had 14.5 sacks last year, provided McGlinchey with his welcome-to-the-next-level moment on his sixth snap. On 3rd-and-10, Lawrence knocked McGlinchey backward, creating separation to move inside, and hit quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who still managed to complete an 18-yard pass to wideout Marquise Goodwin.
“DeMarcus bulled me there for a second,” McGlinchey said, “and I took a step back and then just kind of got picked” off.
However, McGlinchey fared far better three plays later on his final pass-rush snap against Lawrence. On 3rdand-16, McGlinchey easily pushed Lawrence out of harm’s way as the end tried to beat him outside with a speed move.
Shanahan said he was “really happy” with McGlinchey’s performance.
“I thought I played pretty well,” McGlinchey said. “Obviously, a couple of things to clean up here and there, but overall pretty good first showing. I had to calm my nerves a little bit on the first drive.”
In a nod to his first-year status, McGlinchey played the first three series, logging 23 snaps. Three other starting linemen exited after the first drive. Right guard Mike Person, who signed in May, played 40 snaps.
“I appreciate it,” McGlinchey said, “because the more snaps I can get under my belt before the real stuff starts, the better I’m going to be.”
McGlinchey certainly will have an opportunity to improve this week: The 49ers will have two practices in Houston against the Texans before meeting them Saturday in their second preseason game.
For McGlinchey, that figures to mean plenty of snaps against two All-Pro defensive linemen: Jadeveon Clowney and J.J. Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
“It’s definitely going to be fun,” McGlinchey said. “It’s why you play in the NFL: to play against the biggest and baddest dudes.”