Brunskill is coming on strong for 49ers
Tackle to step in for McGlinchey against Rams
So far, it’s a tight race between left tackle Justin Skule and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley for the 49ers’ MVPNKIA award: The most valuable player nobody knew in August.
But the anonymous subs who have filled in admirably for key starters have competition for the title arriving this week: right tackle Daniel Brunskill.
After seamlessly absorbing injuries to Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Staley and corner Ahkello Witherspoon during their 40 start, the 49ers hope Brunskill can capably assume the role of Mike McGlinchey when they visit the Rams on Sunday.
The 49ers will likely use a committee approach to replace Pro Bowl fullback Kyle Juszczyk (knee), but they’ve declared Brunskill the man to spell McGlinchey.
Never heard of Brunskill? No worries. You’ve got highprofile company.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said he only knew Brunskill by his jersey number for some time after he signed with the 49ers in April. In other words, Shanahan assumed the undrafted lineman whose last team was the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football would be among their final roster cuts.
Brunskill, 25, smiled when asked about his rise from trainingcamp body to somebody.
“I’m glad I was able to make an impression,” Brunskill said. “I was glad I was able to make him learn my name. That was awesome. But, I mean, I just want to do what I can to help the team. So for them to believe in me is awesome.”
The 49ers believed in Brunskill enough to place him on the 53man roster. But they never believed he’d be protecting QB Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 6.
However, their top backup tackle, Shon Coleman, sustained a seasonending injury in August, Staley suffered a broken fibula in Week 2 and McGlinchey had arthroscopic knee surgery on Thursday that will sideline last year’s
No. 9 pick for four to six weeks.
That’s paved a path to an unlikely starting role for Brunskill, who impressed the 49ers this summer with his ability to play every position on the offensive line.
“The game is not too big for him,” Shanahan said. “He’s very efficient. He’s a smart player. He will get the job done.”
Brunskill has beaten significant odds to have his current job.
In fact, when asked about the hurdles he’s overcome to be in position to start an NFL game, his voice became hoarse and his eye became misty Thursday.
“Definitely surreal,” he said. “Yeah. It’s pretty awesome that every level it’s been like that. It’s pretty cool to be a part of that and say I’ve been able to do that.”
At every level, Brunskill has emerged from obscurity.
He was a walkon at San Diego State who didn’t earn a scholarship until his redshirt junior season. And he wasn’t drafted in the NFL and spent his first two seasons (20172018) on the Falcons’ practice squad before joining the nowdefunct AAF.
At SDSU, Brunskill was a tight end who didn’t switch to right tackle until his senior season.
What kind of tight end was he?
“A blocking tight end,” Brunskill said, smiling.
But that’s not entirely accurate. Brunskill, now 6foot5 and 300 pounds, had 15 receptions for 143 yards and three touchdowns and his athleticism helps explain why he began to grow on Shanahan.
Shanahan covets offensive linemen with movement skills for his outsidezone running game. Staley was a sprinter in high school who began his college career as a tight end. McGlinchey played eight positions, including quarterback and wide receiver, in high school.
In that sense, Brunskill shares a similar background, but he doesn’t share the pedigree of those firstround picks.
But the undrafted noname became a name Shanahan learned en route to Sunday’s start.
“I don’t care that he didn’t know about me before,” Brunskill said. “That’s understandable. But he believes in me now. And that’s awesome.”