49ers general manager John Lynch is making a name as a willing trader, but he used his own pick at the beginning of Round 5 to grab George Kittle, a tight end from Iowa – the best-blocking tight end in the draft and an underrated athlete.

San Francisco at tight end has plenty of average players, but lacks the legitimate starter that coach Kyle Shanahan will want. No offensive coach in the league can scheme players open like Shanahan and Kittle becomes the immediate moveable piece that will dictate scheme from a defense. Lynch with Kittle gives Shanahan a reliable receiver that can win at all three levels of the field, with the intelligence and effort to line up anywhere on offense.

Kittle is 6-foot-4 and 247 pounds, with the explosiveness as an in-line tight end to be moved around as a receiver and blocker. Kittle doesn’t have ideal thickness to be a routine in-line blocker but he has the effort and competitive toughness to whip opponents from whistle to whistle. He could immediately become the 49ers new version of a moveable H-back that can line up in the backfield, on the line of scrimmage or flexed out wide.

Vance McDonald may be on the trade block and Kittle’s selection suggests that the team is looking to upgrade the tight end position. McDonald has inconsistent hands at-best, whereas Kittle had just one drop compared to 48 catches in 2016.

The combine put Kittle on the map as an athlete. He posted a 4.52-second 40-yard dash–tops for all tight ends in attendance. The 49ers need a red zone target and a reliable downfield tight end that can put pressure on seam defenders. That’s exactly where Kittle will impress.

San Francisco addressed another major need by grabbing a highly-versatile athlete and willing competitor to begin building an offensive identity.