San Francisco 49ers: 3 draft picks they nailed to get back on top

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LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 13: Tight end George Kittle #85 and middle linebacker Kwon Alexander #56 of the San Francisco 49ers make a video as they celebrate the win over the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 13, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

2017: George Kittle, TE, Iowa

George Kittle was just another Iowa tight end, or so many thought.

Kittle put up modest numbers for Kirk Ferentz’s squad in his time with the Hawkeyes, catching 42 passes over his final two seasons in Iowa City with 10 touchdowns. He really opened eyes at the 2017 Scouting Combine when he ran a blazing 4.52-second 40-yard dash and at 6-foot-4, 247 pounds.

That kind of athleticism was not overly flashy on his Iowa tape, but it forced evaluators to go back for a second look.

The book on Iowa tight ends is typically going to include:

Strong blocker in the run game
Able to split out
Makes tough catches
Solid red zone weapon

Iowa cranks these guys out like none other and that was evidenced in 2019 when they had two players picked in the first round at the tight end position (TJ Hockenson, Noah Fant).

Those guys can thank Kittle a bit for that, as he’s become the best tight end in football, for my money.

https://twitter.com/49ers/status/1184560471954866180

Kittle is probably the best player in the NFL — regardless of position — at creating yardage after the catch. He’s an extension of the offensive line in the run game. He’s got strong hands. He’s got elite speed. He has the agility and catch radius of a wide receiver.

Selected in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the 49ers probably figured at the time that Kittle was worth a shot. What he quickly became was the best player on their team and one of the most dynamic offensive weapons in the NFL.

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