Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

On Wednesday, San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh sat down for an interview with Bay Area sports radio station KNBR. In the interview, Harbaugh talks about the 49ers recent draft picks with the highlight being wide receiver Quinton Patton.

According to Harbaugh, Patton purchased, with his own money, a flight ticket from Nashville, Tenn., to San Francisco, rented a car and drove to 49ers headquarters in Santa Clara. While Patton was driving to the facility, he called the team to let them know he was on his way. The problem was NFL rules prohibit rookies from showing up to their team’s facility less than 24 hours after they have been selected in the draft.

Harbaugh said on KNBR:

He’s (Patton) already my favorite guy. He calls us two days ago and he said he’s here. He’s on his way. Just landed at the airport. He’s in his rental car. He’s coming over to the facility and he can’t wait to get started. And we had to go ‘Where? Which airport did you fly into? You’re in a rental car driving here? (He said) ‘Yeah, coach, I’m 20 minutes away.’

The fact that he would buy his own ticket and fly out here, speaks volumes about him. To be honest with you, he reminds me of me. That’s something I would have done. I love it. I love it.

Had Patton made it all the way to the facility, he would have been ineligible to participate in the 49ers three-day rookie minicamp starting on May 10. The rookie receiver had to fly back to Nashville.

Remember the saying first impressions are lasting impressions? Well, Patton has made a lasting impression on this 49ers fan. This is also a really good way to make Niners fans forget about last year’s first-round receiver, A.J. Jenkins.

Click here to listen to the full interview.

Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

WR Quinton Patton, Louisiana Tech

Grade: A

Drafted: Fourth round, No. 128

With the 49ers securing receiver Quinton Patton in the fourth round it was another steal in the draft for general manager Trent Baalke. Many had Patton going in the second round because of his combination of being an outstanding receiver and his great blocking skills. He was one of the most complete receives available in the draft and the Niners got him in the fourth round.

While at Louisiana Tech, Patton recorded 2,594 receiving yards, averaged 14.2 yards per catch and had 24 touchdowns in two seasons. With wide receivers Kyle Williams and Mario Manningham suffering ACL injuries last season, Patton gives the offense extra insurance in case either is not 100% or suffers another injury.  While Patton’s impact may not be fully felt this year, it will in 2014 as Anquan Boldin and Manningham will be free agents after the upcoming season.

College Highlights:

Scouting Report:

STRENGTHS – Patton has good height and a sturdy frame, which allows him to absorb punishment and fight through injuries to stay on the field. He displays the natural hands to snag balls outside of his frame and has a solid radius for a player his size. He is a savvy route runner that uses an excellent combination of foot quickness, explosion and physicality to run precise lines and consistently create separation. Against off coverage he eats up the gap quickly and does an excellent job of disguising his routes with subtle fakes before his cuts. He is an aggressive, instinctual runner after the catch and while not physically dominant, he is a competent blocker because of his consistent effort.

WEAKNESSES – Patton has good timed speed as well as short area quickness and burst, but he lacks the long speed to consistently separate or run away from defenders down-field. He lacks the length and strength to consistently win contested balls, as defenders are able to reach around and break up passes when able to stay on his hip. While he displays natural hands, at times he turns his focus up field before securing the catch and drops easy balls.

SUMMARY – Quinton Patton was a fun receiver to evaluate because he is such a polished route runner with the burst and quickness needed to consistently create separation against all types of coverage. He makes very subtle fakes against man coverage, and commits to his pivot step on his break which allows him to explode into his route. He possesses quite hands and consistently catches the ball away from his frame, but will at times lose focus and drop easy balls and does not have the hand strength to consistently win 50/50 balls. His top end speed makes him a solid threat after the catch but he isn’t a threat to simply run away from defenders down-field. While some teams will gamble early on with more dynamic homerun threats at the position, whichever team selects Patton will be getting a dependable #2 WR that is ready to step in and produce immediately at the NFL level.

Oct 13, 2012; Shreveport, LA, USA; Louisiana Tech Bulldogs wide receiver Quinton Patton (4) catches a touchdown over Texas A

With the San Francisco 49ers falling one half short of winning the Super Bowl, they are determined more than ever to get the job done in 2013. An already loaded roster, the 49ers have the luxury of targeting certain positions as they try and make Super Bowl XLVIII a reality. So which positions will they target? On paper, their top three needs include guard, defensive line, and cornerback. However, with many of those positions likely to be addressed in free-agency, that leaves the 49ers to focus on wide receivers in the draft. With an estimated 14 picks in the 2013 NFL Draft, the 49ers can add a fountain of youth to an already young roster, one player in particular is Louisiana Tech product Quinton Patton.

December 21, 2011; San Diego, CA, USA; Louisiana Tech Bulldogs wide receiver Quinton Patton (4) catches a touchdown pass in the endzone while being defended by TCU Horned Frogs cornerback Jason Verrett (2) during the second quarter in the Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Unlike his peers, Patton had a tough road to success. He started off at Coffeyville Community College for three years, before eventually transferring to Louisiana Tech. Although he made headlines as a Raven, Patton flew under the radar, as only four college teams recruited him, including: South Florida, Minnesota, Troy, and Louisiana Tech. However, despite this setback, Patton thrived as a Bulldog, compiling 183 receptions for 2,594 yards and 24 touchdowns. Furthermore, first-round prospect CB Johnthan Banks had high praise for Patton saying:

I feel like Quinton Patton from Louisiana Tech is the best receiver I’ve played against since I’ve been here. I’ve gone against some good ones in the SEC, too, but he’s probably the most complete.

So with high praise coming from his peers, will GM Trent Baalke take a risk on a small town kid? Absolutely! For one, Baalke loves drafting talent from the WAC, evidenced by Mike Iupati (Idaho) and Colin Kaepernick (Nevada). In addition, Patton provides a deep threat, no current Niner receiver possesses, a skill-set Baalke covets.

Nov 12, 2011; Oxford, MS, USA; Louisiana Tech Bulldogs wide receiver Quinton Patton (4) avoids a tackle by Mississippi Rebels linebacker Serderius Bryant (14) during the second quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Also, Patton provides a physical presence down the middle, by making tough catches in traffic. His natural ability to catch balls with his hands, away from his body, is what separates him from the rest of the pack. A fluid route runner who can stretch the field, Patton is the perfect compliment to WR Michael Crabtree.

With that said, his greatest asset may not be his hands but rather his downfield blocking. 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh loves team players, and the fact that Patton shows fight as a run blocker signifies he’s the consumate team player. A player willing to hustle down field to spring a runner, Patton is as feisty as they come. Simply put, a 49er!

Whether the 49ers draft him in the first or second-round remains to be seen. However, I have Patton ranked on my big board as the number three wide receiver, behind Keenan Allen and Cordarrelle Patterson. In my opinion, a true sleeper pick, and one the 49ers should definitely roll the dice on, as Patton is one of my favorites!