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2016 NFL Draft: Injury-concern Prospects the San Francisco 49ers May Consider

By Peter Panacy

Jan 1, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith (9) cries as he is carted off the field after suffering an injury un the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the 2016 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith (9) cries as he is carted off the field after suffering an injury un the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the 2016 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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The San Francisco 49ers have a history of taking risks on injured players coming out in the NFL Draft. With the 2016 draft just around the corner, who are some prospects the Niners may look at as high-risk, high-reward candidates?

Nov 8, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; UCLA Bruins running back Myles Jack (30) looks at the scoreboard during a fourth quarter timeout against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; UCLA Bruins running back Myles Jack (30) looks at the scoreboard during a fourth quarter timeout against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

If San Francisco 49ers fans want to bet on two things, they can all but certainly state the Niners will trade down at some point in the 2016 NFL Draft to accumulate more picks and take a shot on a prospect with an injury history.

49ers general manager Trent Baalke has a history of doing both. But let’s focus on the latter.

Last year, wide receiver DeAndre Smelter found his way to San Francisco in Round 4 despite a knee injury, which kept him off the field during his rookie season.

In previous years, the 49ers brought in injury-concern prospects like defensive end Tank Carradine, running back Marcus Lattimore, offensive guard Brandon Thomas and cornerback Keith Reaser, to name a few.

But these risky picks of Baalke’s “All ACL” team haven’t exactly panned out to the 49ers’ best hopes.

Lattimore retired before ever seeing NFL action. Carradine and Thomas haven’t exactly wowed despite being viewed as top-tier collegiate prospects. And the book is still out on Reaser. Who knows what the team will get out of Smelter.

And yet Baalke may take the same route in 2016 — not necessarily because he likes prospects who are injured but because some of them may simply be too enticing to pass on.

So let’s take a look at some of these high-risk, high-reward prospects in whom the Niners may have interest.

Are they worth a shot even if the injury concerns are real?

Next: LB Jaylon Smith