Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: The worst 15 NFL draft picks in franchise history

By Jeremy Wohlfart

"THE PICK IS IN" for the San Francisco 49ers during the 2018 NFL Draft (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
"THE PICK IS IN" for the San Francisco 49ers during the 2018 NFL Draft (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 28: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell annonces DeForest Buckner of Oregon as the #7 overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University on April 28, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 28: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell annonces DeForest Buckner of Oregon as the #7 overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University on April 28, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images) /

12. Tom Stolhandske, Linebacker, Texas

No, I couldn’t find a photo or video of Tom Stolhandske either.

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Drafted with the 10th overall pick in 1953, Stolhandske would instead go to Canada, playing for the Edmonton Eskimos.

He would eventually come to the NFL, playing with the 49ers in 1955.

This would be his only season.

Stats are a bit sketchy for back then. We know he had a fumble recovery and an interception. That’s about it. Today such a prospect would be vilified, but it’s hard to be too critical considering that drafting in the 1950s was a bit of a craps shoot.

So that’s three picks from the 50s in a row, it’s just hard to put guys in an era where drafting was an inexact science high on a list like this.

That said, they’re still worthy (or otherwise) enough to get on it.