49ers vs. Seahawks: Ranking top 10 moments in NFC West rivalry

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SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 28: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the San Francisco 49ers stands on the field before their game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium on December 28, 2014, in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

No. 8: Jim Harbaugh passes on Richard Sherman in 2011 NFL Draft

Hindsight is 20-20, they say.

But is it, though, when you consider then-Niners head coach Jim Harbaugh coached cornerback Richard Sherman at Stanford? Harbaugh knew what Sherman had, he knew the product, the talent and tendencies.

So why pass on him?

We can only speculate Harbaugh knew something the rest of us didn’t, or perhaps there was tension between those two that Harbaugh felt might spill into the locker room.

In a 2014 interview with Doug Farrar of Sports Illustrated, Sherman gave some insight into that relationship when comparing Seattle’s head coach, Pete Carroll, with Harbaugh:

"[Carroll] is the polar opposite…he’s not soft, but he’s easygoing. He’s loose. As loose as you can get out there. He allows his players to be who they are within the confines of the team, as long as it doesn’t hurt the team, he allows guys to be themselves. If you’re a loose guy and dance at practice like I do, he allows you to be that guy. As long as when you’re on the field you do exactly what you’re supposed to do."

Whatever happened between Harbaugh and Sherman is ancient history now, but it’s not unreasonable to wonder what the 49ers would’ve looked like had Sherman joined the team from the get-go.

Initially, the advantage went to Carroll… until his first game against Harbaugh.