49ers: 5 best late-round NFL Draft picks of the century

NFL Draft: 49ers 5 best late-round draft picks of the century

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 18: Delanie Walker #46 of the San Francisco 49ers carries the ball into the endzone for a 29 yard touchdown catch and run against the Dallas Cowboys in the third quarter of an NFL football game at Candlestick Park on September 18, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

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Trent Brown #77 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /

No. 4: To Tackle a Big Need

Offensive linemen are always important to address in the draft. A team can never have enough offensive linemen that are ready to go on game days. And in 2015, the 49ers selected offensive tackle Trent Brown from Florida in the seventh round (244th overall).

In 2016, his second season in the NFL, Brown started in all 16 games. His 2017 season was cut short due to injury. He only played in 10 games in 2017, but his performance was enough for the New England Patriots to make a move and trade for him before the 2018 season.

The Patriots sent a 2018 third-round pick (95th overall) to the 49ers for Brown and a fifth-round pick (143rd overall). Brown would go on to win a Super Bowl with the Patriots in 2018 and then earn a four-year, $66 million contract from the Oakland Raiders the following season.

In 2019 with the Raiders, Brown earned his first Pro Bowl selection despite playing only 11 games due to injury.

In that season he showed why he was worth more than a seventh-round pick.