San Francisco 49ers: 20 worst NFL Draft picks in franchise history
By Peter Panacy
No. 12: Defensive Back Mike Rumph
Drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round (27th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft
Cornerback Mike Rumph was supposed to be the type of defensive force in the secondary which would help the 49ers match up well against the St. Louis Rams of the early 2000s.
At 6-foot-2″ and 205 pounds, Rumph had the intangibles to look the part of a solid defensive back.
The only problem was his coverage skills and instincts were terrible.
Like Taylor Mays, the Niners didn’t have to wait long to learn they had made a huge mistake after taking Rumph in Round 1 of the 2002 NFL Draft. But San Francisco didn’t exactly have a lot of talent in subsequent years, so Rumph stayed with the 49ers for a total of four seasons.
The Niners experimented with Rumph at safety, but that didn’t work out well, either.
Rumph suffered a number of injuries in 2004 and 2005 and finished off his NFL career with the Washington Redskins the subsequent year.