Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: 20 worst NFL Draft picks in franchise history

By Peter Panacy

Quarterback Alex Smith (Utah) drafted first overall by the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
Quarterback Alex Smith (Utah) drafted first overall by the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images) /
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Defensive tackle Reggie McGrew #92 and linebacker Jevon Kearse #42 of the Florida Gators (Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport)
Defensive tackle Reggie McGrew #92 and linebacker Jevon Kearse #42 of the Florida Gators (Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons /Allsport) /

No. 17: Defensive Tackle Reggie McGrew

Drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round (24th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft

The 49ers of the late 1990s were looking to get better, defensively, and Florida defensive tackle Reggie McGrew was supposed to be that critical piece after he posted a strong career at the collegiate level at Florida.

San Francisco drafted McGrew in Round 1 of the 1999 NFL Draft, and the 49ers moved up three spots in the round to grab him.

Almost instantly, McGrew ran into issues with the Niners. Injuries derailed his rookie campaign, and McGrew never saw the field until 2000. And he was limited to 22 games between 2000 and 2001 and never started any of them.

And it didn’t help he showed up out of shape for his first training camp.

During that brief stretch in San Francisco, McGrew registered only nine tackles and one sack — certainly not the stat line for which the 49ers hoped.

McGrew was out of the NFL by 2003.