San Francisco 49ers: Ranking 5 best fifth-round NFL Draft picks of all time

One could make the argument former Texas defensive back Tarell Brown is among the more underappreciated 49ers players in recent history.

Granted, the Niners selected him back in 2007 when they were going through one of the tougher times in franchise history, and the team wasn’t particularly good for the vast majority of the decade, meaning Brown was largely overshadowed by the team’s problems elsewhere on the roster.

Plus, it didn’t help Brown was overshadowed by two of San Francisco’s chief pickups earlier in that year’s draft, linebacker Patrick Willis and offensive tackle Joe Staley, who were both selected in Round 1.

Still, Brown would go on to become a mainstay of the 49ers secondary into the next decade, solidifying one half of the defensive backfield when the Niners returned to being Super Bowl contenders.

Brown’s individual tenure with San Francisco lasted through 2013, and he played a total of 100 games with the 49ers, which included 11 interceptions and 54 passes defended during that stretch.

Not bad at all for a late-round investment.