San Francisco 49ers: Best late-round NFL Draft picks in franchise history
1. player. 879. . Wide Receiver. Tigers . Dwight Clark
1979 NFL Draft: Round: 10, Pick No. 249 Overall
The late wide receiver, Dwight Clark, is neither the best player nor even the best pass catcher on this short list, but his place in 49ers history is firmly cemented.
In January of 1982, during the NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park, Clark hauled in a franchise-altering — indeed, a league-altering — touchdown catch, one which would send the 49ers to their first Super Bowl and on the path to win three more in the 1980s.
San Francisco 49ers
“The Catch” is one of the most memorable moments in NFL history.
The play is remembered not just for its degree of difficulty, which was quite high, but also the context in which it occurred: with less than a minute left on the clock and the 49ers trailing due to unbelievable six turnovers in the game against the hated Cowboys, who had bounced the Niners in the playoffs in their three previous appearances, chances for success were slim.
The quarterback on the other end of the pass: fellow 1979 NFL Draft classmate, Joe Montana, who in the previous season had only started seven games, winning twice, was in his first full year as a starter.
However, when Clark secured that touchdown near the corner of the end zone, using every inch of his 6-foot-4 frame, it propelled an organization without championship experience into one that expected to win every season. It also validated the organization’s selection of Bill Walsh and Walsh’s selection of Montana. It changed everything.
Clark had a tremendous career in his own right with San Francisco. In his nine seasons in the red and gold, Clark was a two-time Pro Bowler and earned a first-team All-Pro selection in 1982. In the strike-shortened season of 1982, Clark led the NFL with 60 receptions and tallied 51 total touchdown receptions (regular season and playoffs combined) for the 49ers, though none more impactful than “The Catch” in 1982.
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Clark may not be the best player on this list, but he was the best late-round selection in franchise history.