49ers NFL Draft history: Ranking 10 best late-round picks
By Peter Panacy
No. 10: 49ers Linebacker Parys Haralson
Round 5, No. 140 Overall in the 2006 NFL Draft
Linebacker Parys Haralson wasn’t necessarily a star defender during his seven-year tenure in San Francisco, but he was awfully reliable and consistent.
It doesn’t help he was mostly overshadowed by the player the 49ers added a year after Haralson was drafted, fellow linebacker Patrick Willis, and Haralson was eventually replaced as an edge rusher by Aldon Smith in 2011.
Between those years, though, Haralson emerged as a regular starter and finished his Niners career with 21.5 sacks, 210 tackles, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
That’s about as solid a production level over a long period of time any team would expect out of a day-three NFL Draft pick, and Haralson was quietly one of the fanbase’s favorites even though he didn’t receive anywhere near the credit or recognition some of San Francisco’s other defensive stars got during that period.
Still, a player of Haralson’s caliber is always a good find in Round 5.