49ers NFL Draft history: Ranking 10 best late-round picks
By Peter Panacy
No. 8: 49ers Safety Merton Hanks
Round 5, No. 122 Overall in the 1991 NFL Draft
Some could argue defensive back Merton Hanks belongs much higher on this list, and that’s a very strong point.
It wouldn’t be easy for anybody to come in right away and replace the prowess left by Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott, but that’s precisely what Hanks was asked to do in 1992, a year after the 49ers drafted him in Round 5 of the 1991 NFL Draft.
Hanks shifted from cornerback to free safety and never looked back. From 1994 through 1997, Hanks would be a regular Pro Bowler along with being a 1995 first-team All-Pro. During his epic career where he helped redefine the Niners secondary in the wake of Lott’s departure, Hanks would record 474 tackles, three forced fumbles and 31 interceptions.
Those 31 picks still rank fourth all time on San Francisco’s leaderboard, and no defensive back has come close since.