49ers NFL Draft history: Ranking 10 best late-round picks

6 of 11

Tight end George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

No. 6: 49ers Tight End George Kittle

Round 6, No. 146 Overall in the 2017 NFL Draft

Recent bias might put 49ers All-Pro tight end George Kittle a bit higher on this list, as he’s still only had just four seasons with the team since being selected as an obscure prospect out of Iowa in Round 5 of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Only to go on to become the best player at his position within the entire NFL and one of the league’s best offensive weapons overall.

Kittle, of course, set the single-season record for most receiving yards by a tight end (1,377) in 2018 despite having three different quarterbacks throwing the ball to him. A year later, Pro Football Focus named Kittle the league’s best overall player that season.

Impressive.

One should expect Kittle to maintain his ascent up the ranks of San Francisco’s best late-round NFL Draft picks, especially as he continues to make exceptional impact, both in terms of stats and blocking prowess.

So, why didn’t anyone else see Kittle as a superstar? Well, we’re proud to say we told you so.