3 NFL Draft prospects 49ers must avoid taking at all costs in 2022

49ers Prospect No. 3: Jake Ferguson, Tight End, Wisconsin

This might be a bit of a surprise, given the Niners have an awesome tight end in George Kittle, but head coach Kyle Shanahan is always searching for a partner in crime so he can have double the blocking and the mismatches at the position.

And it makes sense, a formation with two tight ends who also are a force in the passing game might be the best possible formation imaginable to help Trey Lance as a full-time starter.

Unfortunately, while Jake Ferguson was once a candidate to be the first tight end off the board (albeit in a very weak class for the position), his rather poor showing at the combine raises serious issues about both his blocking and his ability to separate at the next level.

Of the 10 tight ends who did the weights at the combine, Ferguson was dead last with only 15 reps of the 225 pound bar. He was also the fifth slowest tight end with a 40-yard time of only 4.77 seconds.

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The 49ers have a very specific vision in mind. They want to find the next Kittle, a steal in the later rounds who can be molded because they physically have the tools even if they don’t have the college stats.

Ferguson did not show he had the tools needed. His lack of physical strength and his slow speed should be very concerning for San Francisco.

There’s likely to be one tight end in the Niners’ 2022 draft class, but it’s unlikely to be Ferguson.