10 players 49ers sorely wish they drafted in 2022 but didn’t
By Peter Panacy
. Tight End. Baltimore Ravens. Isaiah Likely. 139. player. 26
49ers missed-opportunity No. 7: Tight end Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina
San Francisco was wise, relatively speaking, not to overvalue what was generally considered a weak NFL Draft class at tight end.
That said, there was some value to be had on day three of the draft here.
Coastal Carolina tight end Isaiah Likely would have been a great option for head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, serving as an H-back kind of weapon with good potential for contributing yards after the catch. Additionally, Shanahan has long been seeking a quality No. 2 reserve behind All-Pro tight end George Kittle.
Instead, the 49ers passed on Likely in Round 4 when they were on the clock at No. 134 overall, grabbing Spencer Burford instead, which meant Likely would be plucked away by the Baltimore Ravens five picks later.
For now, the Niners will hope the reserve tandem of Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner will be enough to support Kittle heading into 2022.