Getty George Kittle catches a pass in the air on January 14, 2023 in Santa Clara.
On Saturday, April 29, the San Francisco 49ers will wrap up their 2023 NFL Draft class.
The 29th of April has got to have significance among the 49ers Faithful. For those who may not recall, it was on that day six years ago the franchise — under a new regime with John Lynch as general manager and Kyle Shanahan as head coach — picked a prospect projected to be an “average backup or special teamer” and was passed over by eight different teams who took a prospect representing his position.
Little did those teams know, George Kittle would go on to become a $75 million talent and one of the premier faces at tight end.
As Daniel Jeremiah stated a week before the draft, the draft insider for the NFL Network praised the way the 49ers have discovered late round gems — which includes using the 49ers’ discovery of the fifth rounder Kittle as an example.
“I think they’ve figured out the makeup part of this whole thing. They have found it,” Jeremiah said in his Friday, April 21 conference call with reporters (h/t the 49ers team website). “Sometimes this thing is not evaluating these guys as players. It’s evaluating them as people and competitors and all that.”
The 8 Who Passed on ‘The People’s TE’ & How Each TE has Fared Since
So who passed on “The People’s Tight End” six years ago? And how have their selections fared? Here’s a recap:
Buccaneers: National champion O.J. Howard was the first TE taken in this class at 19th overall from Alabama. While Howard owns a Super Bowl championship with the Bucs from 2020, he’s never caught more than 35 receptions or has surpassed 565 receiving yards in every NFL season per Pro Football Reference. He’s now on his third NFL team the Las Vegas Raiders after a disastrous 2022 with the Houston Texans.
Giants: Evan Engram was selected at 23rd overall, also hailing from the Southeastern Conference having starred at Ole Miss. Engram managed one Pro Bowl nod in 2020 and has collected 335 career passes. Kittle, though, has 60 receptions more and 11 more touchdowns that Engram.
Browns: David Njoku was the third and final TE taken in the first, going at No. 29. Njoku has managed to stay in Cleveland — but has never surpassed more than four touchdowns or 59 receptions in his career.
Rams: Gerald Everett was the first TE off the board in the second round. Everett has steadily improved his numbers each season in receptions and yards — but has never scaled past four touchdowns in a season.
Bears: Adam Shaheen followed Everett at No. 45 to Chicago. While he had enticing size at 6-foot-7, Shaheen never caught more than 12 receptions in his five NFL seasons and is currently a free agent.
Titans: Jonnu Smith was the lone third round TE at No. 100. Smith delivered a breakout 2020 that saw eight touchdowns. But has since scored just once in his last nine starts and has caught no more than 28 passes the last two seasons with the New England Patriots. Has now reunited with his former Tennessee offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in Atlanta.
Lions: Michael Roberts was taken No. 127 overall from Toledo. After two seasons in the league, Roberts made the decision to retire early due to multiple surgeries.
Broncos: Perhaps this is the team really kicking themselves for passing on Kittle. Their selection Jake Butt has the distinction of being taken right in front of Kittle at 145th overall. Butt only started in four games in his career and retired in 2021.
Kittle would go on to become a four-time Pro Bowler, an NFC champion and produce two 80-catch seasons.
TE Could Still be Need Come Friday for 49ers
Kittle has helped shed the label of fifth rounder. But he’s not getting any younger — which signifies a new tight end may be on the way.
There’s the belief by Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday, April 24 that the 49ers will look to address TE in the draft. Matt Barrows of The Athletic projects Brenton Strange of Penn State landing at S.F. — with the Niners making him their second draft pick. Fellow 49ers insider for The Athletic David Lombardi has Cameron Latu of Alabama going at No. 173 in Kittle’s round.
Elsewhere, Chad Reuter of nfl.com predicts converted tight end Elijah Higgins from Lynch’s alma mater Stanford will head to S.F. at the 216th spot of round six.
But if the 49ers turn to adding someone next to Kittle, April 29 has already proven to be a good omen date for the Niners through “The People’s Tight End.”