49ers draft capsules: OL Nick Zakelj of Fordham is 49ers’ pick at No. 187 in sixth round
A look at 49ers selections in the 2022 NFL Draft.
A rundown of the 49ers’ activity this weekend during the 2022 NFL Draft:
Saturday
Round 6 (No. 187)
Nick Zakelj, OL Fordham (6-6, 316)
Fast facts: Leader of the Fordham offensive line was a three-time All-Patriot League selection. A four-year starter and on the Patriot League honor roll all four years. A tackle at Fordham, could project as a guard with the 49ers. The fourth player ever drafted out of Fordham and the first 49ers player drafted out of Fordham.
Fun fact: Zakelj is a self-described “late-bloomer” who played linebacker through his junior year in high school. At the time, he was 6-foot-2, 220 pounds.
Quote: “I was fairly unrecruited coming out of high school and didn’t play O-line until my senior year. I had a late growth spurt, my offers were to schools like Fordham and Columbia. You dream of going to the NFL but that wasn’t my purpose. My goal was to play at the D-1 level and study, get my undergraduate degree and my Masters while achieving my goals. It really comes with hard work at the end,” — Nick Zakelj
Round 5 (No. 172)
Sam Womack, CB, Toledo (5-9, 189)
Fast facts: A first-team All-MAC selection, Womack set a Toledo career record with 39 pass breakups and led his league in that category for three straight years. Clocked a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day.
Fun fact: A walk-on at Toledo after playing at East Village Prep in Detroit, Womack was a high school rival of Ambry Thomas, a 49ers rookie draft pick out of Michigan a year ago.
Quote: “We talked about playing a majority inside on defense as well as special teams. But i have the versatility to play outside.This journey and this road and getting to this moment was so surreal. I knew the area code so I knew who it was when I got the call,” — Sam Womack
Round 4 (No. 134)
Spencer Burford, OL, Texas-San Antonio (6-4, 304)
Fast facts: Burford was a key figure in an offense that set school records for total yards (6,146), total yards per game (439.0), passing yards (3,577), passing yards per game (255.5), points scored (516) and points per game (36.9). Allowed only two sacks and one hit on the quarterback in 420 pass-blocking snaps according to Pro Football Focus.
Fun fact: Burford is only third player drafted from Texas-San Antonio, the others being defensive end Marcus Davenport No. 14 overall in 2018 and tight end David Morgan in the sixth round in 2016.
Quote: “I’m going to play wherever they need me. I’m not going to suggest one spot over the other. I can play inside, I can play outside. Wherever they need me that’s where I’m going to play,” — Spencer Burford
Friday
Round 2 (No. 61 overall)
Drake Jackson, DL, USC (6-4, 273)
Fast facts: Played in 28 games with 26 starts for the Trojans in three seasons. Had breakout season as a freshman with 5 1/2 sacks, 11 1/2 tackles for loss. Had 25 career tackles for loss. Weight fluctuated from 240-pound range to high of 273 depending on whether playing as a linebacker
Fun fact: Went to Centennial High in Los Angeles area and is one of three players from Corona and USC players to be drafted along with Ryan and Matt Khalil.
Quote: “My whole life was dedicated for this moment. Everything has been ball; I’ve never done anything else. It has always been ball. I’ve always done the things I’ve needed to do to get into this place.,” — Drake Jackson
Round 3 (No. 93 overall)
Tyrion Davis-Price, RB, LSU (6-1, 219)
Fast facts: Physical power back who rushed for 1,744 yards and 15 TDs in career, including 1003 yards on 211 carries as a junior. Was sixth-leading rusher in the SEC. Highs of 36 carries, 287 yards and three touchdowns against Florida.
Fun fact: As a senior at Southern University Laboratory High, Davis-Price was a finalist for the 2019 Warrick Dunn Award, which is named after the former NFL running back and is awarded to the top high school football player in Baton Rouge annually
Quote: “I love delivering the blow. I don’t like getting tackled, I know it happens, but I hate getting tackled. I love bringing the contact to them so that they don’t want to tackle you. In the first, second quarter they might take it a little bit, but eventually they don’t want any more of it,” — Tyrion Davis-Price
Round 3 (No. 105 overall)
Danny Gray, WR SMU (6-0, 200)
Fast facts: Started all 18 games he appeared in two years (2020-21) at Southern Methodist and registered 72 recepts. for 1,251 rec. yds. and 13 TDs. Attended Blinn College for his freshman and sophomore years.
Fun fact: Also played basketball and competed in track and field at James Madison High in Dallas, where he won state championships inthe 100-meter dash and 4×100-meter relay.
Quote: When you can add toughness and speed, (Tyrion Davis-Price) is in a bigger package. Danny Gray does it probably in a smaller package, but still has those two qualities of he can flat-out get it. This is a kid who won the 100 in Texas as a sophomore in high school, ” — 49ers GM John Lynch