A rundown of the 49ers’ activity this weekend during the 2022 NFL draft:
Saturday
Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State (6-1, 220)
Round 7 (No. 262)
— Fast facts: Four-year starter completed 67.7% of his passes for 12,170 yards, 81 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. The first-team All-Big-12 quarterback goes into the books as this year’s “Mr. Irrelevant,” although as general manager John Lynch said, “He’s relevant to us.” Purdy is the sixth quarterback taken as Mr. Irrelevant since 1976. The last one was Chad Kelly in 2017 by Denver.
— Fun fact: Purdy had no interaction at all with coach Kyle Shanahan going into the draft. Purdy dealt with quarterbacks coach Brian Griese and offensive assistant Klay Kubiak. Shanahan simply liked his experience level and his knowledge of the position, considered him a priority undrafted free agent, and went ahead and took him with the final pick.
— Quote: “If you’re a fan, even my family and friends, it’s funny to laugh and joke around about it. I look at (Mr. Irrelevant) as I’ve got my foot in the door and I’ve got an opportunity to play football. I’ll embrace the role and have fun with it, but at the end of the day I want to win and contribute to a Super Bowl,” Purdy said.
Tariq Castro-Fields, CB Penn State (6-1, 197)
Round 6 (No. 221)
— Fast facts: Played in 52 career games, making 30 starts at cornerback. Recorded 138 tackles (93 solo), 10 tackles for loss, three interceptions, 25 pass breakups and a forced fumble. A 12-game starter in 2021. All-Big Ten honorable mention selection. Criticisms include a reluctance to tackle. Played just three games in 2020 with nerve-stinger problems.
— Fun fact: Lettered in track and field three years in high school and was part of the fastest 4X400 relay team in the state as a sophomore at Riverdale Baptist in Upper Marlboro, Md.
— Quote: “I look forward to proving myself again, starting at square one. I’m going to be a rookie again and I can’t wait to shock the world. This is a dream come true and a perfect spot for me,” Castro-Fields said.
Kalia Davis, DT Central Florida (6-1, 302)
Round 6 (No. 220)
— Fast facts: Davis played just five games as a senior before a torn ACL ended his season. In 28 college games, Davis had three sacks and 11 tackles for loss. Visited the 49ers as one of their 30 visits allowed at the facility. The 49ers see him as a D.J. Jones-type of interior presence but he’ll likely open the season on the Physically Unable to Perform List.
— Fun fact: A high school linebacker, Davis was recruited at that position and actually played there his first two years at UCF. He then moved to defensive end before settling at defensive tackle for his final two seasons.
— Quote: “I’m five months out of surgery so I’m just going to get with the 49ers and their training staff and I can’t wait to work with them. We’re going to take it from there. I’m just happy right now,” Davis said.
Nick Zakelj, OL Fordham (6-6, 316)
Round 6 (No. 187)
— 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 un-recruited 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 Master’s while achieving my goals. It really comes with hard work at the end,” Zakelj said.
Sam Womack, CB, Toledo (5-9, 189)
Round 5 (No. 172)
— 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,” Womack said.
Spencer Burford, OL, Texas-San Antonio (6-4, 304)
Round 4 (No. 134)
— 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,” Burford said.
Friday
Drake Jackson, DL, USC (6-4, 273)
Round 2 (No. 61 overall)
— 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 Kalil.
— 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,” Jackson said.
Tyrion Davis-Price, RB, LSU (6-1, 219)
Round 3 (No. 93 overall)
— 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,” Davis-Price said.
Danny Gray, WR SMU (6-0, 200)
Round 3 (No. 105 overall)
— Fast facts: Started all 18 games he appeared in two years (2020-21) at Southern Methodist and registered 72 receptions for 1,251 yards 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 in the 100-meter dash and 4x100-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
