Jason Poe is a bit of a unicorn.
The offensive lineman from Mercer stands 6'1" tall, weighs 300 pounds, and runs a 4.89 40-yard dash. He also put up 34 reps on the bench press, a 31.5" vertical jump, and a 9'3" broad jump.
Jason Poe is an athlete.
To hear him tell it, he's an interior offensive lineman slash fullback. And when you watch him run routes, you can see that he absolutely could profile at fullback. Just for reference, current 49ers' Pro Bowl FB Kyle Juszczyk ran a 4.77 40-yard dash at the combine at 6'1" and 235 pounds.
Jason Poe C,OG/FB Mercer University
6'1", 300Lbs
— Jason Poe 🔥💦 (@jpoe_) April 14, 2022
34 bench (92nd percentile)
4.89 40 (99th)
1.72 10 (90th)
31.5 vertical (89th)
9'3" broad (92nd) @JustinM_NFL @PFF_College @CGSAllStar @RiseNDraft @McShay13 pic.twitter.com/zT2dNiJID6
The only knock on Poe as an offensive lineman is his relatively short stature and arms. However, that does not mean he doesn't have excellent tape out there. In fact, Mike Renner of PFF called him the best pulling guard in all of college football.
Folks the best pulling guard in college football plays at Mercer
Jason Poe is one #funtowatch offensive lineman pic.twitter.com/7Nn3FWJGUI
— Mike Renner (@PFF_Mike) October 14, 2021
Poe's height and arm length don't necessarily eliminate him from sticking at guard, and you can look no further than Shaq Mason, the eight-year veteran, formerly of the New England Patriots, who was drafted in the 4th round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Mason started 111 games for the Patriots before being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 5th-round pick this offseason. The measurables for the two players are incredibly similar—though Poe has a considerable edge when it comes to strength.
Just having some fun with @MathBomb's RAS comparison tool.
(Poe wasn't invited to the combine but worked out at Georgia's pro day, where Bill Belichick, Matt Patricia, Matt Groh and well over 100 other NFL staffers were in attendance.) https://t.co/HZjSRp9xcQ pic.twitter.com/FkcnNKfmQE
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) March 25, 2022
Here are some more highlights from his senior season at Mercer. Fast forward to the 55-second mark to see him against Alabama. His speed absolutely shows up on tape.
Jason Poe Senior year highlights
I want Thank God for every opportunity NFL next stop. 🙏🏾🏈 pic.twitter.com/pbxmUt0FsV
— Jason Poe 🔥💦 (@jpoe_) December 14, 2021
I genuinely believe Poe's athleticism gives him a real opportunity to compete for the right guard position on the 49ers' offensive line, but that athleticism also gives him an opportunity to be a chess piece in Kyle Shanahan's system. I could imagine him lining up at TE, in the backfield at FB—especially at the goal line, and as a possible ST contributor.
The sky is the limit for Jason Poe and he is the most intriguing prospect of the 49ers' entire draft class.
- Brian Renick
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Written by:A full-time educator, lifelong Niner fan, and Co-Host of the 49erswebzone No Huddle Podcast on the Audacy Network.
