UDFA Jason Poe is the most intriguing prospect of the 49ers draft class

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.


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.


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.


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.


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
• Written by:
  Brian Renick
  A full-time educator, lifelong Niner fan, and 3rd Wheel on the No Huddle Podcast
  All articles by Brian Renick
  @brenick77