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"We think he has guard and tackle flexibility," general manager John Lynch said on April 30. "Really good feet and quickness, excellent length as well and we think he's really a scheme fit. We targeted him early, he came out here on a 30 visit and got to know the young man better and became very convicted and were hoping he would be there and he was and we jumped at the opportunity."
Burford started 21 of 23 games in his final two seasons with the Roadrunners, including 11 starts at left tackle in 2021. However, he has experience at right tackle and made 11 starts at left guard in 2019.
"I'm going to play wherever [the 49ers] need me," Burford told reporters after being drafted. "I'm not going to come in and suggest one spot over another. I have a lot of versatility and can play inside or outside, so that's why I feel comfortable. So, wherever they need me, that's where I'm going to play."
Thanks to the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which runs through the 2030 season, all rookie contracts are for a length of four years. First-round selections come with an option for a fifth year, which doesn't apply to any of the 49ers' nine draft selections.
Burford didn't hesitate to respond when asked to assess his strengths and weaknesses.
"I'll start with my weaknesses. Sometimes my aggressive nature sacrifices my technique," Burford admitted. "So, I just need to play more under control, and with my passes, I need to take that one extra kick at the end of the set. I had too much weight on the inside of my foot, so just making sure that my shoulders are balanced, so that way I can still have a good anchor. There's always room for improvement with hand placement. Just playing under control and refining the technique and the little things within the game.
"Some of my strengths: I'm going to run off the ball, for sure. You don't ever have to worry about me lacking on a play. I play hard all the time. I treat the game as a sacred field that you play on. The game means a lot to me, so I'm not going to disrespect it. The other thing that I do really well is coming off and striking on the second level. I'm good with combo blocks, especially in the zone concept. I'm good on the back side of zone, front side of zone, especially with the outside scheme that they run. I just feel like it was a perfect fit."
