One of those players, N.C. State defensive end Kentavius Street, isn't likely to see any playing time in 2018. His ACL injury occurred during a private workout with the New York Giants just a few weeks ago.
49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan are well aware of the perception from fans whenever a player who is coming off an injury (or suffered a serious injury during his career) is selected.
"I think we're aware of that," Lynch said. "We're not trying to make popular picks, we're trying to make good picks, and we were very convicted that this was just that. We care about our fans. We love their input. We love their passion. We may have been told about that history. Sure, you know about it. We can't let that affect us.
"[Shanahan and I] came in with our philosophy and we've got to stick true to those. We aren't looking for guys like that, but when you find a guy you really like, sometimes you've got to be patient. We're willing to be patient if it's worth it and we feel like it's worth it in this case."
Shanahan also provided his thoughts on the matter.
"That is hard," he said. "It's hard for fans, it's hard for John, it's hard for coaches. I mean, you want to improve right away. Usually, you can come up with a better decision or talk yourself into something else when you get to that spot. I think that shows how we felt about the player."
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers roster building: Why John Lynch's offensive line approach raises concerns
Now that we are close to the end of training camp and the cutdown is a week away, all general managers will be watching the final games. They know they will have to release players they like and that other GMs will, too. They know they will need depth at certain positions, and... -
49ers reporter expresses concerns about the team's defensive line
The San Francisco 49ers may have enough bodies along the defensive line. Whether they have enough players who can consistently get after the quarterback is another question. That's the concern Matt Barrows of The Athletic raised recently, and it's one that could end up having a... -
Why 49ers' Kyle Shanahan refused to name players who stood out vs. Raiders
A few San Francisco 49ers players made positive impressions on head coach Kyle Shanahan during Thursday night's preseason win over the Las Vegas Raiders. However, Shanahan opted to remain tight-lipped about his personnel evaluations, giving reporters little insight into his... -
Jason McIntyre predicts 49ers could part ways with Kyle Shanahan or John Lynch after 2026 season
Jason McIntyre isn't necessarily predicting Kyle Shanahan will be fired by the San Francisco 49ers after the 2026 season. But he isn't ruling it out, either. During a recent appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, McIntyre made a bold prediction that either Shanahan or Green...