Skattebo, who grew up in Rio Linda, California—just 130 miles from Levi's Stadium—thought the 49ers were going to give him a call as pick No. 100 approached.
"I actually thought I was going to end up going to San Francisco with that 100th pick," Skattebo said this week on Equanimeous and Amon-Ra St. Brown's podcast, per Joaquin Ruiz of NBC Sports Bay Area. "Vibes started getting high, lights started turning on, videos started turning on, and no phone call."
Instead, the 49ers used the No. 100 pick to select cornerback Upton Stout, wrapping up Day 2 of their draft. Skattebo didn't have to wait long on Day 3, though—he was taken with the third pick of the fourth round by the Giants.
"So we woke up at 9:00 a.m. the next morning on Saturday, and we knew it was going be within the first 10 picks because the Niners, the Giants, Tennessee, and somebody else had another pick back to back to back, and I knew one of those teams were going to take me. I didn't know which one. And then the Giants called."
San Francisco did eventually draft a running back—Jordan James of Oregon—in the fifth round. They also signed Cincinnati standout Corey Kiner as an undrafted free agent, adding to their already competitive backfield.
Skattebo, who met with the 49ers during the NFL Scouting Combine, was confident San Francisco had serious interest. His belief that the 49ers were a likely destination suggests the team remained in consistent contact leading up to the draft.
The former Sun Devil had an outstanding senior season, rushing for 1,711 yards and 21 touchdowns, while also contributing 605 receiving yards and three touchdowns through the air.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers bolster interior O-line in 2026 NFL mock draft
CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner released his latest 2026 NFL mock draft, projecting the San Francisco 49ers to address a clear roster need: the interior offensive line. While many expected the 49ers to invest early in the offensive line during the 2025 NFL Draft, the unit... -
49ers mailbag: What's up with Jordan Elliott's knee? Can SF stop Jonathan Taylor? What's on the 49ers' list for Santa?
The San Francisco 49ers are gearing up for the final push toward the 2025 postseason. How far they will be able to go will depend on their health and how many young players perform. Especially since some are reserves who are playing for injured players. We opened the 49ers... -
49ers vs. Bears injury report: George Kittle misses Thursday's practice
The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their Week 17 contest against the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The media did not have access to Thursday's practice due to the Christmas holiday, but the latest team report revealed no major... -
49ers' Trent Williams on NFL future: 'I'm nowhere near done'
San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams is not contemplating retirement anytime soon. Despite being 37 years old, Williams continues to perform at an elite level and believes he still has plenty of football left in him. Williams has earned a Pro Football Focus grade...