SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) — “Believe in yourself, show up and take advantage of the opportunity!”
Advice from 49ers tight end George Kittle just hours ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft.
The excitement is here and kids’ dreams are just moments away from coming true. The draft marks the start of a journey they’ve worked all their lives for.
A series of emotions kick in once their name is called and it’s a moment players and their families don’t ever forget.
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The 6-foot-4, 250 pound TE said he’s always been labeled athletic because of his size, but was referred to as a fullback because he wasn’t the desired size to play inline.
Kittle was a top tight end prospect following a stellar senior year at the University of Iowa. He was projected to be a third or fourth round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by experts and scouts.
So when Kyle Shanahan and his staff noticed Kittle still sitting there in the fifth round, he took action. The 49ers head coach said he was shocked Kittle had not been picked yet.
“We had him as who we thought was the best tight end, or one of the best tight ends in the draft,” Shanahan said. “But he wasn’t much on anyone’s radar so we assumed he was going to be a third round guy and we had to go a different direction in that round. We were just shocked that we was just sitting there in the fifth.”
The San Francisco 49ers selected Kittle in the fifth round, 146th overall. And well, that story is still being written. But if there’s one thing you can learn from players like George Kittle:
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t fit the mold, it doesn’t matter what day you’re drafted, or if you’re the 1st pick of the 8th round,” Kittle wrote on Instagram. “Your dream is your dream!”
The NFL Draft begins April 23 and ends on Saturday, April 25. Round 1 will be held on Thursday, with Rounds 2 and 3 held on Friday, and Rounds 4-7 wrap things up on Saturday.