Marcus Lattimore Picked Up By 49ers In Fourth Round


Marcus Lattimore was picked up by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round of the NFL draft on Saturday. The running back from South Carolina was the second of the 49ers two fourth-round selections.

Lattimore will join the 49ers after a junior season, during which he suffered a nearly career-ending injury to his right knee in the university’s ninth game.

The knee injury came after Lattimore suffered from torn ligaments in his left knee during his sophomore year. Despite the two knee injuries, the running back set records at South Carolina with 38 career rushing touchdowns and 41 total touchdowns in 29 games.

His new home with the 49ers seems to be a perfect match for Marcus Lattimore, as the team likely won’t press him to play in the 2013 season. Instead, they will likely keep him on the injured reserve list while he continues rehab for his right knee.

Lattimore will have the benefit of learning more by watching running backs Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, and LaMichael James. Once he is healthy, he will be a good fit for San Francisco. Before his injury, Marcus was considered one of the best running backs in the country.

The new team will also allow Lattimore to continue his relationship with Gore, who reached out to him after his season-ending injury. The two running backs have remained in touch. The new addition to the 49ers compared himself to Gore at the 2013 scouting combine, saying:

“I feel like we both run hard. He runs like nobody’s there. He runs with total destruction. I feel like if I could compare my game to anybody, it would be Frank Gore. He’s got low pads, he’s got great vision, he can see the whole field. Great balance.”

Marcus Lattimore first burst onto the football scene in 2010 when he earned the NCAA Freshman of the Year honors. He was also a first-team All-SEC selection after he rushed for 1,197 years.

[Image via Ianmccor]

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