49ers GM Defends Taking A Kicker In The Third Round

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch defended his team's decision to select a kicker in the third round of this year's NFL Draft.

The Niners selected Michigan's Jake Moody in the third round with the 99th-overall pick. It was kind of a surprising choice. One that made Moody the earliest kicker selected in a draft since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took Robert Aguayo 59th overall in 2016.

Even wilder, Moody became just the sixth kicker taken in the top 100 since 2000.

So, understandably some were wondering what the 49ers were doing. On a recent radio appearance, Lynch said the team was taking Moody off the board before others did.

"I can tell you, since then, that a lot of teams have called and said, you know, shortly thereafter they were going there," Lynch said on KNBR's Murph & Mac show. "And, in fact, teams tried to trade up to get in front of us. So, something we feel really good about. Time will tell, as it will with all these guys.

Well, that helps to clarify things a little bit. I guess other teams wanting to do the same thing helps make the Niners feel a little more comfortable with their pick too. Like when you go to someone's wedding wearing jeans and see another dude wearing jeans. It's just validation.

Although, it seems like they're more than confident with Moody. Lynch said that he thinks the kicker could be a major part of his team moving forward.

"We think he has the makings of a really cornerstone, foundational-type player for years to come for us, and we're proud to have him a part of us."

That confidence is not unfounded. Jake Moody has one heck of a leg. In five seasons with Michigan, he never missed an extra point. As far as field goals, he drilled 69 of them on 84 attempts. That's 82.1 field goal percentage.

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