With the 176th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers have selected Stanford tight end Kaden Smith.
Smith (6-foot-5, 255 pounds) caught 70 passes for 1,049 yards and seven touchdowns over two seasons for the Cardinal. He ran a 4.92 40-yard dash at the Combine and posted a 32-inch vertical jump. Lance Zierlerin of NFL.com describes Smith as a pass catching tight end who gives good effort as a run blocker but will need to improve in that area. Smith opted to forgo his senior year at Stanford and declare for the NFL Draft.
His size is "slightly above average" among NFL starting tight ends, and Stanford's pro-style offense should help ease his transition. Smith joins George Kittle, Garrett Celek, Ross Dwelley and Marcus Lucas as the tight ends currently on the 49ers roster.
