Niners' Third-Round Steals: Montana, Gore, Warner

0:00It's April 7. From your city to your ears, this is California News Today, powered by AI. The San Francisco 49ers are rolling into the 2026 NFL Draft, with just six picks, one in the first round, one in the second, and four in the fourth. They shipped off their third round selection, the 92nd overall spot, to snag defensive Lyman Osa Odizua, and folks are calling in one of their smartest free agency grabs yet. That trades things a bit when you think about the Niners track record in the third round, where they've mined some absolute gold over the years. No first or second round hype needed, they've turned mid-round steals into legends that defined errors. Take Joe Montana, snagged at the 82nd pick, he became the franchise's goat quarterback with four Super Bowl rings, three MVP nods there, and zero picks in those big games, his cool headed magic under Bill Walsh, built a dynasty that still echoes. When there's Frank Gore, pick 65th overall in 2005, who racked up over 16,000 rushing

1:03yards, third all time, thanks to. His iron toughness and vision, despite brutal knee issues, dude played reliable for over a decade straight. Fred Warner, grabbed at the 70th spot, is still balling as their top linebacker, leading the defense with speed, smarts, and coverage skills, that have him eyeing Hall of Fame status soon. Even Saun's a third rounder this time, the Niners eye for talent keeps the future lit.