Why the 49ers Drafted Linebacker Nick Martin

SANTA CLARA -- When it comes to drafting linebackers, the 49ers have a type.

They like smaller linebackers, guys who would have been strong safeties 20 years ago. Players who are shorter than 6'0" and lighter than 230 pounds. Some teams wouldn't even have these linebackers on their draft board. But 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh loves them.

After the 49ers drafted Oklahoma State linebacker Nick Martin in Round 3 on Friday night, John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan explained what they like about him.

LYNCH: "Nick Martin the linebacker, he’s a run and hit player. He fits our style of physicality and playing the game the right way. Two-time captain at Oklahoma State, just had our type of player all over it. You know, swarms to the football and you feel him on the field, not the biggest guy but has long arms that kind of mimics Dre Greenlaw in a lot of ways. So, that’s high praise and he’s got a long way to go to show that he can be like that, but that was a guy that was reminiscent of that."

SHANAHAN: "I think Dre is one of the best run and hit linebackers that I’ve ever been around and probably the best in the league at it. And when we looked at the college tape, we felt this was the guy who was the best in college at that way. And it was cool just picking up the phone, just like what you said it, I might’ve told him, I was like, ‘Hey, we lost a big hitter.’ And he goes, ‘Coach, I already know. I already know I can do that. Like, that’s where I wanted to be.’ So, it was just, I mean, what you said is accurate, he was, he knew all about us and I think he was just as excited to come here as we are to have him."

It sounds like the 49ers feel Martin is the most violent linebacker in the draft. He'll need that violence to replace Dre Greenlaw who was the soul of the 49ers defense for years.