NEW YORK -- Marcus Lattimore didn't give up his NFL dream after suffering a grisly knee injury last fall. The reward for his perseverance is a job with the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers made Lattimore the No. 131 overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft on Saturday at Radio City Music Hall. It's just the latest accomplishment in a remarkable comeback for the former South Carolina star.
Lattimore enters an ideal situation with the 49ers, who have enough depth at running back to allow Lattimore to sit out his rookie season and continue his recovery process. The success and longevity of Frank Gore -- another college star who overcame a serious knee injury -- might explain why San Francisco was comfortable taking a flier on Lattimore.
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Lattimore was regarded as one of the best running backs in the country before being felled by two serious knee injuries. The second -- suffered in an Oct. 27 game against Tennessee -- was a three-ligament tear that led many to believe Lattimore's career was over. His long road back was documented in an excellent feature story by Jeff Darlington.
Lattimore was drafted by the 49ers six months to the day after he suffered the injury. It's an amazing comeback story, making Lattimore an easy guy to root for.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
