It's hard to argue with the choices the San Francisco 49ers made in the 2013 NFL Draft.
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Despite a talent-packed roster, they picked up 11 new players and addressed their short list of weaknesses.
If any of those picks made offensive coordinator Greg Roman smile, our bet is on Rice tight end Vance McDonald, who was snatched up in the second round at No. 55 overall. The 49ers were on the hook to fill the shoes of the departed Delanie Walker, who signed with the Tennessee Titans in March.
The 6-foot-4, 267-pound McDonald, a versatile threat, should allow the 49ers to keep people guessing on offense.
"I've played all over the field," McDonald told the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday.
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McDonald saw plenty of time in the slot at Rice. He's long-armed and comfortable in space and gives the 49ers a legitimate pass-catching weapon across from Vernon Davis. McDonald's blocking needs development, but the 49ers have a player they can line up all over the formation.
The 49ers had a chance to grab Stanford tight end Zach Ertz in Round 2, but Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports reported Sunday that "the guy they really wanted" was McDonald.
Teams around the NFL are gravitating toward double-tight end sets, and Roman arguably is more creative with players at that position than any of his peers, meaning McDonald quickly might become a headache for defenses.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
