The secret behind USC’s pipeline to the 49ers

From 1961 through 2010, the San Francisco 49ers did not draft a single South Carolina football player. The Niners have selected five in the last five drafts, and it doesn’t sound like the new trend will stop as long as Trent Baalke is San Francisco’s general manager.

“You know they are going to be well-coached,” Baalke said. “You know they are going to come into the league, especially on the offensive side of the ball, well-versed.”

San Francisco drafted running back Mike Davis in the fourth round and tight end Rory Anderson in the third round of last month’s NFL Draft, and then signed quarterback Dylan Thompson to a free agent contract immediately after the draft. Add that to Bruce Ellington in 2014, Marcus Lattimore in 2013 and Chris Culliver in 2011, and a pipeline has been born.

Baalke joined the 49ers in 2005 and was promoted to general manager the same year Culliver was drafted. Prior to joining the Niners, he was a scout for the Washington Redskins. The Redskins coach from 2002-2003? Steve Spurrier, of course.

“I appreciate the kind words, but it may be coincidental that some of our top players went out there,” Spurrier said of his Baalke connection. “I think he has maybe watched our players over the years a lot more than anything to do with Washington because I wasn’t too much in charge of (player personnel) in Washington.”

Spurrier met with the scouting staff only “occasionally” during his time with the Redskins, he said.

“He came a long ways, general manger of the Niners,” Spurrier said of Baalke.

Bob Morris is San Francisco’s southern regional scout, but Spurrier said he’s unsure if Morris spends more time in Columbia than any of the other professional scouts.

“To tell you the truth, I say hello to those scouts, (and) I sort of forget their names right after they come through,” Spurrier said. “I sort of feel like, ‘Let them do their jobs.’ I stay out of it.”

Davis, Anderson and Thompson all moved to San Francisco earlier this week and are staying in a hotel with the rest of the team’s rookies as they prepare for rookie mini-camp, Anderson said. The trio has leaned heavily on Ellington’s local knowledge and Anderson and Thompson already have eaten dinner together twice, Anderson said.

“It’s cool,” Anderson said. “It’s definitely nice to have folks up here. It’s just crazy because there are four of us here.”

Although Lattimore was unable to get on the field during a game for San Francisco because of a knee injury he suffered his junior season, the 49ers had no concerns taking another South Carolina running back in Davis. Just the opposite, in fact, Baalke said.

“(Spurrier) throws the ball all over the place, so if you’re a running back in that system, you gotta be able to catch the ball and you have to be able to pass protect. (Davis) has shown the ability to do that,” Baalke said. “He’s a three-down back in the National Football League, and that was what we were looking for.”

The Niners drafted Anderson despite already having seven tight ends on their roster.

“He was the highest rated player on our board,” Baalke explained. “You never go wrong taking good football players. You are always looking to take the best player available. If you have them, somebody else can’t get them.”

Spurrier is hopeful the 49ers have all the Gamecocks on their roster this fall.

“Hopefully,” he said, “all those guys will do well.”

This story was originally published May 16, 2015 at 2:24 PM with the headline "The secret behind USC’s pipeline to the 49ers."