RONALD BLAIR
Position: Defensive line
College: Appalachian State
Height: 6 foot 2 1/8
Weight: 284 pounds
Selection: Fifth round, No. 142 overall
SANTA CLARA – Ronald Blair provides the 49ers with a player who has shown a lot of versatility.
Teams that want a defensive lineman, and a possible end in a 3-4 scheme, saw a player who weighed 284 pounds when he showed up to the NFL Scouting Combine in February.
In March during his Appalachian State pro day, he had dropped to 276 pounds and wanted to impress upon 3-4 teams that he could stand up and be an outside linebacker.
“I just wanted to show them that I’m not a one-trick pony,” Blair told the Charlotte Observer. “I can do different things if you need me to. I’m not just going to be this specialist. If you need me on first down or third down, I’m there.”
It is uncertain how the 49ers envision utilizing Blair.
Blair saw action in five college seasons after being a medical redshirt after sustaining a severe thumb injury that required surgery. During his 51-game college career. Blair recorded 21 sacks. He recorded 53.5 tackles for loss in his career.
Blair impressed at the scouting combine, recording 32 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press while his arms measured at an impressive 34 inches.
His best game came early in his senior season when he recorded eight tackles and two sacks against Clemson.