49ers draft bust returns as coaching intern in Walsh Fellowship

SANTA CLARA — Terrence Flagler, one of the 49ers’ all-time draft busts but a member of their the 49ers’ 1988 and ‘89 Super Bowl teams, is back with the franchise.

Flagler is among 10 interns via the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship, which a year ago included the 49ers’ first female assistant and the NFL’s first openly gay coach, Katie Sowers, who’s remained on staff.

Walsh drafted Flagler, an AllAmerican running back from Clemson, with the No. 25 overall pick in the 1987 draft, three spots after the 49ers took offensive lineman Harris Barton and one spot ahead of Jim Harbaugh going to the Chicago Bears.

Flagler’s three-season tenure included just 145 rushing yards, 151 receiving yards, one touchdown and 35 kick returns while he backed up Roger Craig. Upset over his playing time, Flagler skipped a practice in 1989 and told the Mercury News: “If you’re saying, ‘Do I want to be traded?’, yes, because that’s the only way I’m going to play.”

Flagler will work with running backs as part of the fellowship, which typically runs through the early weeks of training camp. Prior to the 1990 season, the 49ers traded Flagler to the Dallas Cowboys, who waived him and he later signed with the Cardinals.

Traded back to the 49ers in 1991, he got cut before the season, returned to the Cardinals, got injured and didn’t make it out of the 1992 Raiders training camp.

He’s coached high school football much of the past 18 years in Jacksonville, Florida, and last year he was a New York Jets assistant running backs coach in training camp. He was identified by his given name, Robert, in the 49ers formal announcement Tuesday.

Roman Sapolu, son of former 49ers offensive lineman Jesse Sapolu, is also among this year’s coaching interns, the others being former Washington offensive tackle Chris Samuels, Nick Ferguson, Van Malone, Ricky Manning Jr., Lamar Owens, Jonathan Scott, Chidera Uzo-Diribe and James Willis.