How Hall of Fame voters should assess Gore's legacy
Frank Gore's career is not defined by his place as the third-leading rusher in NFL history.
Nor is it tainted by his lack of All-Pro honors, rushing titles and Super Bowl rings.
If that is how the 49 voters for the Pro Football Hall of Fame dare to size up Gore, they're miscalculating his greatness.
How do you measure his love of the game?
It carried him through 16 seasons. That's five times the typical NFL lifespan. That's an eternity for a head-down, legchurning, tough-dude running back, who confirmed this week he's retired from that line of work.
George Kittle, Fred Warner, Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel are the 49ers' latest homegrown stars who best resemble Gore's all-out hustle and determination to dominate, to lead, to rule.
Such passion and professionalism carried
Gore through 241 games. Of the 12 running backs the 49ers have drafted to succeed him, four never even appeared in one game.
Keen observers know what made No. 21 tick
(that being Gore, not No. 21 Deion Sanders). He had uncanny vision in the trenches, superb work ethic on and off the practice field, and, in the true definition of an everydown back, he was reliable in pass protection against blitzing linebackers (see: Chicago's Lance Briggs, at the goal line 10 years ago).
Gore is the 49ers' alltime leading rusher. He won't become an all-time boxing star (his next bout is next month), but he could become an asset to the 49ers in the scouting department. Since he left the 49ers in 2014 free agency, it's been a fait accompli that he'll enjoy a ceremonial one-day farewell as a 49er. He says that's in the works, for some point this year.
Should he join NFL alltime passing leader Drew Brees as a first-ballot entrant to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026? Anyone who watched the 49ers closely will vouch for him. They/ we witnessed Gore's demeanor, impact and production, for some good and some really bad teams. Just don't rate Gore on stats and honors, like other candidates.
Gore's gaudy statistics — 16,000 rushing yards that are third-most in NFL history; nine 1,000yard seasons; 4.3 yards per carry — are a testament to longevity, but also the consistency that's so rare for a modern-day running back.
Gore missed 12 of 160 games in his decade with the 49ers. Elijah Mitchell missed six of 17 in his first season, when he nearly reached 1,000 yards despite multiple injuries.
By the way, Roger Craig played in 121 of 128 games in his 49ers career. He's overdue for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He sure would make for a nice seniors committee choice in 2026 to share that Canton backfield with Gore.
Money picks
What do wide receivers Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams and Stefon Diggs have in common aside from procuring $100 million-plus deals recently? None were first-round draft picks.
Nor is Deebo Samuel, the 49ers' 2019 secondround pick whose payday is coming this summer, and it'll be interesting to see if enough baselines have been set for him to cash in on an extension before fellow 2019 classmates DK Metcalf, Terry McLaurin and A.J. Brown.
Mock draft topper
Three weeks of mock drafts remain, and they'll correctly open with the Jacksonville Jaguars taking a defensive end No. 1. Your gut should tell you to expect a surprise from general manager Trent Baalke.
You'll recall that Baalke took Oregon defensive linemen with the 49ers' top picks in 2015 (Arik Armstead) and 2016 (DeForest Buckner). The Ducks' latest gem, Kayvon Thibodeaux, has that history going for him, plus 33 1/8-inch arms that are an inch longer than most mocks' current No. 1, Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson. Baalke drools over pass rushers with long levers (see: Aldon Smith, 35 3/8-inch arms; Buckner, 34 3/8; Armstead, 33.). Georgia's Travon Walker checks in at 35 1/2-inch arms – putting him in Baalke's sweet spot, too.
Moving on up?
The 49ers are among 25% of the NFL's teams that traded out of the first round. It's hard to fathom John Lynch waiting until No. 61 to begin drafting, where they have the first of nine remaining picks. So, trade up, after a dull yet nutritious free agency, where they fed their cornerback and special teams diets, but ignored their offensive sweet tooth.
Here's a mock order on Lynch may want to use the picks: defensive end, tight end, wide receiver, offensive line, cornerback, free safety, quarterback, wide receiver, offensive line.
Next ACL comeback
Javon Kinlaw, the 49ers' 2020 top pick, posted an Instagram video of himself running without a hitch in his ACL-repaired giddy-up. Last April, so did Nick Bosa, before his remarkable comeback.
The 49ers' D-line needs 2022 Kinlaw to rebound like 2021 Bosa did from ACL surgery.
Humanitarian mission
Cornerback Ambry Thomas spent this past week in Somaliland distributing water and providing relief through Muslims of the World and Mercy-USA. Thomas emerged as a late-season starter during his rookie year. When he returns for the offseason program that begins April 19, his starting spot is no longer his. It was nabbed a month ago by ex-Chiefs stud Charvarius Ward. But Thomas could vie with Emmanuel Moseley for future starting snaps — and all three cornerbacks could be the 49ers' ideal trio for passing downs, with Moseley shifting into the slot.