San Francisco 49ers Draft Grades: Grading the Selection of Jason Slowey

With the 199th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL draft, the San Francisco 49ers chose...Jason Slowey.

And he's got a better shot of making the 53-man roster than you may initially believe.

Slowey, a 6'3", 303-pounder out of little-known Western Oregon, played all four of his collegiate seasons as a tackle but projects as an interior lineman—most likely a center— in the NFL.

If you know little-to-nothing about this prospect—you're not alone.

San Francisco was the only team Slowey met with before the draft, but was told he would be considered at some point during the sixth or seventh round.

CSN's Bay Area gives an excellent inside look on the 49ers' selection of Slowey.

Trent Baalke and Co. stuck with their strategy throughout this draft, and Slowey was no exception.

I don't mean to toot my own horn (okay, I do), but I had the Niners selecting Slowey in my "Last-Minute Seven-Round 49ers Mock Draft," completed on the eve of draft weekend.

While the name may strike you as unfamiliar, Slowey's style of play is something most of the 49er faithful knows quite well.

The Great Northwest Athletic Conference Lineman of the Year plays with a nasty mean streak that fits the identity of the 49ers offensive line, and team in general, perfectly. 

He gets to the second level and loves lighting up as many defenders as possible before the whistle sounds. 

Slowey will still have to prove himself worthy of a draft pick throughout the summer and during training camp, but I wouldn't at all be shocked to see him make the squad.

He's yet another high-character weight room freak that the 49ers brass is so good at digging up in the draft. Slowey was also a conference champion in shot put at Western Oregon.

He's got excellent upper body strength, and displays it when he's road-grading defenders on the regular. 

When you don't play top-tier competition at the collegiate ranks, you have to dominate your competition to be considered as a draft selection for an NFL franchise. 

Slowey did just that.

Overall Grade: B+

Note:

There were some talented prospects remaining on the board that may have warranted a selection before Slowey. Considering no other teams had shown interest in him throughout the process, he likely would've been available in the seventh round as well.

That said, the Niners made a good selection on a player they were truly impressed with at this point of the draft and have a knack for making good on late-round picks.