Eric Mangini Hired as 49ers DC: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

Eric Mangini has been given the difficult task of filling Vic Fangio's shoes as the San Francisco 49ers' defensive coordinator.     

ESPN's Adam Schefter has news of the reported hire: 

San Francisco was exclusively a 3-4 team under Fangio, but questions about the defensive scheme arose with the recent hire of defensive assistant and linebackers coach Jason Tarver, per ESPN's Jim Trotter, who has more of a 4-3 background.   

The hire of Mangini, a 3-4 guy, means the Niners will likely stay with what has been successful over the past several years. As Niners Nation pointed out, though, it's going to be interesting to see how all of the new pieces blend together:

Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee spoke with Bleacher Report's Adam Lefkoe in the following video about how Mangini will impact the team's playoff chances in 2015:

Only 44 years old, Mangini already has a very diverse coaching resume.

After starting with the Baltimore Ravens in 1996 as an offensive assistant, he moved to the New York Jets and then the New England Patriots, becoming defensive coordinator with the latter in 2005. Starting in 2006, he had head coaching stints with both the Jets and Cleveland Browns, going 33-47 with one playoff appearance. 

Mangini's focus turned back to the other side of the ball, as he was hired by the Niners as a senior offensive consultant in 2013, then moved to tight ends coach. 

He recently talked about that versatility, via CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco:

"

I like the idea of working on offense. I did that my first two years in the league, and I think that'll make me a lot better overall coach because it gives you a totally different perspective. If I go back to defense at some point, I'll be that much more rounded.

"

As Rotoworld's Evan Silva noted, his newest job could very well serve as a springboard to future endeavors:

That's a question for a long way down the road, though. For now, the Niners—a team with a ton of talent, especially along the front seven—have added a very bright defensive mind.

Replacing Fangio, who helped the team finish in the top 10 in scoring defense the past four seasons, per Pro-Football-Reference.com, won't be easy. But this is a move that will ease the transition.