Notre Dame saw another player selected in the 5th round of the NFL draft, as Chicago native Darius Fleming was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the 165th pick. Fleming joins a San Francisco team that possesses one of the best defenses in the NFL and came up just short of earning a spot in the Super Bowl.
Fleming is a talented athlete that showed the ability to rush the passer during his time at Notre Dame. With a strong combination of athleticism and speed, Fleming really thrived as a linebacker in the 3-4 system.
After selecting offensive players with their first three picks, the 49ers looked at Fleming as an opportunity to improve their depth at the linebacker position. While it will be tough for Fleming to break the starting lineup early in his career, he certainly will be able to contribute on Special Teams.
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