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The 49ers announced the signing of fourth round draft choice Cody Wallace. Back on draft day Barrows and Maiocco had some interesting tidbits about Wallace:
MB: [H]e's another guy who fits the 49ers' mold. He's a smart and powerful interior lineman who holds the Texas A&M record with a 740-pound squat lift. Wallace is a Senior Bowl alum who worked closely with George Warhop in Mobile. He also is a two-year captain, which likely endeared him to the 49ers. It's notable that the 49ers have spent two picks on the interior of the offensive line, a huge problem last season. It's also notable that the current center, Eric Heitmann, is entering the final season on his contract.
MM: His father reportedly died in prison when Cody was 8 years old. His mother died when he was 16. His only sibling, Marcus, who is 2 1/2 years old than Cody, is currently serving time on felony drug charges. Wallace was raised by his grandparents.
Wallace said living through those difficult circumstances has conditioned him to deal with challenging situations on the football field. He said he does not stress out about little things.
The overall scouting report said that:
Overall: Wallace is a little too light and his footwork is still inconsistent at this point but he has the strong upper body, frame, tenacity and smarts to develop into an excellent backup or capable starter in time.
So the question is what will he become for the 49ers in the short term and long term. Eric Heitmann is the man in the middle anchoring the offensive line for now. However, he definitely struggled coming off his 2006 broken leg. I'm curious to see what kind of playing time Wallace gets his first year. Is it possible he starts on the practice squad?