British discus thrower Lawrence Okoye burst onto the pre-draft radar with an outstanding performance at a Regional Combine in Dallas over the weekend and his work has landed him a pair of visits with teams this week.
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports that Okoye, who is eligible to be drafted this month, visited with the 49ers on Wednesday and that he will visit with the Saints on Friday. After that, Okoye has to head back to England to work out his visa. It’s a safe bet he’ll have more visits to do once the paperwork gets taken care of in the U.K.
Okoye’s mix of size (6-foot-5 3/8, 304 pounds) and speed (4.88 and 4.78 in the 40-yard dash) would raise the eyebrows of any NFL scout. He’s the very definition of raw, though, and a team using a pick on him would have to be able to devote time and effort to make his physical gifts translate onto the field.
With 13 picks and a roster pretty well stocked at the moment, the 49ers fit the profile of just such a team. From the looks of things, they might have some competition if they want to go that route.