There's often a different energy when Jed York discusses players from his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame. For the most part, the San Francisco 49ers owner has stayed hands-off when it comes to draft decisions.

However, in a conversation with ESPN's Jamison Hensley, York admitted there was one exception where he couldn't resist getting involved (h/t to Mike Masala of Niners Wire).


"The only guy that I ever wanted us to draft was [wide receiver] Arnaz Battle," York said. "I went to school with Arnaz, knew him as a guy. [Otherwise], I try to stay as far away from that as possible."

His campaigning worked. The 49ers drafted Battle in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Battle went on to spend seven seasons in San Francisco before spending two final seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

While York's advocacy helped bring Battle to the team, the pick did not ultimately deliver the impact he may have envisioned. Battle finished his NFL career with 178 receptions for 2,150 yards and 11 touchdowns across nine seasons.

His most productive stretch came in 2006 and 2007, when he recorded 1,286 receiving yards and eight total touchdowns while appearing in 32 games with 30 starts.

Now, York leaves the NFL Draft strategizing in the hands of the duo he trusts—general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. The 49ers have drafted just three Notre Dame players since 2003: linebacker Darius Fleming (2012), offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey (2018), and guard Aaron Banks (2021).

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