The 49ers hope Nate Montana has some of his dad’s magic in him.
San Francisco has extended an invitation to Joe Montana’s son to attend the team’s local pro day on Wednesday. The 23-year-old took part in the team’s afternoon session at its headquarters in Santa Clara, said a source close to the team.
The 49ers weren’t the only team interested in Nate Montana. He also got a look from the Cowboys at the NFL Super Regional Combine earlier in April.
The quarterback from Division II West Virginia Wesleyan didn’t impress.
“It’s going to be hard for him to transition to the next level,” said NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks. “His passes don’t have zip. He has difficulty making pro throws.”
Brooks added, “He’s a great kid, his measurables are fine, but in terms of playing at the next level, his performance here was not very good.”
Nate Montana had a wayward college career that spanned four different schools, including two stops at his dad’s alma mater, Notre Dame. When he finally settled in at West Virginia Wesleyan, he led the conference with 2,480 yards passing and 19 touchdowns.
Not all were down on Nate Montana’s abilities. NFL.com senior analyst Gil Brandt said the 6-foot-4, 215 point quarterback has the skills to get a camp invite.
Jumps from beneath NCAA Division I to the NFL are rare, but some players have turn into good careers from smaller colleges. Wide receiver Pierre Garcon came from Division III to be a starter, for example.
Nate isn’t the only one from the family looking to follow in dad’s footsteps. His brother Nick was a quarterback at the University of Washington and transferred to Tulane this year.
Though the 49ers are getting a look at Nate Montana, the son of the San Francisco legend shouldn’t hold his breath on draft day. Analyst say it’s extremely unlikely that he would be drafted by any team.