ESPN NFL

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The 49ers added a quarterback without altering their plans for the position in the short term when they invested a fifth-round pick (171st overall) in Ball State quarterback Nate Davis.

Davis projects as more of a developmental prospect than immediate threat to Shaun Hill or Alex Smith. A learning disability didn't help his stock, although Davis told ESPN.com's Jeffri Chadiha that it isn't a significant concern:

Davis: "I do have a disability, but it's not an issue in football. I just learn differently than other people. I'm more of a visual learner."

Davis is also on the small side for a quarterback at less than 6 foot 2. Most shorter NFL quarterbacks are better athletes, but Davis is not among them. Scouts measured his vertical jump at 26.5 inches. Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 5.0 seconds.

As one NFL coach told Chadiha: "Some teams will rate him as a third- or fourth-rounder, but I just didn't like him very much. I love his passion, but it's hard to feel good about a guy with his size who's not a quick-twitch athlete. You'd like to see him have better accuracy or touch or some kind of intangible. I really didn't see that in him. Plus, I had a guy tell me he isn't smart enough to play in this league."

That assessment is not a fair one, according to Davis' camp. Davis' brother, Jose, a former Kent State quarterback, said the learning disability wasn't a factor when Ball State was 12-0.