When the San Francisco 49ers made the decision to draft Jake Moody in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, it was a decision that required some explaining by general manager John Lynch.
Lynch’s line of reasoning became a little easier in the second quarter of Super Bowl LVIII.
With the score tied at 0-0, Moody came onto the field to attempt a 55-yard field goal. The rookie kicker split the uprights, giving the 49ers a three-point lead.
Setting a new Super Bowl record in the process:
As noted, the field goal is now the longest in Super Bowl history.
Moody was the 99th-overall selection last spring, making him the earliest kicker drafted since Roberto Aguayo back in 2016, and just the sixth kicker drafted in the first 100 picks since 2000. At the time, this is what Lynch said about the pick:
“I can tell you, since then, that a lot of teams have called and said, you know, shortly thereafter they were going there,” Lynch said in May on KNBR’s Murph & Mac show. “And in fact, teams tried to trade up to get in front of us. So, something we feel really good about. Time will tell, as it will with all these guys. But we think he has the makings of a really cornerstone, foundational-type player for years to come for us, and we’re proud to have him a part of us.”
Lynch is probably even prouder right now.
