By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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From Samford to the second round, Jaquiski Tartt finds himself in a great position.

nWhile some may just be getting to know Jaquiski Tartt, professional teams have been well-aware of his talents. The Samford superstar was selected 46th overall in the NFL Draft over the weekend, taken by the San Francisco 49ers with the 14th pick in the second round. Tartt fits the professional prototype at safety; 6’1”, 221 pounds with 4.5 speed. An FCS All-American, Tartt will now head to one of the most recognizable franchises in all of professional sports, sights set on making an impact right away.

nTartt, not long after Pro Bowl cornerback Cortland Finnegan made plays in the secondary for the Bulldogs, finished his career with 277 total tackles, 20 pass breakups, six interceptions and 6.5 tackles for loss. He became the first Samford player ever invited to the Senior Bowl. Nearly 20 NFL teams came to Tartt’s pro day, taking full advantage of a chance to see a defensive back that NFL Network analyst Charles Davis said had “SEC skills”.xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0

nAt the combine, Tartt had the best broad jump of all strong safety prospects and tied for the top forty yard dash time. Leading up to the draft, many were also impressed with his passion and intensity.

n”Tartt showed up at the Senior Bowl with an attitude. He is a big-bodied thumper, and more athletic than given credit for. The question is, what is his coverage skill set? What I do know is when he shows up, he shows up in a bad humor,” Mike Mayock, of the NFL Network, added.

nScouts were impressed with both Tartt’s mindset and physical ability. San Francisco made him one of the top three safeties picked in the 2015 NFL Draft.

n”A four-down player. A guy that can contribute on all four downs. Hexe2x80x99s big. Hexe2x80x99s fast. Hexe2x80x99s physical. Hexe2x80x99s been coached well at Samford. A former NFL player has worked with him. Hexe2x80x99s played a lot of ball. Hexe2x80x99s a fourth-down contributor day one,xe2x80x9d explained 49ers general manager Trent Baalke.

nTartt became the highest-drafted player in Bulldog history and the program’s third player chosen over the last four years. As good as he has been, Tartt is one of the top defenders in recent Southern Conference history, considerable upside remains. The day-two pick played just one season of high school football in Mobile before coming to Birmingham. While in college, his tackle total increased each year.xc2xa0xc2xa0

nBolstered by the momentum of a productive pre-season, for lack of a better phrase, Tartt heads west with a palpable energy. He will bring a lot of confidence to the coast. Though he is headed across the country, Tartt’s transition will come with some familiarity. He will rejoin former high school teammate Jimmie Ward, San Francisco’s first round pick from a year ago, in the bay area. From Samford to the second round, Tartt finds himself in a great position.xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0

n”I was ecstatic,” he explained. I prayed to God to put me in the right spot, and he came through for me. I ended up on a team with my best friend.”

nBeing a high draft pick, a number of opportunities may soon come Tartt’s way. Even as he is still making his introductions, Tartt also appears capable of meeting all expectations.