49ers take Aaron Burbridge, Donavon Clark to Chargers

Aaron Burbridge is headed across the bay from Connor Cook. Donavon Clark is going to California, too.

The San Francisco 49ers picked Michigan State wide receiver Burbridge in Saturday’s sixth round of the NFL Draft at pick No. 213.

That makes five MSU players taken in the draft: Offensive lineman Jack Conklin at No. 8 to Tennessee in the first round, defensive end Shilique Calhoun at No. 75 to Oakland in the third round and quarterback Cook at No. 100 to the Raiders in the fourth round.

At 6-foot and 206 pounds, Burbridge was named the Big Ten Receiver of the Year and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2015. The Farmington Hills product caught a conference-leading 85 passes and 1,258 yards, adding seven touchdowns. He earned the Spartans’ MVP award from his teammates and was the seventh MSU wideout to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season.

“He has small hands but sure hands. I thought he was the MVP of his football team,” ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said. “He allowed Connor Cook to have a go-to option this year. … He evolved into a player who caught everything thrown his way.”

Aaron Burbridge named MVP at MSU football banquet

Burbridge was just the second Spartan to lead the Big Ten in catches, joining Kirk Gibson, who did it twice (1976 and 1978). The only other Spartans to lead the league in receiving yards were Charles Rogers in 2002 and Tony Lippett in 2014.

In San Francisco, Burbridge will join former MSU tight end Garrett Celek as new coach Chip Kelly retools the 49ers offense.

“This guy can win at the catch point, contested catches,” ESPN’s Louis Riddick said of Burbridge. “He can go up and get it. … Those are the kind of things that will endear him to Chip Kelly come training camp time and then making this team, ultimately, for the regular season.”

The versatile Clark is a 6-3, 312-pound Cincinnati native who started 33 games for MSU, including 18 at right guard, nine at right tackle and six at left tackle. Clark started all 14 games for MSU in 2014, 10 of them at right guard. He earned third-team All-Big Ten honors by Phil Steele while leading the Spartans’ linemen with 83.5 knockdowns.

“What you like about Michigan State offensive linemen is they come in NFL-ready,” Kiper said. “It’s a pro offense. This is a kid (Clark) that showed he can move defenders off the line of scrimmage, adequate in pass protection, has some versatility. When you come out of this offense … these kids are ready to step in. There’s not a learning curve with Michigan State offensive linemen.”

Couch: MSU’s Aaron Burbridge low on time, still high on promise