The last five 49ers drafts have produced more unemployed coaches than first-round success stories, but three of the team’s most exasperating picks in recent years — Alex Smtih, Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree — nearly led San Francisco to a come-from-behind win at Houston on Sunday.

Smith, the No. 1 overall choice in 2005, replaced quarterback Shaun Hill at halftime and threw three touchdown passes to Davis, the sixth overall pick in 2006. The resurgence of Davis, a tight end whose tremendous physical tools have rarely been matched by comparable production, has been the biggest surprise of the 49ers’ 3-3 start. But the debut of Crabtree, the 10th pick in this year’s draft, was a more welcome development for San Francisco.

Crabtree caught five passes for 56 yards in his first game since ending a 71-day holdout. His day wasn’t perfect — he had to be directed to the correct side of the formation on at least one play — but it was a great start. He made an 18-yard reception while reaching back at the sideline, cut across the middle to pull in a 17-yarder, and then held his ground and absorbed a hard hit on a first-down catch to open the fourth quarter. He caught every ball thrown to him except one, and accounted for three of San Francisco’s four third-down conversions.

»fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2009···d-davis/