This is my first attempt to predict whom the 49ers will draft in a couple of months. I’ll make more attempts as I learn more about the prospects. This time, I’ll mock just the first four picks.
1st round, pick No.31 – UCLA DE Datone Jones, 6-4, 280 lbs., 4.82 40-yard dash.
Jones has experience playing defensive end and defensive tackle. He had 6.5 sacks and 19 tackles for losses in 2012. He has the talent to take over Justin Smith’s spot as the 49ers’ starting 3-4 defensive end in a few seasons. As a rookie in 2013, Jones has the talent to get 10 sacks as a situational pass rusher, rotating in for Ray McDonald or Ahmad Brooks in the Nickel and Dime packages.
2nd round, pick No. 61 – SMU DE Margus Hunt, 6-8, 280 lbs., 4.80 40-yard dash.
Hunt is an even better athlete than Jones. Hunt might be the best athlete of all the defensive linemen in the draft. He’ll slide to the end of the second round because he lacks experience – he’s from Estonia and has played football for just four years. But he had an excellent senior season – 8 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. Like Jones, Hunt can play defensive end and defensive tackle. With Hunt and Jones, the 49ers would have six pass rushers. Last season, the 49ers had only four – Aldon Smith, Justin Smith, Ray McDonald and Ahmad Brooks.
3rd round, pick No. 74 – NCST CB/S David Amerson, 6-3, 194 lbs., 4.59 40-yard dash.
Amerson is a tall, strong cornerback, like the Seahawks’ Brandon Browner. The 49ers don’t have a tall, strong cornerback. They should take a chance on Amerson. If he doesn’t work out at corner, the 49ers can give him a shot at safety. Donte Whitner will be a free agent in 2014 and the 49ers need to find his replacement.
3rd round, pick No. 93 – WVU WR Stedman Bailey, 5-10, 195 lbs., 4.49 40-yard dash.
He’s not as tall or as fast as A.J. Jenkins, but Bailey was more productive in college. At West Virginia, Stedman caught 186 passes for 2,901 yards and 37 touchdowns in two seasons (Jenkins caught 167 passes for 2,432 yards and 19 TDs in four seasons). Bailey could be a very good deep threat No. 2 receiver, and a terrific complement for Michael Crabtree.
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Grant i can tell you right now your pick in the 2nd rd will be wrong because its the same as my pick in the 2nd rd and i am seldom right. In fact i’m sure i was the first on the blog last year to predict Fleener in the first rd and we all know how that went.
Maybe this is our year.
I also have us taking Amerson and Hunt in the 2nd and 3rd rounds…..oops….we will get jobs with the Raiders or the Bengals.
I think Hunt’s other obvious asset is in kick blocking. I do think we need some of our 3rd round picks this year to contribute immediately on ST and boost that.
I have us taking Williams the NT from Bama in the first. So my other third ound choices were tha tall TE from STanford, Toilolo (sp?) andNico Johnson ILB from Bama. Again a situational player, tall TE for certain situations and a backup ILB to act on ST.
I’d love Hunt in the 2nd if he’s there.
More size in the secondary is badly needed as well.
Yes I really like the size on CB Amerson. He’s 1 of the 2 players on my Wish List in the early rounds. The 49ers Secondary needs Taller CB’s.
Nice -Datone was my first -in previous posted mock,went with nose in 2nd B Williams but could live with Margus happily(could be a force!) Stedman is an innovative pick!Nice work!
P.S.Curious to see how CB Darius Slay does at combine (the CB I choose in third) .
Here is the mock I posted on the tenth:Datone J (1);Brandon Williams NT (2);Justin Hunter WR(3a); Darius Slay CB(3B);and possible (3c) D J Swearington DB
That’s Swearinger
i think the first two picks are off because the niners have 14 picks!! n everybody knows not even 7 of those would make the team. I know its against the norm but our niners are built to win NOW! so move and the draft as much as possible and draft for need! strong cb, strong DE and speedy receiver!!! PLEASE!!!! make this heartbreak go away!!!
Bingo!!! Got enough young talent in a lot if spots. Must win now. VD,FG PW, aren’t getting younger. But some band aids and win 1 or 2 within the next 3 years
*buy* :-)
I imagine them drafting a taller WR. But D line, cb/safety and wr are definitely the biggest needs.
If you’re looking for a taller WR look no further than 6″4″ Justin Hunter from Tennesse. Hunter has the Physical Skills & Catch Radius that would be a perfect target for K-Gun He’s the other player that’s on my Wish List besides 6’3″ CB Amerson.
1st round. John Jenkins DT Georgia
2nd round. Da Rick Rodgers WR Tennessee
3rd round.b DJ swearinger S South Carolina
If Jenkins is there at 31 I’d be very happy to see the 49ers take him. He would add improved pass rush/ penetration from the NT position in the base 3-4. He could also play on a 4 man front on passing downs to spell McDonald and Smith
Grant, this draft seems to assume the 49ers sign Mr. Goldson.
It does.
How much?
If Goldson wants $8 million a year and not a penny less, what do the 49ers do? Franchise him at $7.45 million, give him what he wants or hold the door open for him?
He’s played for the money he’s asking. He’s a pro bowler. Folks Didnt bite on him last season because most figured it was a contract year and players usually give their all for the money. This year teams won’t be letting him slip through. He’s one of the best safety’s in the league. Pay that man top rank Safety money.
I only two picks chosen so far. Round will have the Niners drafting Ohio State DT Jonathan Hankins and Marshall WR Aaron Dobson. Hankins will fill the area where Soap was and Dobson would be a great additional toy for Kaep, especially in the redzone.
…only have…
Grant, the db’s you mention are all slow. 4.57 is TE speed these days.
Amerson is faster than Browner.
Concerns about his fluidity and straight-line speed. Typically lined up in off-man and zone coverage in college, but his lack of elite speed would make that a difficult fit in the NFL. Aggression makes him vulnerable to double-moves. Amerson was beaten soundly in several-highly anticipated matchups in 2012, which contributed to losses to Tennessee and Clemson
Amerson has fluid hips and he can excel in press man coverage, like Browner.
Though Amerson has a very intriguing skill set, 2012 highlighted areas of concern for the undeclared junior. Does Amerson have the foot speed to keep up deep down the field against the likes of a Mike Wallace or a Torrey Smith, two bonafide NFL deep threats? I’m not sure. I saw him loose his fair share of races this year which could point to a lack of foot speed as well as issues with flipping his hips fluidly and explosively kicking vertical from a back-pedaling position. The combine will expose any of these type of flaws.
Of course Amerson doesn’t have the speed to keep up deep with the fastest wide receivers, but he has the length and strength to tie them up at the line of scrimmage. Browner ran a 4.63 at the combine.
Browner is also the weak link in that secondary. They didn’t miss a beat when he was suspended.
Browner is still a good player. I think Amerson would be a good third round pick. Who do you like with the 74th pick?
I have the corner from Boise in Rd 2, and safety Rambo from UGA at 74.
Jack, I like your pick of Jamar Taylor in round 2. Very compact player. Would be a good addition I think.
Thanks Scooter. I like his quickness, and his tackling ability. Seems to fit the Harbaugh mold.
I think people every year tend to forget that these NFL Prospects do NOT come to their respective NFL Teams as “Finished Products”
That’s where an NFL Coaching Staff earns their money & come in to factor. So people need to slow their roll when it comes to these Prospects.
The important thing to look at is does a particular Prospect have the initial skills to play the position in the NFL?
I would say YES on CB Amerson.
I like Desmond Trufant from Washingtonat 31!
Darius Slay
I love that you guys think you can get a 4.3 CB in the 3rd round with cover skills. No, those guys go in the top 15. We need to find another Culliver.
Mike,
By all means feel free to throw your hat in the ring. If you think we are wrong, how about telling us who the next Culliver is.
“Does Amerson have the foot speed to keep up deep down the field against the likes of a Mike Wallace or a Torrey Smith, two bonafide NFL deep threats?”
How many NFL starting cornerbacks can hang with the two fastest deep threats in the NFL? Few to none.
C’mon, if you want to tell someone they are wrong give us your prediction. It doesn’t take much to shout “you’re wrong” and not have anything to back it up.
Jack – If i knew who the next Culliver was I would not be posting on Grants blog. If people knew who the next Culliver was he wouldn’t be the next Culliver because he would get drafted higher than the 3rd round. Its the draft. Its a total crap shoot. Every player after the 1st round has a flaw. I’m realistic that any pick we get with our 3rd is going to have “short comings”. Its either size, speed, playtime, or college quality. That’s why I’m not knocking Grant for picking a 4.59 CB in the 3rd.
Granted I don’t know much about Jones, but this is some projection Grant. A guy who was presumably an every down player at UCLA put up 6.5 this year in 14 games is going to walk into the NFL as a rookie and put up 10+ sacks as a situational pass rusher in 16 games? Was he injured at UCLA this year or something? Seems like wishful thinking to me.
As far as positional needs being addressed though, I really like the picks. Niners could definitely use early contributors at each of those positions. A beefed up pass rush sure will make that secondary look better.
Look at all the draft boards. He is a fast fast riser in everyone of them. Most now have him going in the low 20′s high teens after his impressive Senior Bowl where he dominated his peers. Aldon NEVER had more than 12 sacks in college. Did you see his 19.5 coming? Its all about projecting talent in your scheme.
He’s a DE /DT tweener given the right scheme and his formidable strength this kid could make an impact.
i half expected Grant to continue to list Colby Fleener as the Niners must have 1st round pick.
It’s not McDonald that needs to be spelled in pass rush situations. I think it’s Justin Smith. Justin Smith is an awesome force that can put pressure on QBs but I think age has caught up with him so he can’t give 110% each play. I think you rotate him out and give him breathers on passing downs…except maybe on certain critical downs or downs where there’s a chance the opponent could run or pass…I dunno but specific situational use in addition to the base defense.
Don’t draft anyone from UCLA…
You don’t think the’ll go for a Nose Tackle in the first 3 rounds? Are you assuming they’ll resign Sopoaga or RJF? And that the Niners believe that RJF is a viable starting Nose Tackle (I personally don’t think so). I can’t believe that Ian Williams is ready to be a starter. And even if they sign Sopoaga or RJF, I still think they need to groom a long term Nose…maybe a 3rd rounder?
I think Ian Williams is the nose tackle of the future.
why? we haven’t seen much of him. and if he was the future, wouldn’t he have subbed in for Sopoaga in stead of RJF?
When you say he’s the nose tackle of the future do you mean 2016 because otherwise they better start getting the kid some actual playing time.
Taking 2 DEs in the first 2 rounds may be a stretch. If they went to DL in the 1st and 2nd I would expect one of those to be able to play some NT. I do like the idea of 2 pass rushers though – I’d be thinking one DE, one OLB.
So much for all the optimism during last offseason about Dobbs, Tukuafu and Williams being able to step up!
of the three, I like Dobbs the best. I think he’s flashed the most when given the opportunity. He played well in the pre-season and even made a play or two subbing in during the regular season before getting injured.
The nose tackle rarely plays. The 49ers mostly use a four man front in sub packages. Jones and Hunt can play all four defensive line positions right now, and they can develop into five-techniques later on.
it goes the other way. five technique to Nose Tackle. there’s more to learn in terms of blocking assignments between the guards and center and how to disrupt them.
Sopoaga played almost 30% of the snaps? How many did RJF play at Nose? So maybe the Nose plays 35-40% of the snaps. Stopping the run is crucial to putting the offense in less manageable passing situations. Also near the goal line. So just plugging in some guy at the Nose is not a good idea. It’s the key to the base 3-4 that stops the run and makes it easier on the Niner’s nickel and dime packages by putting opponents in more obvious passing situations.
That would mean the 49ers would be playing with 5 DL active on game day (Smith, McDonald, Jones, Hunt + a NT), and there would be 0 backups at the NT position. I can’t see that happening.
I’m going with ALLFOR on this, NT like B Williams big hog in the middle with strength to hold the middle and collapse the pocket for an occasional sack -would serve us well.
I do’nt think the 9ers will invest a 1st rd pick on a position [NT] that they only use 35% of the time. They may fill that need by drafting 2 or 3 of them later in the draft hoping to hit a home run
I think it would depend on the player old coach. If they can get a really good NT that can really generate some push/ penetration then he wouldn’t be limited to just playing NT in the base 3-4 like Sopoaga is. A player like that may also encourage Vic Fangio to mix in a little more base 3-4 due to the additional pass rush generated out of the formation.
For that sort of player, I can definitely see the 49ers taking him in the 1st round.
I think by Round 3, the Niners could take an Outside Linebacker/pass rush specialist if the right one fell to them. It’s not an immediate need with Aldon Smith and Brooks locked up for a while. But depth is an issue and Cam Johnson and Darius Flemming are still just projects.
Where does Fleming being a project come from? We have no idea what Fleming is, he didn’t make it past like day 2 of training camp last year.
Not A PR specialist but OLB Chase Thomas could be there in the mid rounds -smart player great motor.
I like this column on the draft! It’s time 49er fans realize that we are a winning team, but are not very deep! When Justin Smith (1 guy) got hurt, the D fell apart!
Not good!
Grant, I love your Hunt choice. I hope he falls to the 49ers in the 2nd.
Remember defensive lineman Michael Carter? He was a three time all pro for the 49ers. Just like Hunt, he played shot-put and came out of SMU.
I like that Hunt played multiple sports, especially shot put. That means not only does he have muscle, but explosive strength combined with balance.
The stars seem aligned on this one. Baalke, Grab this guy.
I like Hunt, but will be interesting to see if he lasts until the 49ers picm in the 2nd round. If there is one guy that is likely to make a lot of money at the combine, it is Hunt.
My main concern with Hunt is he’ll be 26 this season, and is still very raw. He could be 27-28 by the time he is ready to start.
Precisely why he should be there.
Because of the rookie salary cap, I wonder if his age might be a good thing? A salary cap cheap layer signed through his physical prime.
The reverse situation is Anthony Davis. The 49ers patiently developed him and spent huge draft capital getting him, yet he will be an FA well before his peak.
WR Clifford Franklin
WR Chris Harper
The 49ers need depth for both Justin and Aldon. If Baalke re-signs Haralson (or thinks the injured Fleming and Johnson can contribute), that would allow the 49ers to focus on depth for Justin’s spot first.
I think that is a likely scenario. I would love to see an OLB drafted early, but I expect it won’t happen.
Isn’t Haralson signed for a couple more years? Or maybe I’m getting senile…
He’s still under contract this season I believe. I think Brodie is referring to some supposition he may be a cap casualty. I reckon he’ll be kept to provide solid backup to Aldon and Brooks.
Maybe Haralson is. I thought someone mentioned he would be FA after this season, but I hope you are right. With a healthy Haralson all season, a rested Aldon would have had a better post season.
C’mon Grant! If we got both those guys in the first two rounds it would be a banner draft for us (I mean, before actually knowing whether either is any good). I can’t see it happening. Hell, I could see the Seahawks grabbing Hunt in 2nd.
Again, I would be doing cartwheels. Just think, we would have Harrelson, Fleming and Johnson all coming back ready to compete along with these guys…suddenly we have a ton of depth and potential. Someone (outside of Harrelson) would emerge as a player in camp.
Like the Bruin out of the gates Grant. I’m worried after his impressive Senior Bowl he might be gone by 31.
Good mock 1.0 Grant.
Obviously there will be some chances over the next few weeks as the combine isolates on players.
I still feel that we could use a WR like Cord’ Patterson from Tenn. He will probably go somewhere in the early to mid-twenty picks.
If we don’t make a move to go after Patterson, than we get our D-lineman in the 1st round.
Most mocks are showing Patterson in the top 15.
I’ve seen a few suggestions the 49ers should move up to take Patterson or another WR. Is this with the expectation they will become big contributors as rookies and take the 49ers “over the hump” next season? Reports suggest Patterson is very raw and needs time to develop – he’d be more a pick for the future I would think. And if the 49ers are drafting for the future, I don’t see the point in trading lots of prime picks to move up given there is pretty decent depth at WR in this years draft.
he’s gonna get 10 sacks in the nfl when he only got 6.5 in college. too much hippy lettuce 49er fans1
1st round. John Jenkins DT Georgia
2nd round. Da Rick Rodgers WR Tennessee
3rd round. DJ Swearinger S South Carolina
3rd round. William Gholston DE Michigan state
4 future starters right there
Desmond Trufant CB : “Trufant has been the top cornerback in Mobile,” said NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah, a former scout for the Philadelphia Eagles. “He has shown outstanding foot quickness, agility and ball skills. Most teams that I spoke with prior to the Senior Bowl had Trufant pegged as a middle of the second round-type player. Following three days of practice, nearly every personnel executive I spoke with considers him a likely first-round pick.” When the dust clears in the first round, he might be sitting there for the 49ers at 31.
Aldon seemed to be more of a presence as a situational player in 2011 than he did this year. He also seemed to be fatigued and/or injured for the last 6 weeks or so.
I wonder if they might move him back towards his situational role in 2013.
No, but a quality backup to keep him fresh should be addressed. Haralsons’ $2.8 million salary is too high. He’ll either restructure or be cut. Look for the 49ers to add someone through the draft.
I think that Harralson will be restructured. He is a very solid BU at both OLB positions and coming off an injury he would be willing to sign for 1 yr at a discounted rate
I agree old coach. Haralson is a smart player that can spell Aldon and Brooks at OLB out of the base 3-4, keep those guys fresher for obvious passing downs. If one of those guys gets injured he is also capable of providing some pass rush/ pressure.
Razer,
Although Trufant is a very good player, I’ not convinced the a DB in the 1st rd. is a priority.
Our DB’ were fierce last season when we had a great pass-rush. This season when J.Smith went out, Aldon was limited in the pass-rush and our DB’ paid the price.
If J.Smith and Aldon can get their groove back, our DB’ will look good.
WR is (IMO) a greater need than DB. If we can find a daimond in the rough in our later rds. that would be a big boon. But I still feel that the best way to go is the free-agent route. I’m ok with Harvin or Jennings since Bowe’ demands will jeapordize our cap monies.
The way Fangio coaches the 3-4 he does’nt use the NT that much. I.S. played 23% of the defensive snaps. For that reason i do’nt believe the 49ers will use a first 4 rd pick for a player who is a pure NT. He will have to be able to slide over to DE also.
Agreed – they won’t use an early pick for a player that can only play NT in the base 3-4 (i.e., a player that provides no pass rush/ penetration, just clogs running lanes). As I said above though, if they can get a NT that can push/ collapse the pocket, I can definitely see the 49ers taking such a player in the 1st. Such a player wouldn’t just be limited to NT in the base formation like Sopoaga.
Grant now that you have posted your first mock draft how about a list of FA’s that you think the 49ers might sign. I have a short list of the kind of under the radar FA’s that Baalke likes.
#1 CB Greg Toler Ariz
#2 OLB Victor Butler Dall
#3 DE\DT Sen’Derrick Marks Tenn
good stuff Grant, but we need to package picks to trade up and fill the holes. can’t stand pat as only a tiny fraction of the 13-14 picks we have would have a chance to make the roster – better to package them, move up as much as possible (lowering my hopes as i write) and hopefully get higher quality.
if we do have to stand pat, imagine we’ll use a couple of those picks on PKs
I expect we will see a lot of movement of picks on day 2 and 3.
I’m with you Jack-2/3 rnds interest me every year -this should be lively.For the fans of packaging picks this is where we could true value.
Lets parlay these 14 picks into 4 solid players. Lets get two DLineman, a CB and a Safety. Lets pick up Phil Dawson for one year as a stop gap.
Hear me out on this one. Lets pick up Moss for one more year. He is respected tremendously in the locker room and he is a mentor to the other receivers. We will have to roll the dice that Moss, Crabtree and Jenkins can get it done until we get Manningham and Williams back full strength. All of this hinges on Jenkins progress.
We are set at Oline, QB and running back. We shore up the defense this year and work on the offense next year as I truly think this is Gore’s last year.
@Bay How about a PK? Is your thinking that Tolzien will be the BU QB?
Phil Dawson for placekicker. I threw up a brick on backup QB. Experienced aging kicker. Should come as a bargain.
Don’t laugh but there is a mobile QB with NFL experience out there. He would be a good 2nd or 3rd string guy. Seneca Wallace….. Once again comes cheap. Although when talking about 3rd string I keep coming back to Josh Johnson.
I also wonder what the coaches think about Dobbs and what their plans are with him.
Seneca Wallace? Josh Johnson? SMH…
I believe the NFL is going to even get stricter regarding concussions and with C.K.’s style of play the 9ers need to sign a BU QB that has the ability to step in for multiple games possibly into the playoffs. I believe that we ca’nt just take a cast off but possibly draft a QB in the 2nd or 3rd rd. Or we could go with Jacks idea.
Isn’t J Johnson on Cleveland’s squad?
He was Hightop, but he is now a free agent again.
Thanks Jack.
I hear you Jack but what are beggars to do? Keep Alex Smith at $8 million per?
I hate this draft class of QB’s. There is one guy who is a bit of a project that I like. If we could snag him in the 5th or 6th he might be worth a look. Manuel out of Florida St.
Matt Moore. Experienced backup who is ver similar to Smith. Would be a decent stop gap for a game or two.
Jack,
I like Matt Moore. Especially the fact that he has game experience. However, doesn’t looking at a QB like Moore hinge on Tolzien’s development?
The drop off from CK to ST is huge.
A lot of good points Jack. What are your suggestions? This offense has hundreds of plays. I don’t care who you bring in, they are going to have an uphill battle to learn the playbook and perform.
No matter who is number two, there is going to be a huge drop off from that person to CK. And truly, we don’t know how far along Tolzien is.
First choice is Smith
Second choice is Moore, for the reasons I already gave.
Tolzien is a good 3rd string scout team guy, but I don’t see him stepping into a regular season game and helping the team win.
Bay, given the talk from Jed York about how he wants the 49ers to be competitive every year, I can’t see the 49ers trading the house to move up and take a handful of players for a shot this year. That sort of attitude to the draft usually backfires, and leaves more holes than you can fill down the track. Besides, how often do rookies come in and make the difference in their first year?
I expect the 49ers to be actively trading on draft day, probably including some trading out of this draft entirely for picks next year. But I still expect to see 7-9 players drafted at least (keep in mind there are 3 compensatory picks in there, that the 49ers can’t trade).
What about Drew Stanton as a backup QB?
Still think QB Matt Scott AZ is a great fit -and worth a late mid rnd pick for us!
We need to have one backup that can mimic CK’s style of play. Tolzien is a faster decision maker than Alex Smith with a weaker arm. Tolzien is really an X factor in terms of who we choose at QB. How far along is he in his development?
If Harbaugh is very comfortable with Tolzien at #2 then we are truly looking at a project for #3. I think that project has to be an athlete with some of the skillsets of CK.
Check out Matt Scott AZ , Bay- I think he might fill that bill.
Hightop,
how is this guy going to run the pistol running a 4.8 40?
His worst – best 4.58 not CK but he can run and throw QB rating 133
CK ran a 4.53 at combine Russell Wilson as slow as as 4.55 (also ran a 4.48)-point is 4.58 not that slow coupled with good arm could be a good 5th rnd p/u!
Sorry but one last point -of the top 20 qb’s listed by nfldraft scout- Matt Scott is the second fastest in the 40 in this years draft.
hightop,
Looks like Matt Scott is getting some love up in Seattle as well.
http://12thmanrising.com/2013/02/11/seattle-seahawks-draft-target-profile-qb-matt-scott/
Thanks for the link Jack ,like the LA Rams of my youth,and the Cowboys of my younger adult years the Seahawks have become THE HATED.Trouble is they are neck and neck with us and are starting to shine in their drafting. Matt Scott is a sleeper of value imho -if the grab him I’m teeeeed!
If the 9ers trade-up with all their picks, what is the best 5 positions in the draft could they get based the point value system?
I know almost everyone hates this idea but i would like to see the 9ers invite V. Young to OTA’s and a mini camp, just to give Harbaugh a chance to whisper in his ear. What could it hurt it wo’nt cost them any money and they could release him after 10 mins if they wanted
I like the idea… Talent is talent
I thought the same thing. He is talented and showed great promise at one point, it might be worth a look. He seems like one of those guys where the light bulb might never go on though. Harbaugh knows who is available and who he might want, we shall see.
No thanks.
Lol, like I said, I’ll leave it up to Harbaugh, but V.Y. doesn’t seem like a Harbaugh guy. The light bulb comment was the equivalent of an asterisk.
I’d say Dennis Dixon but the Eagles snatched him up.
Grimey
I would have been so pumped if we scored Dixon as our backup. He had one heck of a season at Oregon before tearing that acl. No surprise he wants to reunite with Chip.
The Dennis Dixon signing is very similar to last years Johnson signing.
@ BigP:
Harbaugh seems to like his QBs smart. By all accounts, that’s not one of Vince’s strengths. The light bulb you keep talking about – it’s a dim appliance bulb, isn’t it?
Good point jack. I’d argue Dixon is a better prospect than Josh though. Agreed?
Johnson was the backup in Tampa while Dixon was on the Practice Squad.
You guys are all off the mark with Vince Young, Josh Johnson, and Dennis Dixon. The real answer is working out down in San Diego right now….that’s right the answer to this myster is a former #1 draft pick, JaMarcus Russell!!!!
Step away from the bong Jack…..
Bay,
He has more fire in his belly than Vince Young.
He has a lot more of everything in his belly than Vince Young.
But Claude, didn’t you see J Russ throw that ball 70 yards in the Sugar Bowl? He has talent, and is worth at least a look.
***if you haven’t figured it out this is pure sarcasm given the comments on this thread***
Yes, I recognized the sarcasm. It’s warranted.
he just needs some motivation. for him, it comes in bottle filled with purple syrup
How about a couple of late rd\undrafted FA choices Denard Robinson or Collin Klein. Possible practice squad developmental pistol kind of guys.
I think Denard Robinson could develop into a good slot receiver and return guy, it just depends on where he might be available. I do think he will be drafted.
I think Robinson could be a multi use player as well as an eventual BU QB
Robinson reminds me of a less expensive Josh Cribbs.
Collin Klein in the 6th or 7th is a great pull Coach.
After all the V Young talk you have redeemed yourself : )
Klein would be a good ‘get’ at 6 -7 rd. Lacks the NFL accuracy at the moment, but could develop as a good pistol QB because of his running ability and size.
Colin Klein= Tim Tebow.
No thanks. Between him and Robinson, I’d take Shoelace with the speed and better arm.
After watching Colin Klein, I really don’t see what the hype was about. His arm looks below average, doesn’t look fast at all, and he ran a very basic offense at KSU. Smarts alone won’t get it done in the NFL.
If we are speaking about 7th rounders or FA pick ups, I’ll stick to my John Boyett pick. Any earlier is too much risk, but my resources tell me he is doing really well during his rehab. His doctor thinks 100% recvovery is very possible.
Denard Robinson has Antwan Randel El written all over him.
Like the Falcons did in 2011, IMO the 49ers should look to trade up and grab one of the elite CB’s in the top of the first round. SF is basically 1-2 players away from being a dominant, shut down defense. Can you imagine if they had a guy like Patrick Peterson on Julio Jones or Anquon Boldin? The DL needs more depth to rotate in fresh players. We have all seen what happens over the last two seasons when then playoffs come, and the DL is worn out and nursing injuries. OL could use some depth too. It is rare that a team can go through 19 games without at least one lineman missing time due to injury. Odds are that it won’t happen 2 years in a row.
The 49ers are a couple of players away from being dominant next season. But what about in seasons after that? The teams at the top every year are usually the ones that treat draft picks like gold. Need to be thinking 2-4 years down the track, not this season.
Grant do you think Jones will still be there at 31? I was initially big on Datone but at this point I think he’s too well known and wont last past #20. Is he someone you think we should trade up for?
With a good combine he is way gone.
Indeed.
If not Datone, there will be a first round worthy D-lineman available. It’s a really deep class and other teams have other needs. Sly Williams, Kawaan Short are other names that come to mind.
If Baalke/Harbaugh/Fangio fall in love with a player, I hope they are willing to package picks to move up to get him. I am not saying that Jones is that guy. I’m just saying that I hope the 49ers aren’t glued to the 31st pick and that they are willing to go get a guy they think will be a difference maker on defense.
As others have noted, the 49ers don’t need to draft 14 players this year. They do need to add some players to the defense, however.
Agreed. There is a lot of talent out there but the niners have a lot of picks so they should be flexible in their strategy. I’d like to see them trade up for Ansah or maybe Shariff Floyd.
Ryan Aplin QB Arkansas St could be picked up as a free agent after the draft, might be worth a look.
Check Razor!
Grant, what would you placed the odds at for the 49ers to either extend or retain Crabtree?
If they have their own doubts then they could be looking for his replacement in the next couple drafts.
Crabtree is under contract for two more years. After his holdout, he signed a six year rookie deal because he wanted more guaranteed money. He hasn’t hit the performance escalators necessary to void the sixth year, and it is now impossible for him to do so. He was banking on getting the guaranteed money and hitting the escalators (two Pro-Bowls, 80% of snaps played on a playoff team) to void the sixth year. The Niners have the leverage and can always franchise him if he turns into Calvin Johnson, which seems very unlikely. The good thing about Crabtree is that he seems to have grown up a bit and understands his role. I expect them to eventually sign him to an extension, barring injury of course.
Big p,
Are you sure it wasn’t a four year deal? Six is kind of extreme for a rookie contract.
Big p,
Are you sure it wasn’t a four year deal? Six is kind of extreme for a rookie contract. I thought his problem was wanting top receiver money, more than DHB.
Maybe, but the 10th pick holding out because he wanted Top 5 pick money was kind of extreme.
Big Niner,
I’m positive, I included a link. Rookie contracts are different now because of the rookie salary scale. Most high picks used to sign five year deals with more money up front, now they sign shorter contracts with much less guaranteed.
Claude,
I agree, but that’s not the point. He bet on himself and came up short, so he’s locked into a sixth year.
Big Niner,
Let me try that again, lol.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/10/07/crabtrees-base-deal-six-years-32-million/
@ BigP:
My comment was for Big niner. It was my indirect way of telling him that you were correct. Next time, I’ll be more direct.
Claude,
I realized you were replying to Big Niner, my bad. We were basically saying the same thing. Yes, Crabtree holding out was very extreme, especially when you consider the fact that he didn’t perform at the combine.
Lol, you beat me to it.
45 year old Woodson is about to be released, what are the early over/under predictions on the people saying we should sign him?
At free safety and cheap, I’d take him. He can still cover TE’s and has savy.
He’s done.
LoL Coffee…it only took 26 minutes…
I liked your picks until the third round. Amerson is way to slow and lacks fluid movements to play corner. Who ever drafts him will move him to free saftey. I’d rather we draft a 5’10 – 6’0 ft tall corner with better speed and hips than him. I don’t like Bailey not because he isn’t a good player, but because he is not the type of receiver we need. He is undersized and we need size. I’d rather take a chance on Da’Rick Rogers in the 3rd or 4th or 5th round. He has obvious maturity concerns that will affect his stock, but is a beast of a specimen. However if Keenan Allen is available, wouldn’t be surprised to see us pull the trigger in the 2nd.
I concur with your assessments. However, Allen will not last until round 2, and has the same skill set as Mr. Crabs. Patterson would be the perfect compliment, but he’ll be too expensive. Rogers would be low risk/high reward.
1st: Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
Alt: Matt Elam, FS, Florida
2nd: Margus Hunt, DE, SMU
Alt: Tyler Eifert, TE, ND
3rd: Stedman Bailey, WR, WV
Alt: Jonathan Cyprien, S
3rd: David Bakhtiari, OT, Colorado
Alt: Marquise Goodwin, WR/KR, Texas
4th: Chase Thomas, OLB, Stanford
Alt: Brandon Jenkins, DE, Florida State
All picks subject to change due to FA losses or gains, combine, pro days.
Old coach mock draft and FA signing 1.0
Draft
#1 Jesse Williams DT\DE Bama
#2 Margus Hunt DE\DT SMU
Rd 3 Leon McFadden CB S.D. St.
Rd3 Tavares King WR Georgia
FA signings
CB Greg Toller Ariz
OLB Victor Butler Dall
DE\DT Sen’Derrick Marks Tenn
Trufant(Like a lot)
Hunt(Like a lot)
Cyprien(Like a lot)
The above players could be gone with the end of the first round.
CBS Sports comments last year about two of our draft picks, AJ Jenkins and Cam Johnson. I’ve cut out some stuff I didn’t think was that interesting:
AJ Jenkins
Jenkins isn’t a burner or consistent vertical threat, but he plays fast and with a degree of confidence. He is more quick than fast and covers a lot of ground in the short half of the field and is slippery after the catch. He has a lanky frame and will be overmatched physically by most cornerbacks in the NFL, but should be a solid underneath option. Jenkins doesn’t appear to have the strength or natural speed to hold up on the outside as a pro, but could develop into a solid No. 3 or 4 for a team if he becomes more disciplined as a route-runner and devotes himself to the game of football.
Strengths: Jenkins is a balanced athlete with good body control and hand/eye coordination. He plays fast and can create after the catch. Jenkins does a nice job finding soft spots in zone coverage and will immediately turn upfield after the reception. He catches the ball with his large, soft hands and is tough, showing the ability to hold onto the ball after a big hit. Jenkins is a much improved route-runner with sharp moves in/out of his breaks and good field awareness. He uses his body movements to sell routes and makes plays at all levels of the field. Jenkins has a very good feel in coverage and has deceptive jets to gain a step and track the deep ball downfield. He put together a strong senior resume, leading the Big Ten in catches (84) and emerged as Illinois’ go-to option through the air – producing at least four catches in every game in 2011 and set a new single game school record with 268 receiving yards (vs. Northwestern, 10/1/11).
Weaknesses: Jenkins has only average size with a narrow body type and a lean, lanky frame. He needs to spend more time in the weight room and get stronger. Jenkins’ lack of strength has been exposed in a few jump-ball situations and he needs to be more competitive in tight coverage. He tends to round off some patterns and will get lazy in this area, choosing instead to abandon his routes and freelance at times. Jenkins will hold the ball too loose from his body and needs to improve his ball security and cut down on fumbles. He will try and make body catches at times, which will lead to drops. Jenkins has some experience as a kick returner, but isn’t overly effective or reliable in this area. The Florida native has struggled in poor weather games, especially snow. He got into a few spats with former head coach Ron Zook and the rest of the Illinois coaching staff, so pre-draft interviews will be crucial to answering any effort or character concerns. NFL Comparison: Brandon Lloyd, Rams: Jenkins has similar build and playing style as the former Illini, but not the same type of ball skills and polish. — Dane Brugler
Cam Johnson
He was a star receiver and defensive back in high school, and was highly ranked as a safety and outside linebacker prospect. Johnson was also a double digit scorer in basketball. Johnson was a force at defensive end for the Cavaliers during the past two seasons after initially playing linebacker his first two years, including getting some action as a true freshman in 2008. Johnson consistently generated a pass rush, and gave a robust and quality effort against the run. As an NFL Draft prospect, Johnson is clearly best suited as a 4-3 strong side defensive end, although he has potential as a 3-4 DE because of superior power. A hard working kid who is relentless on the field, Johnson has a classic NFL defensive end frame with long arms. Issues with hip stiffness and quickness off the snap raise concerns regarding NFL edge rush ability. Johnson’s explosion, power, and ability to close quickly will certainly receive NFL attention, as will the Combine MRIs for old injuries.
Strengths: Tremendous explosion, accelerates low with power. Relentless blindside pursuit, tracks down ball carriers on the other side of the field. Fast in a straight line. Excellent wide and bull rushes when quick off the snap. Strong tackler. Has good power in hands and can anchor, shed, and chase.
Weaknesses: Is slightly high cut and somewhat stiff in the hips, likely too stiff for 3-4 OLB consideration. Doesn’t change directions well. Can be late off the snap. Has a history of serious injuries, including knee and pectoral. Needs more pass rush moves beyond wide and bull. NFL Comparison: Tyler Brayton, Carolina Panthers –Brad Noel
My 4 round draft v1.0 – subject to considerable change post combine and pro days!
1. Jordan Poyer, CB, Oregon State: Smart and aggressive CB that closes well and has experience covering the slot. Also has experience at safety.
2. Brandon Williams, NT/DT, Missouri Southern: Big and powerful DL that has demonstrated the ability to man handle OL. Good week in Mobile showcased he can hold up well against better competition. Has experience playing NT, DT as well as 5 technique.
3a. Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State: Not the big bodied WR that many would like to see, but he possesses home run speed, runs good routes, and has reliable hands. Experienced against press coverage. Willing blocker. Main question is, will he last this long in the 3rd round? May need to move up to get him.
3b. Trevardo Williams, OLB, Connecticut: Productive pass rusher with tremendous speed and explosion for the position. Good arm length to hold off blockers. Will need to get bigger and stronger, but as a rookie can provide speed rush skills.
4. (I’m assuming 49ers trade up to early in the 4th round) DJ Swearinger, FS, South Carolina: Physical, aggressive, with good burst to the ball. Just the type of safety the 49ers like. May not be around at this pick though.
Swearinger might be the 3rd safety taken off the board by the Ravens at pick 32. No way in hell he’ll be there in the 4th.
That would go against most draft predictions for Swearinger. Most have him rated as a 3rd to 5th rounder…
Brandon Williams would be a nice addition.
Nice Scooter -Poyer would be a good choice,big on B Williams (my second rnd choice as well,like Wheaton but as you intimate he may be gone at 3rd-Swearington is also one of the guys I choose-good stuff!
Hey!!! how come you didn’t “moderate” my comment? There’s some pretty good info there, it wasn’t a joke…
Let’s wait until after the combine until we start making mock drafts
Just having fun ol chap!
@ Carlsbad
I’ll disagree. I like seeing the preCombine ratings because they tend to be based on production as seen on film. It provides a good baseline. Then any “Wow!” results at the Combine can be viewed against the previous baseline for practicality.
The boards will legitimately change after the Combine due as much to interview results as physical testing. You hope then to draft football players and not just workout warriors.
PS. You live in a nice area.
The most meaningful thing to come from the Underwear Olympics is the part we’ll never get to see or hear, the interviews. Some of the cone and shuttle drills might help a scout or two pick between two players they cant decide on but the rest of it is mostly for show.
I hope the scouting department and Baulke get these picks right. This draft is deep at DL and I really think even where they pick there is talent to be had.