With Pick 142, the San Francisco 49ers drafted Appalachian State defensive end Ronald Blair.
Blair (6’2″, 285 lbs) is best suited to play defensive end in a 4-3 defense, but the 49ers will attempt to play him at defensive end in their 3-4 defense. Blair was an exceptional run-defender in college, but he played at a small school and is about 15 pounds lighter than he needs to be to play 3-4 defensive end. He will be a project until he bulks up.
GRADE: B.
With Pick 145, the 49ers drafted Georgia offensive tackle John Theus.
Theus most likely will be the 49ers’ swing tackle off the bench, meaning he can play both left and right tackle. He was a four-year starter in the SEC, which is impressive. But he put up just 19 reps on the bench at the Combine, so he’s not strong enough to contribute as a rookie. Like Blair, Theus is a project.
GRADE: B.
With Pick 174, the 49ers drafted Ole Miss offensive tackle Fahn Cooper.
Like Theus, Cooper was an effective starter in the SEC who put up just 19 reps on the bench at the Combine. It’s strange the Niners would spend back-to-back picks on tackles who must get stronger and probably won’t contribute in 2016. Seems like overkill. Maybe the 49ers plan on trading Joe Staley. If not, this pick makes no sense.
GRADE: C-.
I agree with your assessment, meanwhile Boehringer(said like the bond movie, “Goldfinger”)gets selected. He should have been the pick over Cooper….
I agree on both points.
Smh
This is a great sign for Deandre Smelter. Just a hunch.
Trying to find that diamond in the rough. I think Baalkie is playing the number games with the OL.
Really surprised at the number of ilb drafted so far
Too many?
Too little I believe just 6 or 7 so far
Marshall from Georgia at 219 lbs and 5’11” ran a 4.29 and 4.31 at the combine. Anyone know of any issues with him?
ACL.
But he was in the combine. Has he hurt it since?
He may have regained his straight line speed, but that did not tell much about his cutting and change of direction skills. Do not think he was known for his blocking or his pass catching skills.
Slot guy?
Yep, this was a big message sent to AD, and his tweet just confirmed he got the message loud and clear. This is what should have happened last year. Clear lines of communication.
Please share
When AD tweets -Que sera, sera, or whatever will be will be, it just meant that he saw the Niners draft his replacements, and he is moving on.
Oh ok
First he tweets the Niners should select a tackle. Then they do, and he tweets…what… Whatever will be will be? Just how many screws loose does AD have anyway?
There goes listenbee too,to the bills
Will Adams be picked or sign as a free agent?
We can extrapolate from the selections that the Niners want to improve the pass rush, O line and DBs.
They obviously thought that they had good enough QBs, TEs, WRs, RBs, STs and LBs.
My theory on who has the most say on picks may have been proven right when the guy Chip recruited is selected first and Baalke got to select an ACL player later on.
Wish they had bundled picks to move up and get the player they coveted, but I guess they were content to stay with their picks for the most bodies.
First day Baalke hit 2 home runs. Second day was meh. Third day is a head scratcher.
We have Driskel!
Great pick.
Sure the hell was, Grant!
GREAT fing call Grant… You called for him months ago….
Since they missed out on Cardale Jones, Brisett and Hogan, I guess Driskel is OK.
I think he will fit well into the Chip Kelly scheme since he ran a 4.56 forty.
Good pick.
Waiting to see Kelly’s expression and vocal inflection during his assessment of this draft.
Dang it! Rams took Thomas.
Very pleased with the Driskel pick.
Huge mistake. Probably would be tending bar already in his hometown if he hadn’t transferred. Getting drafted by the 49ers will be a temporary setback to those plans.
There’s your RB grant. Good RB from Florida
From NFL.com
“Bottom Line Quicker-than-fast running back with the vision and footwork to be a creator, but a potential lack of power and commitment between the tackles to be an every down back. Taylor’s work ethic and toughness should make fans of running back coaches, but his ceiling may be as a change of pace runner in a committee. “
Kelvin Taylor RB Florida
Love these last 2 picks.. Both make the team watch!
I think Josh Ferguson and Daniel Lasco would have been better picks, but Taylor sounds like a good change of pace back with Hyde.
Not feeling the Taylor pick.
Kevin Taylor?
498 carries 510 touches never fumbled
Size ? Speed?
He’s got some burst in and out of his cuts. I can see some McCoy in his game. Low mileage on him too….
Then they can use him for sure
I was thinking the exact same thing Razor. 2 things that really stand out with Taylor:
1) Kelvin is of course the son of NFL great, and Pride of the Jaguars, FRED TAYLOR, who was named the top NFL RB in 2007, and is a member of the exclusive 10,000 Rushing Yard Club. Kelvin has been a child RB prodigy, and his father has been developing him since he was in diapers.
2) Possibly the quickest feet of all the RB’s in this draft class, ala Shady McCoy, and he has outstanding vision to go along with them. He’s a very determined RB who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. And thanks to his father Fred Taylor, ranked 17th all time in NFL rushing yards, Kelvin is very, very well coached and is as fundamentally sound as any college RB you will find.
I like this pick because of the scheme fit, polish (Kid never lost a fumble last season) and ability to protect the QB. Kelvin is ready to come in and compete for the #2 spot, day one.
Fred Taylor’s son.
Yep. The 6th round was the “skill” round – QB, RB and WR.
Aaron burbridge?? I hope chip likes him because Baalke can’t draft WR’s
Whenever you go in the draft with this many pics in the trenches some are bound to be good players they needed Depth and that’s what they got first time in a long time I’ve liked every single pic
Burnbridge WR Harbaugh
Michigan state
You’re right!
From nfl.com on Burbridge:
“Bottom Line Outside receiver with good height and weight but lacking the deep speed to beat NFL cornerbacks down the field. Burbridge has enough short-area quickness to be an effective target against zone coverage, but could have problems against tight, press man. A move inside as a big slot receiver could be in his best interest. His Senior Bowl week and NFL Scouting Combine 40 time will be huge for his draft positioning. “
Crabtree light?
4.46 forty, tough in traffic and blocks well. Sounds good to me.
Why a slot WR?
On ESPN they felt he was the MVP on MSU. Apparently he catches everything thrown his way and they said he made Cook look better than he really is (in terms of accuracy).
Just like Crabtree helped kap
Yeah, a big catch radius.
They need to add Blythe, Center from Iowa with their last pick….
A RB who averaged 4yds per carry last year in college. Ugh.
A WR who simply isn’t an athlete taken in a round when you’re supposed to take chances on athletes. Ugh
Drafting 3 O-lineman because you whiffed on B Thomas and Marcus Martin. Ugh
Drafting a nickel corner early, because the nickel corner you drafted in the FIRST round 2 years ago isn’t good enough? Ugh
Jed, it’s time. Find another GM tomorrow. Maybe we’ll win 8 games in 2019 if you do.
Grant
Did I miss it or is ‘Scooby’ Wright still out there ?
Scoobie at 249?
The 49ers were great a few years ago when they dominated the trenches. Last year they were pushed around too often on both sides of the line. Rebuilding this team requires investment in the trenches.
Blair is a nice pick as a rotational player. Solid against the run and can generate some pass rush. With Kelly running the offense they will need quality depth on the DL to keep guys fresh and maintain a decent level of play when the main guys are off the field. He might not see much of the field this year, but one for the future.
Theus and Cooper will add much needed competition with Brown. RT is the main question mark on the OL after drafting Garnett. Let these guys compete and see who wins, the others can be backups. Pears and Devey can be someone else’s problem. Brandon Thomas will also likely be looking for a new job unless he shows real improvement this year.
Agreed
I hope you’re right, but I don’t see Theus or Cooper as being viable NFL linemen. Last year we took a shot at T Brown who had the potential, and I’m hopeful he’ll workout. I agree barring injury, the line should be much better y/y. But we know Martin isn’t a viable backup to Kilgore, and we didn’t draft a center. We know we’re thin at WR, and we didn’t get a playmaker. The RB we drafted isn’t a playmaker. We had a ton of draft picks, and we’ll come away with 2 starters on a roster that’s one of the weakest in the NFL. Sorry for being a wet blanket.
I believe the 49ers drafted 4 players with 1st or 2nd round talent, and added quality depth and competition to both sides of the line in round 5.
And that is what you expect from round 5. Finding starters isn’t easy that far into the draft. You get lucky on occasion, and taking two guys for the same position doubles your chances of getting lucky.
I suppose it depends on how you define 1st or 2nd round talent. How many of the corners we drafted will start if we drafted well? 1? I think getting a good CB out of this draft would be the great victory. Because it would mean we got three potential starters. Otherwise we’re left with a good DE and possibly a good guard, though unlikely to be of Iupati’s caliber.
Frankly, I think that my favorite value pick will be our last and our best player is our first
1st round talent = potential high quality long term starter. 2nd round talent = potential above average long term starter.
I never believe any draft pick should have to be a starter immediately in order to be considered 1st or 2nd round talent. If they can then great, but the draft is for the future. Redmond and Robinson both showed talent while in college to suggest they could be above average long term starters in the NFL, and without injury/ off field issues both likely would have been drafted 1st/ 2nd round. And that’s not just me talking these guys up – that is based on comments from so called draft experts.
4 players with 1 st or 2ndround talent? You’re drinking the post draft koolaid Scooter.
For someone that gets titchy at others when they claim to know more than the ‘experts’, I find this an interesting comment. You don’t have to research far to find comments by fairly well respected draft experts saying Redmond and Robinson have 1st/2nd round talent.
5 starters per draft is outstanding, 3-4 per draft ensures your job security….
What if Blair is the Guard eating inside linebacker?
You’ll be hard pressed to find many 285 pound inside linebackers in the NFL Jay.
Blair had traits from the tape but he reminds me of a slightly bigger James Harrison. He has some serious twitch, with 34 in arms and bench 32 rep means he strong too. Watch the Clemson and Ohio tape he was the dominant.
Same weight and 3 inches taller than Aaron Donald