49ers draft QB Jeff Driskel, RB Kelvin Taylor and WR Aaron Burbridge in Round 6

With Pick 207, the San Francisco 49ers drafted Louisiana Tech quarterback Jeff Driskel.

Driskel is a big quarterback (6’4″, 231 pounds) who can run (4.56). He’s a perfect fit in Chip Kelly’s offense, which depends on a mobile quarterback. Driskel has the talent to become the 49ers’ starting quarterback in 2017.

GRADE: A.

With Pick 211, the 49ers drafted Florida running back Kelvin Taylor, who played with Driskel in college before Driskel transferred to Louisiana Tech.

Taylor (5’10”, 205), son of All-Time great running back Fred Taylor, is a quick change-of-pace back who averaged 4.0 yards per carry last season. According to Pro Football Focus, he forced 48 missed tackles on 258 rushing attempts.

GRADE: B+.

With Pick 213, the 49ers drafted Michigan State wide receiver Aaron Burbridge.

In college, Burbridge started one season, his senior season, and caught 85 passes for 1,258 yards and 13 touchdowns that year. He has the size (6’0″, 206 lbs) and speed (4.49 at his Pro Day) to play all three receiver positions in Chip Kelly’s offense, similar to Josh Huff of the Eagles.

Grade: A-.

This article has 510 Comments

    1. I do NOT. Another TB apologist like csn mayonoco. Do NOT expect this team making the play offs any time soon. The team and their FO STINK.
      This franchise will NOT prosper until it is SOLD.

      1. Got that right my friend. Once NFL has the grades, I am giving the 49ers an F for every pick they made.

        1. Darren 5000

          Your nuts brah , just think who’s blocking Aaron Donald , mike Bennett t and Calais Campbell for the next 3 or 4 years we needed to strengthen the middle of our o line voted one of the worst last year, and the replacement for DT forest in
          for cowboy retired now , should have brought in oakman 6-8 if your going to get the corner for LSU with these guys character issues again you think aldon thing
          was lesson for us already , but lots of SEC guys and PAC 12

        2. And we are supposed to care why?

          Like I told you Darren, hyperbolic statements aren’t going to have a lot of influence around here. Give us some reasoning behind your assessments, and maybe you can convince us your not the troll you’rd coming across as.

          1. 7th pick we got, got an Aldon Smith which means he’ll get in trouble in some way.
            28th pick, the guy from Stanford, aren’t we all not reminded of Kwayme Harris? Are you 49ers fans that new that can’t go back 10 years or so of the real stinkers the 49ers got in the draft?
            3rd round defender, ACL
            4th round defender, in trouble with the law
            QB, 6th best, best we can take?
            WR taken 9th best
            RB Taken, 5th string material, won’t amount.

            THere, all statements and when you call me a troll, you’re calling me a racist that I don’t appreciate. Trolling is NOT racism.

            1. Darren’s probably right. I don’t follow college sports, so I know nothing at all about any pick. Half or more of the first round picks will fail to make any impact in the NFL at all (just go down past drafts for the past 50 years) and except for some Bill Walsh drafts, you usually will not see a 49er draft that has more than one or two do well, and no doubt most of us would be happy to see even that from this draft.

              As far as I’m concerned, Trent Baalke is in a TOTAL “show me” mode. I trust NONE of his picks at all. They are usually over hyped, completely useless in actual games and/or even unable to suit up because of injury. So, PROVE it to me, Trentie. (I don’t listen to any of his press conferences as I can no longer tolerate the sound of his voice). My guess is that the 49ers win 2-4 games this season and he’s out on his ass where he belongs.

              After being a fan since 1967, I lost all enthusiasm for this team since the Harbaugh firing. I do like the Kelly hire though. Be fun to watch his offense (HOPEFULLY, but if he puts in Gabbert at QB, I will pay no attention to this team at all).

              Stop with the ridiculous draft grades, will ya’? No one knows how any team did until the players play. Unfortunately, the Rams do LOOK as if they are getting better and better and with the Cards and Hawks being good teams and well coached …. well, I wouldn’t worry about where to put the next SB trophy, Jed.

              Anyway … Warriors are my priority sports obsession right now (as they should be).

              1. Trent grabbed the top defensive lineman and the top guard using a 1st round pick, a second round pick , a 4th round pick and a insignificant low level swap. The team just got bigger and stronger where the battles are won and lost….

      2. Hold on one second there LAAJR. I thought I was the TB Apologist.

        I’m not sure what rock you climed out from under, but Grant Cohn is nobody’s stooge.

        1. Calling Grant a TB Apologist is like calling the Pope a Lucifer apologist.

          In other words, it’s one of the sillier things I’vs read on this blog.

        2. I’d just read the USA Today draft grades:
          SF = C
          That is too generous. I was hoping/rooting for a C- to D+. Check bleacher report Mike Tanier draft grades on 49ers picks 4-7 rds.
          Judging by his grades players that got less than a B more than likely will make the practice squad at best.
          TB’s effort to improve the OL is a dreaded disgrace. Expect Kaepernick, Gabbert or both roughed-up because of the porous OL they are going to have. If you are going to give TB a vote of confidence for the 2016 NFL draft abysmal performance then you are lot smarter than a lot of us. With the 49ers talent(whatever that is) this team definitely be a below 0.500 and it the top seven for the 2017 NFL draft.
          Thank you

          1. Pro Football focus gives 9ers a B+. I don’t trust USA with the news, much less NFL draft grades.

      3. LAARJ

        The only reason I can see for you remaining on this blog is to pick arguments and scabs…I’m sure we’ll all feel sad to see you go across the bay…now get back to your homework….

    2. All the 49ers picks are a HUGE F! Very poor draft. Qb is like the 6th choice, RB is like 8th choice, WR is like 9th choice, took a hurt defender, took one with a criminal record. Terrible picks for the 49ers. 4 and 12 season.

      1. D5,
        I don’t think that anyone here was banking on going to the playoffs this season no matter who we would have drafted.

        Even if we would have landed Wentz or Goff, we were not going to be a playoff team this season. Noah Spence or Jalen Ramsey was not going to stamp our ticket for the playoffs either.

        What we do have is two to four players who could give us some productive snaps this season and become permanent mainstays in year 2 and going forward.

        The talent on this team peaked in 2012. If we were going to win a SB it was with that team and we missed our trophy on the last play of that game.
        Since than, injuries, player retirements, and players leaving the team via FA has decimated a once talent laden roster.

        We needed to build the infrastructure (OL/DL) of this team before we go after the sexy skill players i.e. QB, WR, CB, LBS.
        Buckner and Garnett was a good starting point. Combined with other young players like T.Brown, Tiller, Silberman, Armstead, and Dial we could start to see some very productive play in a couple of years.

        Our future QB may or may not be on the team. Whether it’s CK, Gabbert, Thompson, Driskel or a high QB draft pick next year, one thing is certain, if the OL is porous no QB will have good success.
        The OL/DL is the infrastructure of the teams success. Once we build a strong foundation, we could then add the other decorative pieces.

        1. AES, please do not feed the trolls. D5k did not need to know the names of the draft picks before he labeled them all Fs.
          I am just surprised he is so optimistic. 4 wins? From the way he writes, I would think that the Niners would go winless, and he would be the happiest troll in the world.

        2. Goff=local fans=interest=better attendance in the stadium that we the tax payer is being forced to pay.
          Wentz=opportunity for him to be on a team, to get better, to offer hope, maybe be that star QB we have not had in years. A star QB that can throw 300 yards, isn’t afraid to lead.
          Lynch to me could’ve been we deny Denver their QB or we tell them to take Kaepernick.

          The team that went to the playoffs in the 49ers was a fraud. It wasn’t Mariucci but we lacked that QB to give us the punch, to give us the yards needed. The team was 1 dimension, and teams can adapt to it. That’s why I keep imploring pass the ball, but we run into the same problem: bad Oline, bad WRs, bad game calling, bad decisions, QB that can’t pass if he keeps getting sacked, throws the ball away, runs with it. Not only that, we played poor opposition in the NFL. I want opposition that’s going to pass/run, give us a game and then I want to see our QB match that. You get it in the NCAA with these high scoring games. I can’t see why 49er fans don’t want to see our QB succeed and give us excitement. Handing the ball off is NOT excitement at all. We do not need to run the ball. Pass the ball.

    1. That is why I wanted to trade away Patton, Bruce Miller and Brandon Thomas before the draft, since all 3 are expendable.

  1. Excellent breakdown Grant, and grades. Burbidge has a little more speed than I thought. Should be some good competition for footballs among that wide receiver group….

    1. I think Grant is the El Rushbo of the NFL. His grades are all terrible. Each pick was an F. All the players were wrong. 49ers should’ve just stuck with the team they have, forget drafting anybody if they’re just going to take players that are all not going to make the team. Trading with KC was very bad.

  2. I think Baalke struggled somewhat in the 5th round, but came back strong in the 6th….

  3. NAME CHANGE ALERT:
    Trent has officially filed with the city of san francisco for a name change.

    He is keeping his last name but changing Trent to “Backup”

    Instead of 8 back-ups added to the team today we will now have 9!!

    sneaky baalke- squeezed out another draft choice today by changing his name

    BACKUP BAALKE

  4. They did not panic nor reached for a QB. Nicely done. That’s five QB’s something is going to give.

    1. Lewis and Thompson are on their way out unless somehow, somewhere CK7 is still traded.

      Adding Driskel to the mix just gave the position group a shot in the arm. He’s a dynamic athlete for a QB, and a far better system fit than Thompson. Lewis was a pre draft insurance policy the team no longer needs.

  5. Driskel made day 3 for me. Really glad we got him in the 6th.

    The back end of this draft seems all about competition. CBs, OTs, OGs are on notice, and competition will be intense at other spots too.

      1. Blaine Gabbert is 6’4″, weighs 235lbs, runs a 4.6, and he’s 26 years old with 5 years of NFL experience. If Driskel is a good fit for Kelly’s offense then Gabbert must be a great fit.

    1. Raiders scored again. They might be having the best offseason of all the teams if you factor in the Free Agency, too.

      1. Interesting you would say that Seb, when their 1st round pick is coming off an ACL tear, one of your pet-peeves. Double standard anyone?

        For what it’s worth, I had a 2nd round grade on him, if his knee was healthy. Good player, nearly identical on film to Jimmie Ward, but there were serious questions as to whether Ward’s body could hold up playing Safety in the NFL due to his small size, and Joseph is even smaller.

        1. I’m not saying the Raiders are having a poor offseason or draft, but I do think it’s overrated. Classic case of actual results not matching the hype. Don’t you think they overpaid for Bruce Irvin?

          Love the Connor Cook pick, but Carr is supposedly their “franchise QB” meaning Cook will likely be a non factor for them unless Carr get’s hurt….knock on wood.

          As for the rest:

          – Their 2nd round pick is incredibly raw.
          – Their 3rd round pick is notoriously soft for a DL.
          – While I like RB Washington, he is extremely short (5’8″), even for a RB, which WILL present limitations as an NFL RB.
          – The LB they chose in round 6 was generally expected to go undrafted.
          – And they finished the draft by taking a OG who cannot sustain blocks.

          They’ve got a “gamer QB”, and they have certainly improved a lot since they drafted him. Mack is an absolute MONSTER, and Cooper is a phenom. But again, the hype train in Oakland simply doesn’t quite match up with reality. I think people need to pump the brakes at least until they make the playoffs!

          However, I give McKenzie’s draft a D+ IF Joseph fully recovers and plays this season. And, if If it weren’t for the Cook pick, I’d be tempted to give him the dreaded “F”. Easily McKenzie’s worst draft with the Raiders!

          1. Why did they take Cook? He’s not a back up and if they think they can develop and trade him, what a waste! He won’t ever play unless Carr gets hurt so it makes no sense. Carr needs a vet behind him, not a rookie.

        2. Oh how I wish the Niners could have drafted Joseph, but Buckner was the right pick because he will help the pass rush. Niners already have Safeties, so it was not a big need for them, but a coup for the Raiders since they need safety help badly.
          I sure am glad that they passed on Jack, because he might have chronic knee problems, but Joseph has a good prognosis. He may be ready for TC.
          If you watch the tape on Joseph, he can lay the wood. A hitter like that is valuable.

  6. You all are kidding about Driskel,season ticket holder here in Jacksonville for the Gators this guy was terrible and was replaced by Treon Harris.

    1. He has developed a lot.. Watch his tape at Louisiana tech.. A five star recruit too.. I believe when he was at Florida they were in transition too.. That college was bad at that time.

    2. Yet, when he went to La tech, he did well. I am glad they got Driskel, at least they did not get Cook.

        1. There’s a big difference playing in the Conference USA and the SEC. Hope I’m wrong

  7. The Raiders know how to draft O-linemen. They absolutely stole Alexander. He’s similar to Gabe Jackson. Wow, they’re loaded at OL.

  8. I’m really not a fan of Driskel, but in the 6th round why not? He’s got all the physical tools you could ask for. Would have been nice to see him play better against better competition though. His decision making and ability to read the field is questionable.

    49ers needed some more depth at RB, and Taylor provides that. He doesn’t look anything special to me, and I probably would have preferred Lasco, but Taylor is a smart player that can be relied upon.

    Burbridge is highly underrated. I thought he’d be long gone by now. He’s nothing special physically, but he’s a tough receiver that knows how to get open, and if he’s not open, can still go get the ball. Really good pick, and imo thir best pick in the 6th.

  9. Baalke has played it safe with his picks and has done well. Driskel is a nice pick and could be a future star.
    Kevin Taylor is a one cut instinctive RB (ala F.Gore) that could possibly leapfrog last years pick Mike Davis. Btw, too bad we couldn’t draft Taylors OL, these guys were opening some big holes to run through.

    Burbridge adjust his body well when going for a poorly thrown pass. He might make some noise in TC. Maybe it’s time for Patton to deliver or move on.

        1. Unless his criminal buddies want to take out his knees, I’m fine with it.

      1. Give me one good reason why you wish the Niners had drafted Joseph, who’s is a carbon copy of Jimmie Ward, except Joseph is coming off an ACL tear, and is even smaller than Ward, who himself is on the small side for a safety?

        If Baalke had McKenzie’s 2016 draft, you would be calling for him to be fired Sebnynah. You’ve been exposed Seb, it’s proof you aren’t sincere in your crticism of Baalke.

        1. 49, you seem a little unstable. Guess the meteoric fall of Cook shook you up.
          Of course, I would want a first round player, who wouldn’t? I would not want Joseph over Buckner, because Buckner fills a need and Joseph does not.
          To say that I would want to switch RM draft for Baalkes’ is obtuse. Both had different needs and different evaluations.
          If you had been following my posts on Baalke, I have eviscerated him many times, and called for him to be fired immediately. However, when he does a good job, I am not going to call all his picks an F. I like this draft, but it is not above reproach. I think they could have done better in the later rounds.
          I am not sincere? I sincerely hope you grow up and stop spewing your own brand of snark.

          1. You bitch and moan constantly about how much you hate baalke drafting guys recovering from knee injuries, yet, when the Raiders use a first round pick on a player who is recovering from an ACL tear, you say, quote “Raiders scored again.”

            You complain about Baalke using draft picks at positions that aren’t positions of need, but then you turn around and say, quote: “Oh how I wish the Niners could have drafted Joseph” when the 49ers have a near carbon copy of the player, already on the roster.

            JIMMIE WARD, S (Pro Day results): 5′-11″, 193 lbs. 40 yard dash – 4.47 sec.
            An undersized, yet aggressive, play-making Safety, with man cover ability and plus ball skills. 92 tackles, including a whopping 62 solo stops. He was one of the nation’s best ball-hawking safeties with seven interceptions and 10 pass break-ups in 2013 (14 games).

            KARL JOSEPH, S (Pro Day results): 5′-10″, 199 lbs. 40 yard dash – 4.50 sec. An undersized, yet aggressive, play-making Safety, with man cover ability and plus ball skills. 92 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and an interceptions in 2015 (13 games).

            I have to call a spade, a spade Seb!

            If Trent Baalke was having Reggie McKenzie’s lackluster 2016 draft, something tells me you wouldn’t be praising him!

            While I am big on Connor Cook the QB, Derek Carr is supposedly their “franchise QB”, meaning Cook will likely be a non factor for them unless Carr get’s hurt….knock on wood, making this selection, not a very good pick!

            As for the rest:

            – Their 2nd round pick is incredibly raw.

            – Their 3rd round pick is notoriously soft for a DL.

            – While I like RB Washington, he is extremely short (5’8″), even for a RB, which WILL present limitations as an NFL RB.

            – The LB they chose in round 6 was generally expected to go undrafted by most scouts.

            – And they finished the draft by taking a OG who cannot sustain a block if his life depended on it.

            1. Joseph will be a good player, and should start once he is fully healthy.
              I said the Raiders scored again because they picked Vadal Alexander, who , like Cook, fell like a rock, so they picked up a highly rated player for a song.
              Since Cook is now a Raider, I fully expect you to move your fandom across the bay, and will give us 49 more reasons why Cook was the best QB in the draft.;p

            2. 49, no where did I ever say that the Raiders had a better draft than the Niners, or that every single pick of theirs was fantastic.
              I do criticize Baalke for another ACL pick, because he does it all the time, and I also criticize him for risking a pick on a player with red flags when it comes to character. Getting suspended from a team is nothing to be proud of.
              Those later picks made me change my Niner draft grade from an A to a B.

  10. Either they feel good about hodges or the value was just never there. U gotta trust Baalke with LBs though

    1. To me it says Tartt will play LB this year. And possibly Dontae Johnson, who took over the role from Tartt last year and looked pretty good there. With Redmond and Robinson added, Johnson may find it tough to stay at CB.

        1. At LB? Maybe, but doubt it. He should focus on learning the safety role. More likely he remains what he is, an excellent STs player.

          1. No, I meant if Tartt moves over to the dime LB, McCray may play safety.
            I also agree that he is a good ST player. He can lay the wood.

            1. Yeah, he hits well. I think he is highly limited as a defender, but love him on STs.

              1. How is he limited Scooter? McCray was a man among boys in college, in terms a physical traits for a Safety.

                His athleticism absolutely holds his own. Do you mean in terms of fundamentals? Because he’s really developing into starter material, IMO. He stands out on the Niners practice fields.

              2. Are you there watching practices are you?

                Every time I have seen him playing secondary he looks slow to process and struggles changing direction to stick with coverage. He’s a thumper, but he’s a limited safety.

          2. Fair enough assessment Scooter.

            I’m not doubting your ability to evaluate talent. You are one of a handful of posters on this site, who’s opinions I tend to hold in high regard (most of the time). I was just a little surprised because he certainly fits the bill athletically, and like you say, he’s a thumper.

      1. That’s my thought too, Scooter.

        The CBs pick and the talk about Ward eventually moving to safety may mean they look at Dontae and Tartt primarily for that hybrid ILB role.

        So they had no open spots for ILB but neeed more DBs.
        Way too early to tell, but it’s possible they go into the season with just 3 ILB (Bowman, Hodges and Wilhoite) and 10 DBs (Ward, Tartt, Dontae, Brock, Acker, Reaser, Bethea, Reid and Robinson; McCray and Cromartie fighting for one spot and Redmond on NFI to start the season)

        1. If Tartt and Johnson are playing as pseudo LBs, they could go with more than 10 DBs.

          1. Yeah, I think it’s possible.

            But they probably will need roster spots for OL e DL, so I settled at 10.
            Would not be surprised to see 11 make the roster, specially if Redmond does make it to TC.

        1. I mean nickel (if you consider him a LB)/dime (if you consider him a safety). Basically, the role he played last year before Bethea got hurt (at which point Johnson took over). But they could look to play it more as their base in 4-man fronts this year. Basically, traditional 3-4 on around 1/3 of snaps, then mostly dime for the other 2/3 of snaps, with Ward and Tartt replacing the NT and 2nd ILB, respectively.

        1. MWN,
          Lenny Jones looks a nice piece. Add Buckner, and Ronald Blair and the future is starting to look bright. Blair may turn out to be the TC surprise.

  11. Colts take Blythe right in front of the 49ers after taking Kelly in the 1st. Wtf?

      1. Touche!

        You stole one on me buddy. I was going to post a Prince reference this morning until I saw your comment.

        1. I loved Prince, he was the ultimate entertainer. His Super Bowl performance was epic.
          Still, I could not resist. Hope other posters took my little joke like you did.;p

  12. All in all, we were well behaved today. By October, we’ll be slitting throats!

  13. Not a fan of the Iworah pick. Straight line fast, but struggles moving laterally. Maybe he’s being looked at strictly for STs value.

    1. 22nd CB on sPARQ.

      Good athlete for STs but probably will be on PS.
      Or maybe he gets “injured” just before the season.

      1. His 3 cone and 20 yard shuttle times were abysmal. Straight line athlete, which you can get away with a bit if you are 6′ or above, but not at 5’9″.

        1. Yeah, I can’t see anything more than a potential STs player.
          Did not like the pick, but that late in the draft I was not expecting anyone inspiring.

          Even then, it looks like a throw away pick

          1. Yeah, I haven’t got high hopes for this pick being anything other than TC fodder.

  14. Someone please hogtie Baalke and York together throw them into a small closet for the next draft. Maybe we won’t have so many reaches and projects drafted.

    1. Who were the reaches and projects drafted? The late round guys? Were you expecting them to draft starters this far into the draft?

      1. I was expecting competition to be added and needs to be addressed. The 49ers drafted too many CBs (including one that just shouldn’t have even been considered) and more OL with power issues. We needed more depth, not more projects.
        I like five of the picks, but there were better prospects on the board for the other picks.

        1. Baalke haters get paid a dime for each negative post. So they have to make a lot of them to earn a buck.

        2. They added plenty of competition at CB, OL and DL, and also added some competition at RB, WR and TE (masquerading as a QB). I’m really not sure what you are unhappy with. Is it that you just don’t like the players they took? That I can understand to a degree, but from 5th round onwards we aren’t talking about guys that are anything other than projects and depth players.

          Yeah, sure, the OL guys need some NFL strength and conditioning. But that is probably true of any OL taken outside of a few. The Ravens took a guy at 6th overall that many believe needs to improve his strength. The draft is for the future, especially late round picks. These guys will be expected to build strength over time. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t, but too soon to be thinking they will never be able to. And unrealistic to expect late round guys this year to all be ready for the NFL as rookies.

          1. They added projects and rehashes Scooter. You can’t spin it any other way. Baalke did great the first two days (though I’m not happy he wants Redmond as a NB instead of supplanting Brock who’s a #2 CB at best), but he reached or just made bad picks on the third day. Robinson shouldn’t have even been drafted, both OTs are backups if lightning strikes, Burbridge is okay but didn’t really address a need, and the last two picks are practice squad material at best.
            I’m not a fan of Driskell, but he was a smart pickup in the sixth round. Blair flew under my radar, but I like his potential.

            1. Which starters should they have picked? You don’t like the players, that’s fine. That’s your prerogative. I can’t say I’m thrilled with all the picks either. But I have no problem with the draft philosophy employed. Found talented players with starting potential with the first four picks, added depth to the trenches in round 5 (which I think was a great idea, will have to just wait and see if the players themselves are any good), and then added some competition with the other picks.

              1. No, you said you wanted depth. They added depth. Just not the depth you wanted, so apparently its “reaches and projects”. If anyone disagrees, they are “spinning”.

              2. Just not the depth you wanted, so apparently its “reaches and projects”.

                So you believe we needed three CBs and two OTs?

              3. Scooter,
                It’s who they picked, but who they didn’t. Every draft Baalke passes on quality players in favor of projects.

              4. Mid, as someone that doesn’t believe every pick should turn to gold, I have no qualms throwing a few resources at an area of need.

              5. Throwing resources at a position and getting good depth for a position are two different things.

              6. Sure, but you only get good depth by putting the resources in. And unless you subscribe to the belief every pick should be a winner, you need to put more resources in than you get out.

            2. So you like the 3 first picks, Driskell was a smart pickup, Blair has good potential and Burbrige is okay.

              Sounds like you don’t have any problem with more than half the picks they made.
              And even better: you liked the most valuable picks.

              1. Pretty much. It’s just the bad reaches and that one “no common sense pick fhat I don’t care for.

          2. I really did not like the comp pick in the 5th and the 7th rounder.

            In a 11-player draft class, complaining about two of the last 5 picks is kind of nitpicking, so all in all a good draft.

            Deforest Buckner basically made this a good enough draft right from the start.
            If they can hit 2 more players from this class and 1 or 2 contributors, I say very good job.

            1. Yeah, I’m not a huge fan of either of the 5th round OL they took, don’t think much of Driskel, and think Imowah was a waste of a pick. But I like the philosophy of taking two OL in round 5 (and accept my ability at scouting means there is a good chance the guys I’d have taken are no better or likely worse than the guys they took), understand the upside with Driskel, and don’t expect much from a 7th round pick anyway.

              1. Driskel was the highlight of an excellent 6th round for me, but I agree he just wasted a pick on the Prince. Baalke had a rough 5th round for mine….

              2. Blair is a pick I like. Theus and Cooper, meh. But this is a team that will be drafting a QB of the future next year. They now have a bevy of young OL to develop and compete, which should be ready to go and protect next year’s investment. They were picks for the future, not today. As all draft picks should be, but especially late round picks.

      2. I was expecting them to draft Jared Goff, but that sure went down the toilet and so did the entire draft didn’t it? Prospects and LOOOOOSERS is what we got/ QB in the 6th, IDIOTS! If you’re not going to take a QB, don’t take the IDIOT! But nay, when you take one with an ACL, one with a criminal record, taking the NOBODY QB seals our 4 and 12 season. DId nothing in the draft, NFL shoud’ve taken our drafts.

    2. MWD

      This can only be perceived as an ignorant AF comment because you don’t make clear your reasoning. There were actually no reaches at all in this draft, unless you take Kiper’s word for it, which would be a mistake, I think.

    3. They way we are drafting now we should have the team ready to be competitive about the same time Harbaugh is ready to move to another job.

      1. If only your brain was competitive on this site Whine, we’d be getting somewhere.

        1. Time will tell genius. If you were really as smart as you think you are you would ignore a dummy like me.

  15. Darn, Niners passed on Scooby Wright, but also Joe Walker from Oregon. Baalke should have selected at a variety of positions.

        1. Does it MWD?

          Let’s see. With Kap starting, and Gabbert as backup, SF has what, 15-16 million invested in the QB position this season, not counting 3rd string?

          Now, if Gabbert starts, and Kap is backup, how much do they have invested in the QB position this season?

          I’m hoping you can do this math MWD, but I have my doubts for obvious reasons.

    1. And Im not watching the 49ers, yay me. Don’t want to see Kap doing nothing but mope on the bench. Thanks for not trading him and paying him 12 million to waste our time.

  16. Grant, what has happened to your dad? Haven’t seen a blog from him in about a week> I miss him!

  17. with the need at ILB, I would taken a chance on Scooby…..

    “Scooby Wright got drafted by the @Browns and went and jumped in the pool.

    vine.co/v/iPEW1qV2wq6

  18. with the need at ILB, I would have taken a chance on Scooby…..

    “Scooby Wright got drafted by the @Browns and went and jumped in the pool.

    vine.co/v/iPEW1qV2wq6

  19. The draft is over, and I am Happy. Kaep is still a Niner, and the team improved. Those later picks were head scratchers, but maybe they saw something no one else saw.
    Did not draft a TE or LB, so I guess they assessed the present roster players to be adequate. They waited until the end to draft a QB, RB and WR, so those are not great areas of concern.
    Now comes the hard part, where they take the players and mold them to fit the team. I hope they are astute in their assessments and smart enough to recognize talent and how best to utilize those talents to their maximum potential. Coaches better have a cogent game plan, and be adaptable enough to make the proper adjustments.
    I hope Baalke will not meddle with the coaching, and let the coaches coach.
    I hope Chip has worked on his people skills like we all need to, and develops a tight cohesive unit with little distractions.
    I hope both Kaep and Gabbert can work together for the good of the team, and display class and leadership. I hope Chip allows both QBs to contribute.
    I hope the players exceed expectations, and model their team after the Warriors, The team’s strong chemistry and unselfish behavior will result in success.
    I hope Jed grows up and starts acting with class. He should read every book Bill Walsh wrote and act accordingly.
    All in all, I would give the first day of the draft an A, The second day a B, and the third day a C. Overall, I would give this draft a B

        1. Hey Sebnyenh, glad that your’e a racist if you keep calling me a troll, racist.

  20. Overall just 1 injured player drafted and he looks like he’ll be okay for 2016. And just one player with off field issues that could be a stud if he keeps clean. 2 pac 12 pics thanks to Kelly & a QB that fits what chip wants to groom. Overall not bad for Baalke.

    With Free agents I’d like to see Vernon Adams from Oregon

    1. I am with the bandit.
      Vernon Adams would be a steal as an FA. He would convince all of us, during preseason, that he should be QB 3 as he cleaned up after Driskel’s turnovers. Adams would once again demonstrate that intangables and unmeasurables count for a whole lot in pro foot ball. Yet they would blame it on the competition each faced or some facsimile there of.

      Then comes the real test.
      If Kelly wins, Adams stays and Driskel goes.
      If Baalke wins, Driskel stays and Adams goes.

  21. UDFA so far: Any know of any others

    Cajuste WR
    Lunsford K
    Fanaika DE who will play LB

  22. Baalke is saying Blair will line up at any of the 4 DL spots in 4-man fronts. Will move him around. Basically a guy that can rotate in anywhere on the line.

    1. Annoying little runt plays with low center of gravity and just annoying. He’ll shoot the gap and get under tackles and through guards. He’s like a cannon ball. Watch Buckner or Armstead play the Cowboy role bye grabbing two lineman while he loops around

      1. That stunt worked well with Cowboy and Aldon, but watch Blair’s 40 when you get a chance. It’s actually pretty amusing. Maybe with Lynch or Harold, but not Blair.

    2. Sounds like linebacker conversion material?
      Just wondering as I wander through these many puzzling picks.

  23. I am a Baalke fan…..giving the draft a C+ right now….

    The first 2 picks were Greeaaat.

    He should have traded back to the 2nd round and picked Ragland….probably would have cost us (Will Redmond, John Theus, Ronald Blair)……..Kelly’s defensive style needs 2 top ILB.

    The only excuse for Redmond is that he would be the NCB which would result in a shake up of the safeties

    Rashard Robinson is a good pick

    Ronald Blair is a wasted pick…..we have enough DE/DT on the roster

    John Theus or Fahn Cooper – practice squad, not sure why we need 2

    Jeff Driskel – good pick – fits the system

    Kelvin Taylor – good pick

    Aaron Burbridge – good pick

    Prince Charles Iworah – Another NCB, which raises the question why draft Redmond

    A starting ILB like Ragland would have bumped the grade to a solid B

    1. BACKUP BAALKE

      Just pick a good player. You don;t have to pick one that no one else thinks is good to try and squeeze a second round value out of a 4th round pick every single time.

      Baalke types :

      -Injured but was rated higher prior to injury
      -Injured and not rated well because they haven’t played but baalke thinks they have good measurable/immeasurable
      -Character concerns
      -Small school that no one has heard of
      -Bad players but who baalke thinks will be good in their scheme or in a different position

      Im not against this mentality in bits and pieces but it is more than 80% of his draft strategy. It sucks thinking you are smarter than everyone but not knowing that you are not. Like being the kid with a kid-me sticker and thinking that everyone is smiling and laughing when you are around because they like you. SAD

      He has a harder time messing up first rounds

      1. The best way to describe Baalke is with the old expression: Too clever by half. Like Yogi said. You could look it up.

          1. Right you are Mike. I think you are one of the few that are also right about Baalke. Go Warriors!

  24. Theus and Cooper will both provide depth at OG and OT, according to Baalke. 49ers now have a lot of young OL talent fighting it out for roster spots. Competition for spots between Martin, Brown, Silberman, Thomas, Theus, Cooper and Tiller should be a good one.

    1. Brown and Tiller should beat the others with ease. Thomas is about the only legit challenger of the rest.

        1. Can you show me where any of them (besides the three I mentioned) have done anything to indicate they’d be good competition?

          1. At a position that is widely acknowledged around the NFL to take a long time to develop players, can you show me where any of these players have done anything to indicate they won’t develop? Tiller only just got his chance last year, at 27. What makes you so certain the other guys can’t make it?

            1. What makes you so certain they will develop? Baalke has done a terrible job at drafting for the OL sans Kilgore and Brown.

              1. I am not certain at all. I have no idea which guys will develop, if any. But I am not about to write any of these guys off yet.

              2. Martin and Silberman need to get stronger and work on their technique and balance before they can challenge anyone. The same applies to Theus and Cooper. Also, Pears has a good chance of beating them out due to his versatility.

              3. And how do we know Martin and Silberman haven’t done exactly that this offseason? Or that Theus and Cooper won’t over thext offseason or two?

                Not many draft prospects have NFL ready bodies. Most need to add strength.

    2. I think Silberman may thrive in the Chip Kelly offense, just dont let him hike the ball

    3. A collection of scrubs doesn’t lead to anything special. Baalke had a chance to draft Tunsil early and Alexander late. Those two picks alone would have solidified the o-line way beyond the collection of scrubs that you named.

      1. Nick

        “Alexander can’t sustain his blocks…(NFL expert)” and Tunsil wants to be a movie star…do you really think we want more trouble …? We just got rid of AD…

  25. Jeff Deeney ‎@PFF_Jeff
    QB Jeff Driskel had a 103.8 passer rating last year with a clean pocket, and a 107.2 passer rating (and 0 INT) when under pressure. #49ers

    1. Sounds perfect for us, lolll I wonder if he’ll be taking snaps by the end of the year. I still say either kap or gabbert are traded though .

    2. Nicknames?

      J Drizzle

      J Disk kill

      Jeff Fiscal to save 14 million next year when kapernick is cut

  26. Interesting – Robinson said he had no interaction with 49ers general manager Trent Baalke or head coach Chip Kelly. But he did have a meaningful, face-to-face meeting last week in Florida with the 49ers’ team pastor Earl Smith.

  27. Another draft gone by and I give it a solid B with a chance to move up to an A if Robinson and or Redmond work out. Now I’m going to BBQ my traditional post draft steak and open a nice Cab.

    1. That’s the exact grade I give them as well, Old Coach. I too will bbq the traditional porterhouse but instead of the cab, I will fire up the gorilla glue; > )

      1. OC and Razor

        I’m in agreement with both of you…maybe hedging on a B+…The steak was great…but the Merlot came out of a box….

      1. It is hard to be negative on the only team to get 2 blue chip players in the first round. However, they concentrated their picks on a few positions and ignored LBs and TEs. Still, the team has improved greatly and they filled 2 of the biggest needs.
        Those 6th rounders are not expected to start right away, but those first 3 might.
        I would give them a B, and if Redmond can play in the TC, I would give them a B+.

    2. I give it a C. It would be a B-, but failing to address ILB and a CB that could supplant Brock as the #1 helps to drag the grade down.

      1. To draft a CB to supplant Brock they would have needed to draft one in the first round though, surely?

        1. If Redmond is fully healed and ready to go, I would expect him to challenge for number one by next year….

          1. Me too. Both Redmond and Robinson could be starting in 2017, with Redmond sliding into the slot in nickel/ dime.

        2. I would love it if Redmond is given a chance at being the #1 CB, but didn’t Baalke said the 49ers see Redmond as a slot CB?
          Believing a troubled prospect that didn’t play football last year due to being dismissed from his team while dealing with academic issues isn’t realistic. Robinson is also too light and too raw right now. 2018 is a more realistic time frame for him to be ready with 2019 being more attainable.

          1. I’d say Robinson is an outside corner, and Redmond is versatile enough to play both positions….

      2. “a CB that could supplant Brock as the #1”

        another uninformed thought/fantasy………

    3. Its a B draft from me too.

      No ILB looks like a missed opportunity, but combined with the CB picks I think it is more likely an indication of how they intend to play D this year. I think we’ll say a fair amount of 6 DBs on the field this season. And both Redmond and Robinson have cover skills, though I expect both will mostly be depth guys this season before taking on larger roles in 2017.

      They really addressed the trenches as well, which was a good move in my opinion.

      1. Agreed and Redmond was already tackling at a NFL caliber level. That’s big in and of itself….

  28. 49ers undrafted rookies

    –WR/TE Devon Cajuste, Stanford
    –OLB Kevin Anderson, Stanford
    –WR Bryce Treggs, Cal
    –DE Jay Fanaika, Utah
    –K John Lunsford, Liberty
    –DL Demetrius Cherry, Arizona Stat
    –S Jered Bell, Colorado
    –DE Lenny Jones, Nevada

    1. Except for a kicker they are staying safe in the West. Just don’t trust those scouts beyond the Rockies.

    1. I think Pears has a better chance of winning a roster spot than most believe, and that is because of his versatility. Robinson is too raw right now, so penciling him in as a starter is putting the cart before the horse. Finally, I think Patton could be the odd man out in the WR corps. He’s been given chances and has yet to capitalize on them. If he does start on the opposite side of Smith, then we should expect a repeat of the 2015 production from the WRs. Other than all of that, I agree with your roster prediction.

    2. Its going to be real interesting in training camp. Already looking forward to the new season.

    3. Losing players like TJE, Hayne, Anderson, Campbell, Armstrong, Cromartie, Rush, Ramsey, Silberman and White would tough cuts.
      Losing players like Devey, Pears, Lemonier, Lewis, Hamm, Harris, Gaskins, G Smith, Thompson, Draughn and Simpson would not hurt too much.

    4. Barring injuries, that makes sense as a 53-man roster. No doubt there will be some surprises though.

      If Tank and Blair are being seen as guys that can play inside and outside on 4-man fronts, I wouldn’t be surprised if Purcell is only on the roster until Williams and Dorsey are fully healthy. That’d free up a spot for another LB to play primarily on STs.

      Also, you have some confusion at RB. Taylor is on pg 3, but Draughn takes his spot on your full 53-man analysis. I think Taylor will win that battle. And also think Hayne can beat out Harris. Regardless, should be a decent competition at RB.

      At OL, Thomas will need to show some real improvement to make the roster.

    5. One of Patton or Ellington might go. They will have to earn their roster spots.

      They might carry a 4th TE. Busta or Cujuste.

      Tiller will be hard to dislodge.

      7 is a perfect sized rotation to keep the D line fresh late in games/seasons. Dial can also play NT.

      Agree Lemonier is the odd man out.

      Seattle loves to spread you out, then run at the lighter nickle D. The key will be stopping the run when Tartt’s on the field (in nickel). If they can do that, the D will have a chance to shine this year.

      LJ McCray makes the special teams coverage far, far better. I still think he has the tools to be a killer safety.

      Had the Niners chose Tyler Ervin I think Ellington’s spot could be in trouble. The issue with Bruce is he’s always riding the pine because of nagging injuries. Tomsula hinted he wanted him to stay more after practice to work on conditioning. Don’t be surprised if a player outworks him on the practice field, and boots him off the roster.

      Will miss Belore on SS, but McCray’s presence will help take up the slack.

      1. Based on what we have heard so far, Grant’s projection actually includes 4 TEs, as Miller is being looked at as a TE/FB. I doubt they keep 4 TEs + Miller, unless one of those TEs is effectively the slot WR. And even then, would seem a lot of TEs for a Chip Kelly offense.

        If memory serves, the CS had to convince Baalke to promote Tiller last season. I don’t think Tiller is a Baalke favourite. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him dislodged.

        Also, did you see in Baalke’s interview after Day 3 he said he expects the team to be excellent on STs? I think keeping 4 guys that can play NT on the roster (Williams, Dorsey, DIal and Purcell) is unnecessary, and one of them will be excluded in favour of a LB with STs value. Even Baalke has acknowledged they play nickel around 2/3 of the time, so no need for so many NTs.

    6. Good job, Grant. Looks like RB and TE will have lots of competition, with Taylor and Hyde being the only RB guarantees, and Bell and Celek bein the only guaranteed TE. Chip loves Cajuste, and Busta Anderson is another huge guy that needs a chance.

      I think you’re wrong about the Slot receiver. I think Chip likes a big Slot receiver, not a small one, and I think Rogers and Smelter are the first 2 guys to join Smith, with Ellington being used as the gadget guy, unless, perhaps, White takes that role (and the return roles).

      The team is exceptionally stacked with impressive, young athletes on offense, but, alas, neither of the previous 2 coaching staffs had much interest in the passing game. This one will be predicated on the running game, but simply by virtue of running 20-30 more offensive plays per game, more skill guys will be utilized and needed. We know that Chip wants 2 things: commitment (buy-in) and size; we also know that speed doesn’t seem that important to him (DeSean Jackson) if the other two boxes are not also checked.

      Anyway, I suspect injuries might impact some guys before the beginning of the season, and the picture will clear up.

      If there remains a glut, I would think the team would rather trade semi-proven vets (Miller, Patton, Ellington, McDonald, Draughn) than release young guys who haven’t yet had a chance.

      QB (3)
      Colin Kaepernick
      Blaine Gabbert
      Jeff Driskel

      WHAT HAPPENED TO BRUCE MILLER AND KELVIN TAYLOR?!!!
      RB (4)
      Carlos Hyde RB
      DuJuan Harris RB
      Shaun Draughn RB
      Mike Davis RB

      WR (6)
      Torrey Smith WR
      Quinton Patton WR
      Bruce Ellington WR
      DeAndre Smelter WR
      Eric Rogers WR
      Aaron Burbridge WR

      Busta Anderson doesn’t play? Devin Cajuste?
      TE (3)
      Garrett Celek TE
      Blake Bell TE
      Vance McDonald TE

      OL (9)
      Joe Staley OL
      Joshua Garnett OL
      Daniel Kilgore OL
      Zane Beadles OL
      Trent Brown OL
      Marcus Martin OL
      Brandon Thomas OL
      John Theus OL
      Fahn Cooper OL

      DL (7)
      Arik Armstead DL
      DeForest Buckner DL
      Quinton Dial DL
      Ian Williams DL
      Glenn Dorsey DL
      Ronald Blair DL
      Mike Purcell DL

      OLB (4)
      Ahmad Brooks OLB
      Aaron Lynch OLB
      Eli Harold OLB
      Tank Carradine OLB

      ILB (4)
      NaVorro Bowman ILB
      Gerald Hodges ILB
      Michael Wilhoite ILB
      Jaquiski Tartt ILB/S

      S (4)
      Eric Reid S
      Antoine Bethea S
      Jimmie Ward S/CB
      L.J. McCray S

      2 of these guys (Brock/Acker) will be gone; Ward will be designated as a CB filling in at S, and Cromartie will be the other
      CB (6)
      Tramaine Brock CB
      Kenneth Acker CB
      Dontae Johnson CB
      Keith Reaser CB
      Will Redmond CB
      Rashard Robinson CB

      Specialists (3)
      Phil Dawson K
      Bradley Pinion P
      Kyle Nelson

    7. Good article Grant. I’m going to save it and compare it to our actual opening day roster
      in September. It will be fun to see how close or how far off your projections end up being compared to reality in September. Of course injuries, trades and free agency can and may alter the roster between now and then, but all in all I think you’ll probably end up being about 75% accurate with your predictions.

    8. Good stuff Grant.

      Good competition this year in many areas. We got better and deeper in the trenches this weekend that’s for sure. I’m still concerned about our WRS and ILBs. Too much inexperience and questions at WR, no star talent at all that I see, but Chip has a way to maximize talent on offense. If Navarro is anywhere closer to pre-injury form than I’m not so worried.

      Obviously with as many holes as we had you can’t adress them all.

      I also feel a lot more confident in our pass rush with the duo that is Buckstead. Plus with Tank losing weight and Eli gaining, there’s potential there.

      Still a very young team with a lot of questions, but I don’t think anywhere from 6-10 to 8-8 is out of the question. A lot to look forward to this season.

      What are the odds they bring boldin back?

      1. I doubt they bring back Boldin. I think the Niners need to see what they have in their young receivers, which is why they didn’t draft one until Round 6.

        I can’t believe the Niners talked themselved into rolling with Gerald Hodges/Michael Wilhoite next to Bowman. Good luck with that.

        1. I love Hodges as the Mike ILB next to Bowman taking care of the Jack responsibilities. L.O.V.E. love! Bowman has lost a half a step, but his instincts have never been better, and he’s strong than he has ever been. Hodges’ cover abilities were highly touted coming out of Penn St, where he won was named First-Team All-Big Ten in 2011. Hodges has been an ascending player since the Vikings drafted him in in 2013.

          https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/06/17/secret-superstars-minnesota-vikings/

          According to PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS, Hodges finished the 2014 season with the ninth-best overall grade among 40 qualifying 4-3 OLBs, just behind Barr. He ranked sixth and ninth in run defense and coverage, respectively. It took him a good 8 weeks or so last season to get comfortable playing completely different roll, but Baalke and Kelly are both exception those 2 to be a real good duo. The problem is at #3, there isn’t a lot of depth after those 2. WILHOITE is a low-end starter when he is starting, as is SKOV.

          The good news and wildcard is J. TARTT. He can perform a similar role to the one Kam Chancellor does for the division rival Seattle Seahawks, as an in-the-box safety who patrols the middle of the field and delivers punishing blows when defending both the run and the passing game. Nickel and dime schemes are being used as base defenses rather than sub-packages and I expect to see Tartt being utilized a lot on these sub-packages, essentially as the 49ers number 3 ILB, giving the Niners a valuable substitute for both Bow, and Hodges.

          Ideally, I absolutely would have loved for Baalke to have drafted the right ILB> However, I’m not about the idea of drafting a body, just because they need depth at the position. I’d rather try to make a trade. The 49ers happen to control the rights of a disgruntled, headcase, who also happens to be a very talented OT whom also happens to be a first round pick. Trent Baalke is creative when it comes to orchestrating trades when he needs to. Maybe they package him, and another player or 2 for a talented, up and coming ILB.

    9. You’ve got Kyle Nelson listed as a holder. If he can snap the ball and be the holder a the same time we should give a try at WR – that dude has got to be fast.

      1. So funny I forgot to laugh, Whiner.

        I hate to be the guy telling you this Whine Country, if nobody else has. You simply aren’t funny, and your negativity isn’t a good look either.

        In fact, it’s an annoying combination dude. Do us all a favor and go find another team to hate on, because you have become as stale as last weeks bread.

        1. 49 you’ve capped on pretty much everyone on this board at one time so I’m in good company. I should be honored that a legend in his own mind would take the time. BTW, were you around when everyone discussed “could care less” or “couldn’t care less”? Pick which one you want because they both say what I think of hearing from you. I’m negative? No, I’m positive – that you don’t know anywhere near what you think you do. Let’s get in touch in say….a year.

      2. Wine, keep your chin up. You did not deserve the shade. 49 is just disgruntled because his hero lasted until the 4th round when he was touting him as first rounder.

        1. I touted him as a first round TALENT Seb, which he was. I never guaranteed a round. I assumed there would be at least one team who needed a quality starter, who was smart enough not to believe the smear campaign. But I won’t take it personally, because it’s not my job on the line, unlike many of these executives.

          I’ll get redemption eventually Seb, just as soon as Cook seizes his opportunity, and proves his first round worthiness. You can take that post-dated check to the bank today Sebnynah, because there are sufficient funds in that account, with money to spare!

          And if you see UDFA Vernon Adams panhandling outside of that bank, tell him 4th rounder Connor Cook says hello from sunny California.

          1. 49 for a poster who writes whole pages on Cook, I am sure you were a teensy bit disappointed that he fell like a rock.
            Looks like Grant was spot on in his assessment.
            Adams? actually, My favorite was Hogan, and I think he landed well. Chiefs may start Hogan if Alex keeps huddling up while trying to run the hurry up offense.

    10. Grant, I couldn’t find a single error in your list. Not only did you nail the 53 man roster, your depth analysis was flawless as well.

      I’m impressed. You’ve clearly put some thought into it!

      1. Maybe they find a way to keep Rory ‘Busta’ Anderson on the 53.

        Any practice squad predictions yet, or is it way too early for your way too early practice squad projections? lol

  29. We have Armstead and Buckner .. so.. I dunno
    where .. Lenny will play… so .. what if ..
    they put him next to Navarro ? …

    I mean … they just gotta .. find a spot for him … right ?

  30. I’m giving Baalke a grade of C+. I like our draft, and especially like our three picks in the 6th rd. Buckner and Garnett may become season one starters and Redmond might see some quality snaps as well.
    Driskel, Taylor, and Burbridge could eventually become future quality players.

    The only reason I give Baalke a C+ from my original B+ (on day 2 of draft) is because while I feel good about the draft, I can’t get over the sense that Baalke left some very good players on the table.
    Not exceptional, but very nice draft.

    1. If you were Vernon Adams which team would you expect to give you you’re best chance? Hint: Stay away from the team with the most rigid definition of the physical make up needed to play QB.

          1. Well, I do not like RW, but I gotta give the man props. He did win a SB and almost won another.

      1. There ARE exceptions to every rule gentlemen and this little fellow may be a case in point, he is talented and has an exceptional ability to integrate an intuitive feel for the game with (in the vernacular ) a high football IQ. Sometimes talent trumps the gross measurable. He could beat the odds.

      2. Believe me, Vernon would have been at 49ers headquarters yesterday, if he had received the invite! Unfortunately for him, there is another kid in his draft class who actually looks like an NFL QB, with a far superior physical set of quarterbacking skills, already in the building.

        1. Adams does not fit Chip’s football parameters for a QB, and even with him coming out of Oregon, they chose Driskel over him.

        2. Adams may not have the formulaic physical attributes,but every other aspect of his game suggests he could play in the NFL and really all I am saying is I would like to have seen him given a chance perhaps with the 7th round we tossed or an UDFA pick.

          1. Hightop – there is a saying about economists: When they see something that works in the real world, their first response is: “Yeah, but does it work in theory?” No need to ponder the subject of Adams. 49Reasons knows all and says all – Adams will not work in theory.

            1. :)- Sorry to see you guys at odds,I’m certainly not an expert but I do have a predisposition to question closed systems and to pull for underdogs,however as the saying goes that’s just me.

              1. Hightop – I enjoy reading your input because of the facts and opinions that you share but, more importantly, at least to me, I have never seen you demean another poster. What troubles me about this site is that there are certain posters who want to set the agenda for the day. When they want to talk negatively about Baalke, York or the 49ers in general its no problemo. On the other hand, when they want to be optimistic, then everyone else has to jump on board. I don’t think any of us didn’t go through a period where we were certain that if we rooted hard enough for our team it would make a difference. That went away for me at about 7 or 8 years old. From time to time we hear posters say: I wish there was an edit button. Well, I would be offer to pay Grant’s IT guy to put in an ignore button. As to your point about Adams, John Madden used to rail about the very same thing years ago. By today’s standards Fred Belitnikoff would have had a career somewhere other than in the NFL (his words) In today’s world everything is done with the thought of creating a record in order to protect yourself from criticism if you screw up. Take the safe pick, Use analytics and measurables so you can justify a bad pick and hope for the best. Doesn’t matter if the guy’s got game. Last week I saw one of my favorite movies, Trouble With The Curve with Clint Eastwood. Eastwood plays an old baseball scout who with his daughter is attempting to extend his career when all the young new guys are taking over. He says the team’s number one prospect can’t hit a curve but it is based only on his instincts and the young scouts just laugh at him and tell him the game has left him behind. Well, at the end of the day, Eastwood brings in a phenom pitcher who nobody has heard of and…well…their superstar not only could not hit his curve ball but he couldn’t touch his fastball either. If you haven’t seen it I think it is one of Eastwood’s best. I agree with you about Adams and others like him (Russell Wilson, ya think). I don’t want to go on too much but for a local example, how about Fred Dean. He smoked cigarettes and when asked what he did for strength he replied: “I thought about lifting weights once and then I laid down and the thought went away”. Whatever you do, don’t draft that guy. Thank you for your insightful posts and for being considerate to others.

  31. According to Will Muschamp, Mike Shanahan and Mike Mularkey were both brought in to assess Driskel and both said he was a surefire NFL quarterback….

  32. Overall I am very happy with the draft. I give Baalke an A.

    You win in the NFL in the trenches and Baalke addressed both the O and the D line very well. The new O line is 1000% better than the stiffs we had in there last year. The addition of Buckner and Blair gives us a much improved D line, and Baalke addressed the defensive backfield with Redmond and Robinson (assuming Redmond co9mes back from his injury).

    There are two areas which still need addressing. We still need a game breaking WR (in the mold of Odell Beckham Jr.), and we need a pass rush specialist to replace Aldon Smith. I just don’t want to see Ahmad Brooks on the team in 2016. Hopefully someone already on the team will rise up to fill these two roles.

    If Kap gets back to his 2012-2013 form, I can see us with 10+ wins and a wild card spot.

  33. I spent the evening reviewing tape from some of the later round picks, Driskel, Taylor and Burbidge. Those were not Baalke picks. They were clearly influenced by Chip Kelly. Burbidge is straight-up steal (my kid told me this months before draft). Kelly has always been good at finding WR and he grabbed another. I expect him to contribute right away. New Anquan.

    Next, Taylor, the quickest feet in draft. You win in this league with quickness, not straight-line speed. He will be the change-up to Hyde we have been needing for years.

    Lastly, we have found our QB in Driskel. You turn on the tape and you wonder how he lasted so long. You watch senior bowl and he was best QB in that game. He had an awful situation in Florida, went the La Tech (run Bear Raid) and blew up. What impresses me is his calmness in the pocket, Brady like in terms of stature and release. Seriously, watch him. Before the year is over Driskel will be playing and playing well. His ceiling is higher than Goff. His floor is “who cares”, he was a ultra-late round pick.
    For me, this the best draft in 5 years by Baalke. Team just got much better on both sides of line. Driskel may make this a legendary draft if he becomes what I believe he can. A legit franchise-type QB. Kurt Cousin’s? Upside is way higher than Cousin’s.

    PS: Go check out his interview, he is a smart, articulate dude. What a change. Yes, I am speaking to you Krapperpants.

    1. Drooling over late round picks is OK, but I and many others wanted better options that the Niners passed on, while they kept on making redundant selections.
      Niners got Robinson, then the Ravens next pick got Kenneth Dixon, and 2 picks later, the Broncos got Booker. Prosise fell in the third to the Seahawks.
      Niners chose Blair, then the Raiders chose Deandre Washington. Niners chose Theus, then 4 picks later, the Giants chose Perkins.
      I am ecstatic that Kaep was not traded. I guess Chip really likes him.
      Guess what? Tebow also gave great interviews. Too bad those did not matter when it came to his play on the field.

      1. Comparing Tebow to Driskel is rediculous. Tebow had accuracy issues straight out of college. No one questions Driskel’s accuracy or pro traits. He stands tall in pocket and delivers accurately under pressure. Guy threw for 4K yards in exact same system as Goff. Threw 27 td’s and only 8 ints.

        He is not a sleeper, several scouts have him rated 3rd or 4th best prospect in draft.

        Just as Grant states, in 2017, jdon’t be surprised if this is our QB heading into season. Kaep sucks, did last year, will this year. He is not a franchise QB and frankly, does not display traits to be one. Unravels under pressure, inaccurate, and cannot through progressions. Not generally, franchise stuff.

        Go ahead and the dream alive on Kaep. The longer we do, the longer we will suck.

        1. Exactly. I was emphasizing their interview skills. Both gave great interviews, yet one was inaccurate on the field. Having great interview skills does not make you an elite QB. If so, Kevin Hogan should have been the first QB picked in the draft.

          1. Uh, you’re talking about stuff you don’t know Seb. Who told you the bible thumping fraud interviewed well?

    2. So are you going to quit your day job and become an NFL scout. Judging by the way you are drooling over Driskel, you think you know a lot more about QBs than NFL scouts. There is a reason every single team passed on Driskel multiple times, and there were seven QBs taken before him.

      He may or may not turn out to be a franchise QB, it is much more likely that he will be out of the league in a couple of years. In fact, it is unlikely he will even make the 53 man team. I see him as a development squad player in 2016.

      Now that they have not been successful in running him out of town, I see Kap haters itching to start a QB controversy. It is not going to work. With the improved O line Kap is going to be dynamite in Kelly’s system. Get used to it.

      1. Yo genius, first, the draft is a total crapshoot. 50% of guys in first won’t live up to billing. Statistically, either Goff or Wentz will suck. Driskel wS the #1 rated HS QB in country. Kid JD awful coach and situation. He left and the one year genus healthy and playing in good system, he throws for 4K yards, 27 tds and 8 ints. Yes, lower competition but his numbers at FL weren’t awful, just inconsistent. He is no more a developmental project than Lynch, who didn’t even start playing until JR in has, played lower competition and has a lot of work to do technique-wise. In fact, Driskel demonstrates better feet and pocket awareness than Lynch. Lynch has higher ceiling because he is 6’7.

        Also, this is one of the deepest QB classes in 10 years. Top to bottom. I could see 5-6 starters from this group in 3-5 years.

        1. Oh please. There was not one pundit who rated Driskel number 3 in the country. Everyone has Goff and Wentz, but 3 was always Lynch or Cook. Prescott and Hackenberg were mentioned, then Hogan, Brissett and Allen. Driskel was mentioned with sleepers like Nate Sudfeld and Jake Ruddock, both of whom were chosen before Driskel. Kessler was chosen before Driskel, so he was not an elite prospect. You may have selective amnesia, but others remember his travails in Florida.

        2. With the law of averages and the constant turnover due to retirements and attrition, it is not too bold to declare that one sixth of the QBs will be from this class.
          Deriding Kaep and saying that he sucks just defines you. So far, he is still a member of the 49ers, and I hope he regains his job that he lost due to injury.
          I sure am glad that Chip likes him, so it does not matter what your opinion is, if Chip wants him, he will be given every opportunity to win back his starting role.You seem to have selective amnesia over Kaep, too. You may think he sucks, but I see a smart, dedicated, driven to succeed QB that has a cannon for an arm and can run like a deer. He can shrug off arm tackles to buy time, use his mobility to elude pass rushers, and deliver a ball on the run with jaw dropping throws that few other QBs would even think of trying to throw, much less do it.
          So you may say he sucks, I will counter by saying that with the proper support, and coaches who are smart enough to utilize his skills properly, Kaep will bounce back and become the QB that I, and many other Niner fans think he can become. I saw a QB play in the SB after only 10 games, holds playoff QB rushing records, and has a 4-2 road playoff record. Kaep had impressive comeback wins against GB and Atlanta, a staged a furious comeback in the SB to get within 5 yards of winning it all. He also came within one pass from returning. Sometimes in life, you come up short, but at least he made the Niners relevant again, and in the thick of the hunt. If that sucks, so be it.

          1. Seb: Well said.

            There is no sense arguing with Kap haters. They have their minds made up and no amount of facts will get them to change their minds.

            The Niners could have drafted a one armed cripple with bad knees at QB and the haters would have been saying the man was better than Kap.

            Haters gonna hate.

          2. Whatever JA. History would say that Kaep becoming a franchise level qb are slim to slimmer. Not impossible, super unlikely. He does not have many of the traits you want in a top flight qb . Decision making, football IQ, pocket awareness, move through progressions, accuracy. Too many to count. Basically, he can run.

            Our line wasn’t good, he was beyond worse. Crap Aaron Rodgers hasn’t had a line in 5 years and he still a stud. Kaep
            loses line and becomes dud. All you need to know about Kaep, is Blaine Gabbert beat him out…and looked 10x better.

            1. Back to your revelation about the last 3 picks in the sixth round for the Niners being Chip Kelly picks, I respectfully disagree. Of course, they were all offensive players so by that fact alone, one could claim they were Kelly picks. However, Baalke had his fingerprints all over those. If Chip had the deciding vote on a QB, RB and WR, they would have taken one of those a lot sooner in the earlier rounds. Baalke insisted on those CBs and linemen, and thought that those players chosen would be available later, which they were. I think the scouts did their homework, and since Chip only attended local pro days, if he saw one of those players, it would only have been during the combine. In fact, Chip did not speak with Buckner, because he did not want to tip his hand.
              I obviously think that Buckner was a Chip Kelly pick because Chip recruited him at Oregon. I also think that Garnett was a Chip Kelly selection because he did attend his pro day, and Garnett attended the Niner pro day, so Chip got to see him up close and personal. Additionally, Chip has a relationship with Shaw from his Pac 12 experience, so Shaw gave Chip a glowing recommendation.
              After the first 2 picks, I think Chip let Baalke make the selection with the rest, based on a collective input. I sure would liked to have seen their draft board.

        3. Daniners, I got your back bro.

          I’m not sure he’s the 49ers next franchise QB, but he sure as sh_t is a perfect fit for Chip Keely’s system. And Driskel, to SF in the 6th, makes far, far more sense than does Lynch to Denver, in the first fricking round!

          You win that argument Daniners, in a landslide!

  34. Here’s my personal assessment of my last mock a couple of weeks prior to the draft.
    0 – 12!
    This is my first mock in which I whiffed on every player mock’d.
    Better keep my day job (lol).

    April 10, 2016 at 4:55 pm
    Here’s my “Groovin’ on a Sunday Afternoon” 49ers 2.0 (or is it three?) mock draft.
    This is if we stay pat.
    1. Jared Gofff…. QB (agree with all the pundits here)
    2. Leonard Floyd…. OLB (explosive and a possible day one starter)
    3. Vadal Alexander…. OG (can develop and has high ceiling)
    4 a. Jihad Ward…. DE (good first step off the LOS)
    4 b. Tyler Higbee…. TE (I know he just got in trouble with the law, but the kid is a ball’r)
    5 a. C.J. Prosise…. RB (good vision and nice balance)
    5 b. Brandon Allen…. QB (my surprise pick in the draft – hey, I’m crazy like that ; )
    5 c. Max Tuerk…. OC (can develop into a starter down the road)
    6 a. Charone Peake… WR (very good hands and height)
    6 b. De’Runnya Wilson… WR (I know he’s considered slow, but the kid is physical and productive).
    6 c. Daryl Worley…. CB (good size and nice cover skills)
    6 d. Tyler Ervin…. RB (small by NFL standards, but is better then Mike Davis).
    *Reserve the right to mock my mock (and I will) up until a couple of days before the draft.

    1. AES, I still think you are very astute, and your mock was done before the blockbuster trades that changed everything.
      I totally agree with your mock of Prosise, and hope he does not haunt the Niners for years up in Seattle.

  35. This draft is over, the Niners did well, but I think that some posters have unrealistic expectations. It is rare that a 6th round pick becomes an instant starter. Usually, one can assume that the first round pick will play. If the team is bad, maybe even the second or third round picks may play.
    However, it is a big transition from college to the pros. Many college players need to bulk up and get stronger before they see the field. They also need to study, and move from the wide set run and gun to the pro style, so that takes time. Some players are so good, they can seamlessly make the transition. Others need a couple years to do it.
    The draft class may also impact the process. some draft classes are strong, others weak. Within the draft class, certain positions may be strong, others weak. Look at this year. The ILB position was meh, yet the D line had many elite players. Not too many TEs were chosen early, but the O line position was deep.This year, after the first 2 QBs were taken, the others had to wait until the later rounds before they were chosen.
    In any situation, there will be turnover. That is what the draft is all about. I did not like the Niners making redundant picks, but obviously, they focused on their weaknesses, so hopefully they will improve. Still, I wanted them to pick for some skill positions earlier than the 6th.
    I wish they had traded away some players who may not make the 53, and had obtained more draft picks, but it also would take willing trade partners, too. Now, maybe they should assess the roster, and trade away players who have worth, but still will no make the squad. They should trade them for future draft picks, and do it before TC, because once TC rolls around, the other teams will just wait until they are cut, and pick them up for free. maybe they could even swap players, so both teams can benefit to fill weaknesses and capitalize on their strengths.
    It will be interesting to see how Chip and his coaches will mold this squad into a cohesive unit. Hope springs eternal.
    GO NINERS!!!!!!

  36. I am hoping for a kick Azz defensive line and a stout defense in general.

  37. With the addition of Driskel, who has a greater upside than CK had coming in, I will be watching CK closely for his ability to mentally compete. CK has never had this type of pressure during camp and preseason games. I recall how for years CK languished on the sidelines while the likes of Dylan Thompson got rep after rep getting better and better. Naturally when Gabbert got his reps he looked good as well. It is my impression CK’s mental toughness is an issue and he will not do well in Kelly’s highly competitive camp. CK should have an edge based on his experience and rebuilt body. Good luck 49ers.

    1. What are you talking about? Kap was drafted by in 2011. He sat behind Smith in 2011 and took over midseason 2012. What years of languishing on the sidelines? You must be thinking of someone else.

  38. Matt Johnson signed with the Bengals and Trevone Boykin signed with the Seahawks, neither were drafted.

  39. Ronald Blair vs Ohio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIPt6jVsZBA

    Baalke said he’d play up and down the line of scrimmage. He certainly did in this game.

    Disruptive. Quick. Can slice through creases in a defensive line. Offenses paid him compliments with frequent double teams. Pass rushes A, B and C gaps. Strong enough to hold point and set the edge on runs.

    Looks like a nickle package wildcard. Good for TE stunts. Can punish offenses that double team the Bucksteads buy hitting an interior gap. Can stack and shed if teams try to attack the nickle with runs, draws or scrambles.

    He’s not perfect. Looks a bit stiff at times. Small school opposition. But I like what I see so far.

      1. Interesting, saw him playing nose. Maybe they passed on Billings because Blaire can move inside.
        Still do not know why Billings dropped or Vadal Alexander, either. Kinda glad that Cook dropped because it fit my take on him.

        1. Baalke said Blair was going to be a sub package player, moving up and down the line to pressure the QB.

          I think he pairs well with Buckner. Buckner is the rare inside defender than can rush the edge. Blair looks like a 4-3 DE but can rush inside gaps too. Perfect for running stunts and punishing double teams.

          What I like bout Blair is his run defense. Teams try to punish sub package edge rushers by running right at them, suckering them on draw plays or QB keepers (hello Seattle). Blair’s stout enough to hold point or set the edge, and attack the ball carrier.

        2. Seb,
          Read one article (forgot which one) about Billings dropping because he was basically a one-tech player and also concerns about his size – said to be 6′ 2″ but more closer to 6′ tall.

          I still believe that he will make a name for himself and given how he dropped during the draft it may motivate him to prove a lot of people wrong.

          That aside, I’m excited about Ronald Blair. I said earlier that he may be the TC surprise, and if that becomes a reality, Blair could be the steal of the draft. And unlike Billings, Blair can play many positions along the DL if needed.

          1. Ah, thank you for that information.
            I too, am liking the Blair pick. Maybe Baalke picked up another Sheldon Rankins type

  40. Using a 6th on him isn’t a total waste but Driskel is nothing to get excited about. WF sums it up pretty well:

    Driskel has the skill set to be a quality NFL starting quarterback. He is big, athletic and has the arm strength to make all the throws. That was clear at the combine where he worked out extremely well. However, Driskel doesn’t have the mentality of a pro signal-caller. While at Florida, he was a disaster with turnovers, poor accuracy, and taking an offense that had pro talent and making it inept.

    In 2014, Driskel had future NFL running backs (Matt Jones and Kelvin Taylor), a wide receiver with first-round talent (Demarcus Robinson), and future pro offensive linemen (D.J. Humphries and Max Garcia), yet still struggled to move the ball. Driskel completed 54 percent of his passes that season for 1,140 yards with nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

    Driskel transferred to Louisiana Tech and beat up on the weak competition in 2015, completing 62 percent of his passes for 4,033 yards with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions. At the Senior Bowl, his skill set flashed at times, but he didn’t play well enough to undo the damage done by his play at Florida. Sources say that they’ve given Driskel an undrafted grade.

      1. “Grant Cohn May 1, 2016 at 10:14 am
        Sources were wrong.”

        As a 6th round pick I don’t see any real downside to it other then if they were truly interested in a QB they should have chosen a better option earlier.

        1. Prescott would have been a better choice but he wasn’t the only one. And no Driskel is definitely not > then Prescott.

          I remember one source saying that Boykin was going in the 5th. What happened there?

          1. He punched a police offer. He definitely is a 5th-round talent. Prescott is the most over-rated QB this year, other than Cook.

            1. Hardly. Of all the mid round prospects he was easily one of the safest choices. He has all physical tools to play the position and the intangibles that can’t be coached. Unlike Hogan who’s going to be picked off every time he tries to throw a sideline pass in the NFL.

              1. The only quarterback drafted who is worse than Prescott is Cardale Jones.

              2. Dealing with absolutes may not be wise. I saw Hogan make all the throws. His last pass in the ND game was over the LBs and in front of the safeties. In the Rose bowl, he had nice zip to the ball.

              3. “Grant Cohn May 1, 2016 at 11:16 am
                The only quarterback drafted who is worse than Prescott is Cardale Jones.”

                Interesting statement from a guy who once mocked Prescott to the 49ers in the 4th round.

      2. Shanahan and Mularkey are two sources I trust when it comes to quarterbacks, and they both agreed that he is a surefire NFL starter….

      3. He is 6th rounder.Like a lot of young guys he needs work-largely the same problems Hogan has been addressing (presently I maintain Hogan will be a better player but time and the situations they face may prove otherwise) poor footwork and a longish throwing motion affecting his ability to throw in a tight window will be problematic. Anticipation and downfield accuracy need work. Fortunately he wont be thrown in the fire immediately. It is all about fundamentals and footwork is where it starts imo.

    1. The more I think about Driskel, the more I think he should be converted to TE, like I wanted them to do with Cardale Jones. Driskel is 237 and ran a 4.47 forty according to Chip.
      However, he would be even more dangerous if Chip can devise a scheme where he puts the TE in motion to run myriad plays with the flea flicker option. Cardale Jones would have been perfect for that scheme, and Driskel is big and fast enough to also do that.

    2. I don’t have a problem with them drafting a developmental QB late in the draft, but Driskel is a borderline NFL QB imo. I don’t see much from him to think he’ll be anymore than a backup if that. Good athlete. Not a good QB.

      1. That sums up the entire QB unit on the roster. All good athletes, just not any good QB’s. Who will emerge?
        Throw a dart!
        That’s the one area Baalke blew. Did well to rebuild the trenches and secondary but the skilled positions, he missed badly!

      2. Much like how I don’t really rate Lynch but think Kelly’s offense would have been a good fit for him, I think Kelly’s offense will be one of the better fits for a QB like Driskel. Keeps things fairly simple for the QB, makes use of their physical gifts.

      3. Mike Shanahan and Mike Malarkey both disagree with you, of course Chip Kelly since he more than likely hand picked him….

        1. They made those observations a few years ago and before Driskel struggled badly and transferred. The kid is a project which is why he was a 6th round pick.

          1. He was Chip Kelly’s hand picked project and he has all the tools to develop as far as Chip can take him. Which is why I always maintained that Colin will beat out Gabbert in a competition and be the 49ers starting quarterback in 2016….

            1. If Chip can turn him into something more than a marginal NFL player then I will be surprised, but also delighted to be wrong.

              You could be right on Kap, but it all depends on his head. Is he all in or is he still focused on getting out of town?

              1. Wouldn’t surprise me in the least. He has more to work with than the number one overall selection. Just like Colin has more to work with than Blaine, who was selected in the top 10….

              2. If all it took to play QB in this league was athleticism then I would agree with you Razor, but it takes much more, and the guy who went first has a lot more than Driskel in the areas that matter most.

              3. We shall see, but I must remind you that a pupil is only as good as his tutor and Chip Kelly has more where it matters most than Sonny Dykes….

              4. I’m not sure that is the case. What young QB has Kelly developed to go number one overall?

              5. Not sure I get your point. JaMarcus Russell went number one. Alex Smith went number one. Where are those head coaches? Have they ever coached at the NFL level. Are you really inferring Sonny Dykes has a greater football acumen than Chip Kelly?

              6. Urban Meyer and Les Miles, two of the best HC’s in College football and I’m pretty sure you know where they are.

                The point was Kelly hasn’t been a developer of QB’s so the idea that he knows more about developing a QB than Sonny Dykes isn’t supported.

              7. If Kelly isn’t a developer of quarterbacks, why has everyone of the crappy ones he’s had played at a career high level?

              8. The system what else? He had Jeremiah Masoli and Darron Thomas as his QB’s his first 3 years at Oregon and won as much as he did his one year with Mariota.

              9. So Bradford, Foles were products of the system, even though they handcuffed it with their immobility. This will be the first NFL quarterback tailor made to run the Chip Kelly “system”. We’ll see exactly how effective it can be in the NFL, while Les Miles and Urban Meyer keep developing NFL busts….

              10. They didn’t handcuff it. They were better passers than most QB’s Kelly had worked with previously which is one of the reasons why his system has gone more pass oriented the past two years. Who is the QB tailor made to run his system you are referring too?

              11. It’s called the zone read not the zone give and that’s all that Bradford did was give. They knew he would never run and that handcuffed the Chip Kelly system. Kaepernick is tailor made to run his system. Why do you think he was hired and decided to come here, Gabbert?

              12. Razor,

                Kelly’s system has evolved the past couple of years. I’m sure he’d love to have a QB with mobility, but that is not the main component he is looking for anymore. He has started passing more than running and has given preference to passing ability over running ability. That is why he traded for Bradford even though he has limited mobility.

                I hope Kap is great in this offense, but I don’t know that he’s a great fit for it. He has never been a fast decision maker who gets rid of the ball quickly which is the key to Kelly’s offense at the NFL level.

              13. Wrong Rocket. He traded for Bradford because he was desperate for a quarterback. Kelly’s offense is predicated on the running game period. That’s what drives the offense. If him and Bradford were such a good match, why did neither want the other? You’ll see what Kelly’s offense can do with Kaepernick/Hyde pulling the old Chip Wagon….

              14. Wrong Rocket. He traded for Bradford because he was desperate for a quarterback. Kelly’s offense is predicated on the running game period. That’s what drives the offense. If him and Bradford were such a good match, why did neither want the other? You’ll see what Kelly’s offense can do with Kaepernick/Hyde pulling the old Chip Wagon….

                It amazes me when someone says I’m wrong when every shred of evidence says I’m right. I had this same discussion with Grant a few weeks ago.

                The run is very important and the success of it relies heavily on the running game, no argument from me, but Kelly’s offense threw the ball 300 more times the past two years than they ran it. It is not a run first offense at this point. That is obvious if you simply look at the play selection. They still run the ball a lot and many pass setups rely on play fakes, but if you throw it 300 more times than you run it, it cannot under any rational theory be considered a run first offense anymore. Maybe he’ll change it to more of run dominated offense in SF, maybe not, but in Philly, it was air Kelly.

                My next question for you is: why was he desperate for a QB if it’s a run oriented offense he wanted to run? That makes no sense on any level. He had a QB who had success in his system in Foles so he wasn’t desperate at all. He wanted a superior passer which Bradford was and that’s why he made the trade. Kelly did want Bradford. If he didn’t he wouldn’t have traded for him. If you are referring to the rumors of Bradford not wanting to play for Kelly anymore, then be my guest. They are rumors and they come after Kelly was fired. The reality is Kelly wanted Bradford, and traded for Bradford. There is no way in hell he would have done that and given up a second round pick in the process, if he didn’t truly believe Bradford was a fit for what he wanted to do offensively. Kelly would love to have mobility in a QB, but at the NFL level you have to throw the ball effectively and you don’t want your QB running very much. Kelly figured this out and started morphing into less QB running and more QB passing.

                We will see what happens in SF. I hope Kap thrives in this system and if not Kap, then Gabbert or the project from LT. I don’t want to see this fail.

  41. Weeds await. Before I head off to cut down the jungle. I will leave with this quote from Chip- ‘ I just went to the local ones. That’s what I was told to do.’
    Hmmm, I wonder if he was content to do that? Hope so.

      1. That too, but I had to mow the south forty. Disturbed 2 deer and saw a fox slink away.

  42. My draft takeaways…

    Overall the talent obtained looks good but the strategy doesn’t make sense to me.

    The 49ers all but admitted they are in rebuild mode. Based upon their selections they are not looking to fill any holes. They appear to have been drafting based solely on their board. Ignoring needs at tackle until later, as well as tight end, wide receiver (last pick), Outside and Inside Linebacker while selecting 3 corners to add to a roster already full of developmental prospects there. I would assume both Bethea and Reid will soon be moving on based upon these selections with Tartt and Ward taking over at the safety spots.

    On the upside this should lead to a more versatile defense but it sucks that we are constantly replacing our secondary.

  43. Telly’s second mock, 4/26 at 2;12 pm:

    5-6 Ronald Blair, Appalacian State, DT

    Telly picked Hogan at 5-3, but that’s where Baalke picked Blair. Must have liked him a little better than Telly did. Oh, well.

  44. C draft for me.

    They took a safe pick at 6 and then traded into the bottom of the 1st for another safe pick. Not bad but not worthy of a ton of praise either. Both will be starters but how much impact they bring is the question for me.

    The CB’s back to back in the 3rd and 4th round are gambles and they overlooked other players at bigger needs to take them. Redmond is coming off a torn ACLand only has 7 starts in his college career. Talented kid, but Calhoun went a few picks later and would have been a better pick at a position of much greater need imo. Robinson blows up the red flag meter to the point it is out of service. A pick of faith based on physical traits alone. He hasn’t played since 2014 and started 8 games in his career. Missed games due to poor grades and was ultimately suspended for an entire season due to repeat rule violations. Yep just what we needed.

    I like Blair and he adds to the depth on the Dline, but we have a fair amount of options on the Dline already if healthy.

    The 2 OT’s are developmental picks, but Cooper especially has some decent potential as a swing tackle.

    Not a Driskel fan at all, but Taylor and Burbridge were ok picks where they went.

    The final pick made no sense.

    Overall, it was an ok draft, but they ignored the LB position both inside and out, which is the clear weakness of the defense and that is a failure in my opinion. They languished near the bottom of the league in both pass rush and rush defense and I don’t see much here that will change that both short and long term. This is a rebuild, but I don’t see much here beyond the first two picks that we can honestly be confident about long term at this point. They have gambled on some guys who will make or break the draft.

    1. Doesn’t the lack of ILB picks move you to believe they are happy about their ILB group? We don’t have to agree with them but it would seem they’re pleased with Bowman, Hodges and Wilhoite. Seems like we may see more of Tartt if that knee is healthy too. On the OLB group it would seem they believe they can get better play from Harold and turn Carradine into and edge rusher.

      One thing I would say is important to note. When the DL is good, the rest of the defense’s job is much easier. OLB’s and ILB’s benefit greatly from a good DL. You know way more than I do on this stuff.

      1. Wilhoite is a joke. So many times last year he avoided contact. He’s a guy who doesn’t like to get his jersey dirty.
        Maybe Hodges can be a a good compliment. Otherwise I like the idea of Tartt moving up.

      2. Wilson,

        I have no idea how Baalke feels about the LB core, but I see it as a weakness. The pass rush and ability to stop the run is the key to helping the back end of the defense, and they did neither very well last year. They clearly needed somebody to come in and play next to Bowman who could cover RB’s and TE’s like PWilly used to do. I understand the idea that Tartt can play a hybrid LB, but Wilhoite and Hodges should be backups.

        They also needed somebody to line up opposite of Lynch who could actually create some pressure. Maybe Carradine can be that guy but maybe not and that is not a situation you want to be in. Lynch slid back a bit last year so the pass rush overall on this team is in pretty poor shape.

          1. I guess in the player evaluations, they like Hodges and Wilhoite. Maybe Ray Ray gets snaps, too.
            I wanted Scooby, but he was slow. Maybe this draft class was weak when it came to ILBs.

    2. The OLBs play OLB about 1/3 of snaps and mostly on run downs. They are basically DEs. 49ers added Blair who can play DE, have Tank transitioning back to an edge player, and also drafted an interior pass rusher in Buckner who will help improve the pass rush.

      Its a position they could have used help at, but would have loved to see them take early, but only so many high picks available to address a lot needs. The mid and lower round pass rushers didn’t excite me.

      At ILB, not taking one suggests we might not see a lot of 2 traditional ILBs on the field. I expect we’ll see more of Tartt in that hybrid role, which is where he played last year until Bethea got hurt. Basically they drafted an ILB in the 2nd round last year. Again, would have loved to get an ILB this year, but only so many high picks.

      I am surprised Baalke spent 3rd and 4th rounders on CBs, as that is where I thought they might address ILB and OLB at the expense of CB. But the CB group does lack a dominant player, getting by with guys that are decent #2s or backups.

      This is a rebuilding team with holes everywhere. You can’t fix everything in one draft. I like the idea of focusing on fixing a few holes to increase the chances of plugging them, especially when two of those holes are the OL and DL which make everything else tick.

      1. Scooter,

        I was only referring to pass rush in regards to the OLB’s. Whether it’s in base or on Nickel, the Niners don’t have anybody besides Lynch who has shown an ability to bring consistent pressure. I think they blew a great opportunity to address this by taking Redmond over Calhoun.

        I get your point on the lack of dominant CB’s, but we both agree pass rush makes a CB better. Baalke used 3 picks two years ago and another three this year and there is still a question as to whether he will actually have drafted a true #1 CB. Redmond and Robinson have little experience and other issues that make them risky picks.

        The Dline was probably the deepest part of the defense besides the S position. I don’t think there was nearly as a big hole there as there was in other spots. They’ve made themselves better on the Dline, but ignored the bigger problems. Garnett fills a big hole for sure.

        1. Yeah, not sure if you recall, but I have been beating the drum for upgrading the DL as a priority all offseason. I was all for signing Malik Jackson or trading for Mo Wilkerson. I didn’t think it was anywhere near as good a unit as many others believed. At best it was ok. Now it looks like being a strength again. For mine it all starts with the DL, so making that unit strong is more important than making any other unit on D strong.

          With Lynch, Brooks, Tank, Harold and Blair as edge players, that unit isn’t great, but with an upgraded DL it is probably good enough. Lynch, Armstead and Buckner should get plenty of attention from opponents, making the job of whoever lines up next to Buckner a bit easier. Getting Calhoun would have been nice, but I can’t argue with a guy like Redmond who has top notch athletic ability and (albeit in limited time) showed good coverage skills in college. And crazy as it sounds, it appears the 49ers still believe in Tank’s ability. A platoon of Brooks, Tank, Harold and Blair as the 4th guy on the line and rotating in isn’t too bad.

          The secondary is a position I wasn’t as down on as many, as I think you can get by with average secondary play if you have an excellent pass rush. But obviously having a quality secondary helps. I would have had no issues with the 49ers trading down in the first and taking Jackson. And I have no issues taking talented guys like Redmond or Robinson later on. The competition for roles should be fierce. Hopefully these picks will take a fairly average unit to an above average unit, which combined with an improved pass rush would make the D much better.

          ILB is a worry. But if they drafted Tartt to play as a hybrid LB/S, which is how they used him last year to start the season, then it makes sense to give him another year before moving on from him. Hodges/ Wilhoite are below average starters (though Hodges has potential to be better than that), but if they are only on the field 1/3 of snaps then its not too big an issue. And as backups they are better than many.

          1. I agree with upgrading the DL; I just don’t think it was the unit that needed the most upgrading. Adding an established vet in FA would have been great, but adding more young players to other young players is not the same thing. The biggest problem with this defense last year imo, was the pass rush and ILB position both in coverage and against the run. They didn’t do much to help either. Blair could be a good player in time, but they needed to address the outside pass rush more than that.

            I just see way too little focus on the biggest areas of need, and more picks used on question marks than a rebuilding team should.

            1. Fair enough. Way I see it is the 49ers are more than 1 offseason away from being relevant. This draft provided guys that should be building blocks at important positions, and long term the hope should be the DL and secondary will be strengths of the team.

              Given they drafted Tartt and Harold last year in the 2nd and 3rd round, I guess they are expecting those positions to be improved this year anyway. Was taking another pass rusher in the 3rd round going to be the answer? Given Harold is a guy that like Calhoun was being talked about as a potential 1st rounder before falling to the 3rd, why are we so quick to throw him aside? And I guess they want to see what Tank can do back on the edge at his more natural weight too.

              And Tartt deserves another shot to take the ILB spot next to Bowman in nickel/dime. He’ll have a full offseason to learn the role this year. Last year would have been a steep learning curve for him from being a deep lying safety in college. The need for an ILB assumes Tartt doesn’t improve, as I don’t see much point drafting an ILB that would only play 1/3 of snaps high. Would have been nice to have the extra depth and competition, but there was better talent available.

              Basically, the 49ers took the guys you think they should have drafted last year.

              Obviously with Armstead in the 1st last year an argument can be made against taking Buckner, but he was simply too good to pass up at #7. And I genuinely am a strong believer in building the trenches.

              Obviously the plan could completely backfire if the edge players don’t improve, if Tartt doesn’t make a successful transition, and if the draft picks they made this year are no good. But I can see the rationale behind it.

              1. Scooter,

                I think if you have obvious weakness’ you continue to throw more picks at them. Hoping Harold and Tank are the answer when they’ve given you no reason to believe it, is not the way to fix the problem. I’m also not saying you dump these guys, just keep adding to the position like they have for awhile now on the Dline. You can never have too many pass rushers.

                As far as Tartt goes, I think he can be ok in the hybrid role, but trying to find a 3 down LB is a much better option to me. As it is, they have little depth at the position in case of injury and below average starters besides Bowman. There was just no rational reason to ignore it completely imo.

              2. They did throw picks at obvious weaknesses though. Just not the weaknesses you wanted. That’s the problem with having so many question marks on the team, you can’t fill them all.

                I think the 2nd ILB is going the way of the NT for the 49ers. Can get by with average players at the position as they won’t be on the field that often. And if you have a dominant pair of DTs then it makes it that much easier for the ILBs.

                The article George linked from NN gives a very sound rationale as to why CB was prioritised this year, both in terms of FA targets, and in the draft when FA failed to net the guys they wanted.

              3. Scooter,

                What greater need is there than improving the pass rush? It’s not about what I want. it’s about what this team needs desperately. Maybe they are going to go with Tartt in a hybrid role all the time, but the point is if you have a 3 down LB you don’t need the hybrid. In this case they’ll have two different players playing one position in different situations. I prefer one guy personally.

                I also understand you can’t fill all the holes in one draft but you also don’t have to focus on 3 areas of the team with the majority of your picks either.

              4. They did improve the pass rush with their first pick. They also added Blair, who can play DE or DT in 4-man fronts and was also a productive pass rusher in college. Neither guy is an OLB, but how often will the 49ers be in base this year? Mostly on run downs I would guess. Their pass rush will mostly come from 4-man fronts, so it makes sense to be drafting DL pass rushers.

                Who could they have drafted that would have added more to the pass rush than Buckner at #7? And sure, they could have drafted Calhoun in the 3rd round, and he could have played both OLB in base and DE in 4-man fronts, but a guy like Blair is adept against both run and pass as a down lineman. They didn’t ignore the pass rush, not by any means. And they were also able to improve the secondary.

              5. As for preferring one ILB that can do everything well, they are hard to find. The 49ers have been blessed to have Willis and Bowman.

                To get a top notch ILB that is both good against the run and pass, they would have had to sacrifice getting Garnett. I’d have been fine with such a move, just as I would have been fine with drafting a good edge player high, but I can’t fault them for drafting Garnett given the issues they have on the OL. Either was a good option.

                Given they drafted Tartt to play a hybrid role last year (and Baalke stated in one of his pressers they envision him playing as a pseudo LB again this year), it makes sense to not reach for an ILB this year, or take one over a better player in the mid rounds. Tartt was 220lbs last year, and with a full NFL offseason behind him I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s up around the 225 – 230 lbs mark this year. Basically as big as Deion Jones, with similar athletic ability.

              6. He may do, Grant. There are plenty of guys that may end up better than Buckner. That’s the beauty of the draft. But Floyd wasn’t as good as Buckner in college, and is more of a project. Most draft analysts agree Buckner is the better prospect. The 49ers took the best prospect available at #7 that didn’t have injury or attitude concerns, and addresses a big need to improve the pass rush.

              7. While researching Floyd, I saw some plays where he could not shed his block and was ridden out of the play. I also watched a lot of Buckner, and he was a force to be reckoned with.

              8. Scooter,

                Buckner is not a great pass rusher, at least not yet. There were many pass rushing options the Niners passed on over the first 4 rounds. I get the point you are trying to make but I don’t see the big bodies they drafted as great options as outside pass rushers opposite Lynch.

                As to the ILB, it is hard to find a good one I agree, but it’s impossible if you don’t draft one.

              9. Rocket, none of the pass rushers are ‘great’ just yet. But PFF gave Buckner a higher pass rush grade than any of the edge players available aside from Bosa, I believe. He is the best pass rusher than they could have gotten.

                Your main objection appears to be he isn’t an edge player. But who cares where the pressure comes from? Aaron Donald is one of the most disruptive defenders in the game. The 49ers should now have two DTs capable of collapsing the pocket up the middle, which will not only make the edge guys better but will also make it pretty difficult for the QB to step up and throw.

                The 49ers didn’t take an ILB, but if I recall correctly one of the guys you really liked was Deion Jones. Tartt is the same size as him, with similar athletic ability. We (and this includes me) were all so fixated on Tartt being the long term SS we lost sight of the fact they played Tartt as a LB last season. That’s what he was drafted for. They drafted their ILB in the 2nd round last year. They either miss out on Buckner or Garnett, or they take an ILB at a lower round pick this year than the guy they took last year. Which would basically make him a backup. Hodges and Wilhoite are fine as the backups.

              10. Scooter,

                Edge rushers is what I’m talking about yes, and while Buckner may have received a good grade from PFF, I didn’t see dominant pass rusher when I watched him. Yeah he’ll be great at times pushing the pocket but we need another impact pass rusher from the outside lining up opposite of Lynch. Maybe Tank or Eli or maybe/hopefully both will be the answer, but neither has done anything to encourage the team to not address it with one of the top 4 picks. That makes no sense to me.

                Again I get the role envisioned for Tartt. I’m saying that should not end the search for an ILB.

                I’m pretty sure I’ve been reading posts on here for months stating the need for pass rushers and an ILB, and it wasn’t just my posts. Why is it no big deal now?

              11. We’ll have to disagree on Buckner. He looks a good interior pass rush prospect to me.

                The need for another great pass rusher opposite Lynch is what most have been discussing, but I’ve always maintained it didn’t matter where the pass rush came from. The DL outside of Armstead got very little pass rush last year. The team basically had Lynch, Armstead and nobody else. Now they have added Buckner. Also Blair. They have added to the pass rush.

                It would have been nice to add a 3rd pass rusher for the edge, sure, but in the end they added to the pass rush so I’m happy. Brooks is still on the team and he has shown that when the DL creates issues for the offense he can be a good rusher too. What was Smith, Smith, McDonald, Brooks will now be Brooks, Buckner, Armstead, Lynch. And they also have Tank, Harold, Blair, Williams, Dial and Dorsey. That is a pretty good looking unit. They can replace Brooks next year.

                And yes, I was one of those saying they need an ILB. But I can admit I was basing that on Tartt being seen as Bethea’s replacement, with the capacity to play closer to the LOS as needed. It is now looking like I made an error there, and Tartt is actually being looked at as an ILB/SS hybrid as his primary role. He may eventually move to SS, but not looking like it is on the cards any time soon. Again, would have been awesome to take an ILB. I don’t disagree on that, and it is a position of some worry heading into the season. But this team isn’t going to be revamped in one offseason. Bowman, Tartt, Hodges and Wilhoite – there is some talent there, especially if the DL can clog lanes and keep the OL off them, and get some pressure in the passing game. Could also get picked on in coverage again. We’ll just have to wait and see. But to get a starter they would have likely needed to take an ILB in round 1 or 2, and thus lost out on Buckner or Garnett. Catch 22.

              12. Yeah, he was. 49ers would have needed to take him in the 3rd round to get him. He’ll be a good backup to Trevathon and Freeman at the Bears. Redmond looks a better talent that Kwiatkoski though. When you’ve got so many needs, why take the lesser talent?

                Would Kwiatkoski have started for the 49ers at ILB this year? Its possible. But he’d have been the guy getting replaced in nickel by Tartt. He’d only play around 1/3 of snaps. And that would be unlikely to change much moving forward, unless he becomes better than Bowman (may happen given Bowman’s knee injury, but unlikely) or ends up excelling in coverage (he was decent in college, but not as good as a safety one would imagine). Redmond looks like a guy that could be on the field a lot more than that in the future.

              13. I was just throwing out the name of an ILB you were interested in recently as a point of reference.

                I just see a lot of the same justification on here – not singling anybody out – I saw last year in defense of suspect decision making by this team. I don’t think it was a bad draft but they really made some picks that should be questioned.

              14. Every draft has picks that can be questioned. End of the day the 49ers went hard at addressing their lines and added some talented CBs albeit with some risks with mid round picks.

                They didn’t fix everything, but they were never going to. I’m fine with what they did get. And I am sure there will be guys we lament they didn’t take.

              15. Scooter,

                We seem to be going in circles again as we tend to do sometimes. My problem with this draft was not that they didn’t fill every hole, they couldn’t and I didn’t expect them too. The problem I have with the draft is that they didn’t address some very important areas and took gambles on players without much starting experience and severe character issues. Adding three more CB’s to the pile of three that were added a couple of years ago and other young CB’s they had on the roster, was extreme overkill to me and cost them talent at other areas of need.

                If Redmond and Robinson turn out to be good players then great, but why focus most of your picks on 3 areas? They have needs everywhere and there were players there that could have addressed those needs. That’s all I’m saying.

              16. Yeah, but if we assume O’Neil does intend to leave his CBs on their own more than the 49ers previous DCs, CB was one of if not the major need on the team. The guys they had are just average. So makes a lot of sense to add as much talent to the backfield as possible.

              17. I don’t think we should assume anything which is the problem I had with that fan article. It seems O’Brien is like any other DC and works with what he has. If you have a Joe Haden, you play differently than if you don’t. Taking CB’s in the 3rd and 4th round does not get you a Joe Haden more often than not. It gets you comparable talent to what we already have on the roster imo. Redmond and Robinson may work out great and give us our future starting CB’s, but they could also be more of the same and we are still looking for a top CB while bypassing players who could have helped at other areas of need.

                It’s pretty obvious we have a clear difference of opinion here that is not going to be swayed either way, so better to agree to disagree and see how it plays out.

              18. Regardless of our differences of opinion on the draft, surely we can agree an assumption that O’Neil will look to install the system he knows rather than run something else isn’t that big a stretch.

    3. Rocket,

      While I understand your point of view, you used Redmond’s uncertain health to knock him being drafted, yet you turn around and use Williams and Dorsey’s presumed health to knock the selection of Blair. This seems like a double standard.

      If you’re worried about the health of a draftee, why are you assuming the health of two oft injured veterans?

      1. ex,

        I didn’t knock the selection of Blair. I said I liked him and he adds to the depth, but they do have a number of options there. I assume the vets will be available for TC because there has been nothing said to make me think otherwise.

    4. Rocket,

      On one hand you knock the Redmond pick because of health concerns, on the other, you knock the selection of Blair as unnecessary, based on the presumed health of two oft injured veterans (Ian Williams and Glenn Dorsey).

      This seems inconsistent.

      1. I knocked the Redmond pick because of many reasons ex. First and foremost was the fact I thought there was a better player at a greater position of need available (Calhoun). Then there was the fact he had started 7 games in his entire College career along with the injury. Baalke says he will be ready for TC and if that is the case, then hopefully the injury isn’t a factor. As I also said, I like Blair but if everyone is healthy, there are a lot of bodies vying for jobs. Dline is the deepest position on the defense which is a good thing, but there are only so many jobs to go around if we have everybody healthy.

        1. Rocket,

          I’m talking specifically about the injury piece. I understand your other points. While, I think it remains to be seen if other players would’ve been better options, or not (I happen to agree with the points Scooter made during your discussion of this issue), but your position could easily prove to be right.

          I was merely asking if you don’t think it’s inconsistent to knock one pick because the player selected is coming off of an injury and knock another pick because it’s a duplication of players already on the roster, even though they are injured and have a history of being injured.

          1. And I’m not saying the injury angle was your only reason for criticizing the picks.

          2. ex,

            The injury was just one of many concerns I had about Redmond, but as I said it appears he will be ready for TC so that becomes less of an issue unless there is a lingering problem. I wasn’t trying to say one injury means less than the other if that is what you’re getting at. Simply looking at all the info that comes with drafting the player. Ultimately both Redmond and Blair will be part of a large group at their respective positions if Redmond is healthy and Williams and Dorsey are healthy.

            1. I also shouldn’t say I have many concerns about Redmond. My main concern is lack of starting experience even though he is a Sr. and the fact they passed on a very good pass rusher to take him.

              1. Rocket,

                As I said, I get your other points.

                I just don’t think it’s consistent for injury to be a point against a certain pick, while at the same time you’re saying another pick wasn’t necessary because you’re presuming the health of two currently injured, and injury prone, players.

                Can you address that point head on, instead of pointing out your other concerns regarding Redmond and Blair?

              2. For example: if you didn’t like the Redmond pick PARTLY because of his injury, then it seems you should like the Blair pick because of the injuries to Willuams and Dorsey, and vice versa. You may still dislike the Blair pick overall, but it seems like the injury issue should be a point in favor of it.

              3. Not to mention that Dorsey, Williams and Tank are all off contract at the end of the year. Looks to me like Blair is being considered in a similar role as Tank. A DL that can play nickel and rush from the edge or middle.

              4. ex,

                As I said, I like Blair. I simply made an observation that if all the DL are healthy, he becomes a part of a large group. Scooter makes a good point about some them going into their last contracts though, so that is not too big a deal. I wasn’t trying to make a big a deal of it anyway.

      2. Rocket,

        I didn’t intend to post two similar comments, it looked like the first one didn’t post. Sorry for the double shot.

  45. A few opinions on Garnett:

    “He wouldn’t be a good fit in a zone scheme.” Father, Scott, was an NFL DT from 1984-’87. “I just don’t think he moves very well,” a third scout said. “Just upper body. Very similar to the guy there a couple years ago that didn’t make it. David Yankey.”

    It’s a good thing we don’t run a zone blocking scheme. I guess since we haven’t taken a snap we don’t officially run any scheme yet. Maybe they’re planning a change…

    1. CFC did you see Kelly’s response to that?

      Chip Kelly
      “Yeah, I watched everybody that we drafted. I think the great part about being here is our coaching staff and personnel department worked hand in hand in this whole process. It was, there wasn’t anybody we picked that you had to say, ‘Who’s that guy?’ I think a lot is made of running the zone scheme. I think every team in college football runs a zone scheme. I think it’s just a play that you run. It’s not a scheme, and it doesn’t mean that you don’t run man scheme, or gap scheme plays. I think everybody runs both. I kind of get a kick out of it when people say, ‘He’s a zone scheme guy, so he fits here.’ I mean, I think every team in the National Football League runs zone plays. Every team in the National Football League runs gap scheme plays, and the same thing at the collegiate level.”

      1. ” I think every team in the National Football League runs zone plays. Every team in the National Football League runs gap scheme plays, and the same thing at the collegiate level.”

        Yes but there is a difference between running them now and then and running them more often then not. A team or coach’s scheme gets labeled usually because the numbers show a true preference and tendency to run one over the other.

        1. There’s also a difference between being primarily an outside zone or inside zone team.

          Doesn’t Kelly prefer inside zone, which requires somewhat similar traits in OL play as gap run plays?

          1. EXGOLFER, it’s a great point. I am afraid that all those people who question Garnett’s fit for Chip’s system, even though he’s very scheme versatile, don’t really have an educated grasp on the foundation of Kelly’s run game, or perhaps more accurately, his entire offense. That is …… the INSIDE ZONE.

            Chip Kelly: “The inside zone play is our ‘go-to-work’ play. It has become our signature play. We want to get off the ball and be a physical, downhill-running football team. This is not a finesse play.”

            Finesse is a common label attached to the zone-blocking scheme, which forms the core of Kelly’s ground attack and contributes to his offense’s reputation for lacking the sort of toughness typically associated with man-blocking, or gap, schemes. After all, zone blocking has to be a little soft if the other prominent blocking scheme garnered the name “power,” right? Well, NOT EXACTLY!

            At its most basic, the inside zone is about creating double teams, driving defenders backward, and getting vertical push up front. The “zone” facet of the play is simply the structure for how offensive lineman will determine which defender to block. How much “zoning” is actually required on the play is determined by the alignment of the defense.

            Chip wants his OL’s to make their pre-snap reads, and then fire off the line and smash them in the mouth!

          2. The answer to the question is; sometimes, depending on how the defense lines up.

            At its most basic, the inside zone is about creating double teams, driving defenders backward, and getting vertical push up front. The “zone” facet of the play is simply the structure for how offensive lineman will determine which defender to block. How much “zoning” is actually required on the play is determined by the alignment of the defense.

            Offensive lineman begin each play by asking themselves one question: Am I covered or uncovered? If covered — meaning there is a defender directly over them — “zoning” effectively goes out the window. In most cases the lineman will still step to the play side (i.e., the direction the run is going) initially, as is customary on zone runs, but his job is to simply drive the man in front of him backward. If uncovered — meaning no one is aligned directly over them — they will step to the play side and look to create a double-team with the adjacent lineman.

            1. Anyone maligning Garnett the football player is either dumb as rocks or has an agenda. Maybe you don’t like the pick, but he’s an amazing player.

  46. Baalke’s well received draft has broken the 49ers message board.

      1. They signed Boykin so I figured they were done adding camp arms.

    1. Excellent article. He makes a very cogent point about the direction the D is heading. Versatile, hybrid players will be important. Look for Tartt, Ward, Johnson, Tank and Blair to be moved around a fair bit. And expect the CBs to play more aggressively than in the past (and be put under more pressure).

    2. Yes interesting article, but…
      Back of the napkin analytics sketched out by author left out Brandon Doughty who would of been accordingly the Billy Ball pick of the draft and yet was taken in 7th after Driskel.

      Gambling defenses are exciting for awhile until exploited or self implosion. Just ask Joe about how a Walsh offense handles a Ryan defense.

      1. A bummer cold has me writing badly today so let me re phrase part of the above.

        Using data from game day performance and not combine results, analytics applied to the QBs in this draft would have seen Brandon Doughty as the Billy Ball pick of the draft. His game day stats were better than Goffs.

        Doughty was picked in the seventh round.

    3. I give the guy credit for coming up with some interesting speculation, but that reeks of confirmation bias to me. He was trying to find ways to put a positive spin on everything the team has done this offseason. I saw the same types of articles last year too.

      1. The article was well written with a bit of spin doctor in the mix perhaps but certainly thought out. Personally I don’t trust an overemphasis on analytics,like much of what is “modern” it smacks of dehumanization-the Brave New World of sports if you will.( a world view I will always be at odds with) However the author does present an interesting overview of what could be construed as Baalkes draft strategy,whether or not it is the truth of the matter and further whether or not the success of such an approach will bear fruit is yet to be determined.

      2. Rocket,

        Everyone is subject to confirmation bias, to one degree or another.

        1. Very true ex, but his entire article was based on his reading between the lines, which is another way of saying: “this is my rationalization of the head scratching behavior the organization has shown this offseason.”

            1. Rocket,

              Remember when you went by the acronym “FAKIA” (I’m not suggesting it was true, btw) for a while? Would you consider switching your name to “Kawakami Lite” or “Little Bit O’ Tim”?

              Joking, mostly…

              1. ex,

                I know I annoy many on here with my pessimism at times, but that’s how I’m wired man. I don’t blow sunshine up people’s butts; I tell it like it is, at least in my way of thinking. I have never been a rose colored glasses kind of guy. If things are looking good I jump on board and enjoy the ride. If things look bad then I lay out my thoughts on that too.

                The article written by that fan was a clear glass half full attempt to rationalize why this team has done very little to improve their roster. I give the guy credit for thinking of ways to put a positive spin on things, but the reality is this team is still low on talent and high on hope.

                You and I have been around here a long time. You know I am a positive guy when the team gives me reason to be. The problem is I can’t see a lot of positives in this team right now. They stunk last year and they will be relying on a lot of the same players that played a part in that this year. I understand you can’t overhaul a roster in one season, but you can do a hell of a lot more than they have to date.

                If they ever give me reason to be optimistic, I will be. I promise you that.

              2. Rocket,

                Understood. The 49ers have given us a lot to be pessimistic about, for sure.

                The thing I’m most encouraged by is that the team is trying to shore up both lines. IMO, that’s of paramount importance.

                7-9, plus or minus 1, btw.

              3. I agree shoring up both lines is very important especially the Oline, but they missed opportunities to improve other areas at the expense of multiple picks to 3 areas of the team imo.

                7-9 is a ceiling prediction for me. I expect them to be around the same win total as last year.

    4. This is just one fans opinion. It’s no different then if someone on here posted that theory. It’s pure conjecture.

      1. CFC,

        You’re right, of course, but it’s not any less valid because it’s not a reporter who wrote it, right?

        Isn’t this kind of article necessarily an opinion piece?

  47. This readers, day after, take on the 2016 draft for what it is worth:

    De Forest Buckner –
    should be good and reunion with past team mate can elevate Armstead’s game. I am banking on that latter potential because that could take D line to next level.

    Joshua Garnett –
    Good player / questionable fit / lousy move
    Cost to much to move up to bottom first for a player ranked to go in late second early third. It really hurt seeing good players available at the that 4th round spot that 49ers could have chosen from. Furthermore he is not a perfect fit in Kelly scheme and LG spot was just filled with an appropriate veteran fit in off season. What drove this move?

    I am still waiting for a reason. Maybe another team ahead of 49er 37th spot showing serious interest. I heard that Seahawks were interested. If so, I don’t want to be conspiratorial here, but I am beginning to think Mr Chuckles Pete Carrol has got 49er number and games them – pulls there chain at draft time.

    In hind site, after the record setting moves in rounds to follow up, some of them goofier than the 49er mover, this move began to look relatively palpable as draft progressed.

    Will Redmond –
    We had to have at least one ACL gamble pick. So here it is. Could work out OK, as his prognosis, so far, is good for this year. He has a large upside if healthy. Plan on 2017 an be pleasantly surprised.

    Rashard Robinson –
    Grant your grade adjustment was appropriate and maybe a bit kind. This kid has a rap sheet that reads like War and Peace (to paraphrase another journalist). Has talent but high potential as team disruptor before the team disembarks him.

    Ronald Blair –
    This could be a steal in round 3. He was rated 150 of top draft prospects by Sports Weekly. It depends how they use him. I am actually thinking conversion to LB from DE. Anybody else thinking that? Other than one FA no LBs taken in this draft.

    John Theus –
    This tackle, some times listed as possible guard, generally ranked between 10 to 15 among an offensive tackle class that was ranked exceptional this year in high and mid rounds.

    Fahn Cooper –
    A right tackle, with good leadership and work ethic, who filled in nicely at left tackle when Tunsil had to serve a suspension (one of many red flags that were conveniently over looked).
    He is a “road grader” run blocker and could slide into a guard spot. Or, given his attributes above the neck could fill in anywhere.
    I have no problem with two tackles taken in a row, as this was that rare moment of a tackle rich draft. They grabbed these two before a quick fall off in talent at that position.

    Jeff Driskel –
    Not excited about this pick. Sure he can run and sort of throw. But I am not excited about the thinking / seeing / decision part. I was / am a Vernon Adams and Brandon Doughty fan, because they seemed to have those immeasurables. Just as one example; Adams had the best passer rating (179.1) among fbs 2015 QBs. Doughty was second at 176.5. Driskel was 15th at 154.
    Just so as not to end on a sour note, Lindy Sports called Driskel a sleeper to watch.

    Kelvin Taylor –
    Also generally ranked between 10 and 20 makes him a good pick in the 6th round. Could be a good number 2 RB on team at some point.

    Aaron Burbridge –
    This could be the steal of the 49er draft. This productive possession WR fell mostly because of the measurables. But this is the guy who snatched numerous poorly thrown balls, saving Conner Cook from a lot more interceptions. Do not trade Anquon over this but this guy seems to be in the same mold.

    Charles Iworah –
    All I got is that he has a good work ethic otherwise ???

    RFAs:
    Some possible gems here starting with …..

    Devon Cajuste –
    Ranked between 10 and 20 among either WR or tight ends depending on were they place him. And there in lies his problem. No one knows were to put him – how to use him. So he falls through the cracks and the 49ers get the Stanford mystery man.
    I am guessing that the 49ers see him as that hybrid TE of the Walker mold that they miss. If that works out to that extent then this is your steal of the draft. Sports Weekly ranked him as the 86th best prospect in this draft.

    Kevin Anderson –
    only LB for 49er 2016 draft class. A Shaw suggestion for special teams?

    Bryce Treggs –
    Cal player who led fbs in 2015 in yards per catch. It helped that Jared Goff was at the other end of those yds.

    Jason Fanaika –
    Ranked as the 149th best prospect in 2015 draft, one place ahead of Ronald Blair. At 50 / 50 success / failure (as Mike Mayock likes to reference for mid rounds) one of these two should pan out. Remember these guys are ranked in the top 150 so mid rounders at least.
    Is this the 49er steal of the draft?

    John Lunsford –
    6th ranked kicker if they need youth movement.

    Demetrius Cherry –
    300 lb DLwith some speed. Nose tackle material?

    Jared Bell –
    Claim to fame is 6 years of college eligibility due to ACL. This ACL is past history so dosn’t count on Baalke record.

    Lenny (Bruce) Jones –
    Spent younger years in Juvenal hall in Oakland for crime he did not commit! For that alone, I hope he makes the team.

    My grade would be B+ but downgrade to C due entirely to that puzzling early trade that still makes no sense to me. If I learn that a team ahead of 37 was going to grab the Stanford Guard then I will upgrade from the C.

    Outside of the 49ers, this was an entertaining and oft exiting draft to watch and follow. There was a number of good back stories. Jaylon Smith was probably my favorite. There was a lot of trading. First there was the monster trades for the QBs and then lots and lots of second and third day smaller ones that seem to have been kicked off by the 49er smallish trade up.

    1. Sorry bud, but Baalke moved back into the first round dirt cheap….

      1. Even “Dirt cheap” is costly if there is no reason for the move. The loss of a 4th rounder (also 6th rounder) in a talented mid round draft is not dirt cheap — unless there is good reason.

        1. I’ve got two reasons for the move. Devey and Pears. Can’t own the middle with either. If you watched any college football, Garnett stood out to me as a NFL ready mauler. He’s going to help pull Chip’s Wagon, and what made the move particularly ingenious to me, was that word on the street was Seattle had been sniffing around Garnett. Because they got a little too cute, Baalke was able to make a highly discounted move with his friends in Kansas City, whom by the way do not have any affection for the Broncos. Before you discount that to rumor, consider the Seahawks drafted Ifedi who many scouts believe is better suited to play guard, but not nearly the way Garnett can….

              1. Yep, that would be my guess too. Although my smokey surprise would be Marcus Martin at centre. Last offseason he got rid of his bad weight to improve his conditioning. This offseason I expect he will have worked on building up his strength and power. He’s still only 22, 3rd year in, and if he’s developed his power then he could be a good fit for Kelly.

              2. Can’t write Thomas off, but he’s going to have to prove he deserves his spot this year.

              3. I thought of Martin playing center sliding Kilgore over to RG. But with a rookie at left guard keep Kilgore at center and move Martin over to RG. I am disappointed in Martin’s development so far but he just might shine at RG.

              4. Prime:

                There was a blurb about Thomas working out during his honeymoon. I believe he and the wife were in Australia. Point was to show how committed he is, I think.

                What’s your take on the 49er draft selections?

              5. I think the most important factor about the offensive line is Flaherty. If he can put together a cohesive unit, and coach them up, the Niner offense will improve. Does not matter who he slots where, just as long as the system functions. I envision a tag team approach with various sets, and an emphasis on versatility.

          1. Razor,
            If the word on the street is better than rumor then I will change my C grade to a higher grade or eat my, yet to be purchased at a local thrift store, hawk’s ball cap. That the Sea creatures picked Ifedi next does lend some credence to the street talk.

          2. Razor,
            Very curious about the above. When you say that “they got a little too cute” is that in reference to the Seattle trade with Denver? Seattle got two picks out of the deal and Denver got their QB in Lynch.
            So if that is correct and I extrapolate further, Seattle wanted Garnett, thought they could safely wait on him based on his estimated position value and traded back accordingly to get the extra value out of the Denver offer. Then the Niner’s, having heard the street buzz, deftly struck a deal with KC to move a couple spots up ahead of the Seattle now vulnerable at the 31st pick. Had Seattle not gotten cute and stayed at 26 they would have had their man. Niner’s play a quick hand and Seattle looses the gamble.

            Am I interpreting that correctly or am I over interpreting what you eluded to?
            Don’t understand what lack of affection for Denver by KC had to do with any of it?
            If it turns out to be true and Seattle was indeed targeting Garnett all along then this adds even more interest to the story. I might just have to flip my conspiracy theory 180 degrees.

            1. Absolutely correct and I would add that Kansas City probably wasn’t too happy about Seattle helping Denver get their quarterback. Which might explain why Baalke was able to get back into the first round so cheaply….

              1. I don’t buy the KC revenge thing but stranger things have happened.

                Other wise great story but this all pivots on the truth about the Seattle target.

              2. Draftek rated Garnett at 60, and Ifedi at 76. Mocks had Ifedi to the Seahawks, but also Kelly, Decker, Spriggs, Nkemdiche, Cook

              3. Really Rocket? So you’re telling me that the Seahawks had Ifedi ranked at Garnett level, even though the tape said otherwise. I highly doubt it. They did not anticipate Baalke being able to move up that far so cheaply and what they did was piss off Kansas City, which in turn allowed the move. Ifedi lacks power and nastiness, two things Garnett has in spades. Too many times I saw Ifedi whiffing or falling off blocks. Where’s the “pop” at the point of attack? I didn’t see it….

              4. FWIW, I have about 50 in laws in seattle, who are diehard seahawk fans, many of whom are pissed about the 49ers grabbing Garnett. Maybe it’s just because he’s a local kid, but there might be something there…

            2. Bruce,

              There is no indication that Seattle was targeting Garnett or anybody for that matter considering they traded to the bottom of the round. It’s a nice story to make the selection of Garnett seem like a coup over a division rival.

              1. I’ve got news for your indicator Rocket, gamesmanship is part of the draft. Anything is possible, and the fact that they drafted Ifedi is the indication. You want confirmation? Wait and see if they play him at guard, because if that’s what they wanted, Garnett would have been above him. I’d also remind you that Baalke traded down and targeted Armstead….

              2. Rocket,
                It is a nice story. I want to believe it. But I am with you and waiting for more proof.

              3. Razor,

                Teams trade down when they have a number of players rated at the same level. If Seattle had been targeting Garnett and had him rated higher than any other player, they would have taken him and turned down the trade offer.

                What the trade down says is that they had Ifedi rated in the same area as a number of players also available when their turn came up. Who says they were even interested in Garnett at that point? There is no indication he was even on their radar never mind somebody they were targeting.

              4. If they wanted a guard, Garnett was head and shoulders better than Ifedi. So we’ll see where they play him, and which one makes a name for themselves. Tom Cable is very good, but Flaherty will have more to work with in Garnett….

              5. The theory makes sense. Up until the last week Garnett was a late 2nd rounder. His stock rose closer to the draft but never out of the second round – that I saw.
                So Seattle had room to trade down a short distance and still get the man they wanted plus an extra pick. Seattle did not want to over pay for that player if they did not have to. Then that irritant stealth from the south swoops in and messes with the plan.

                At least a month out Ifedi was a high second rounder, while Garnett was a high 3rd rounder. That began to change closer to draft day to the point where Garnett’s value substantially over took Ifedi. One week before, the draft, lists had Garnett at a high second round and right where the 49ers were originally picking before the KC trade. On those same lists, Ifedi had plummeted into the third round. They had literally swapped places.
                It could be that the 49ers were a little more on top of this exponential rise in stock for there man Garnett. If Garnett was Seattle’s man then they were asleep on watch at the closing hours.

                The IF is still the problem in all this. Great story but still pretty much fiction until the missing proof is in.

              6. I think Grant needs to dig for that missing piece to this story / theory. The Niner camp should be willing to give it up, if true, as it makes them look the wiser…. much the wiser.
                Alas,
                if they don’t say then it probably ain’t true.

              7. If they wanted a guard, Garnett was head and shoulders better than Ifedi.

                In your opinion. Seattle obviously didn’t see it that way or they wouldn’t have traded down.

              8. Ifedi is also seen as a Tackle and Garnett is not. Now there are early reports that Seattle might use Ifedi as a guard but as I keep saying, let’s wait until they’re out on the field to see where he really lines up. If he proves he can play tackle they’ll put him there instead.

              9. Good article in MMQB today on the Dallas Cowboys war room. Jerry wanted to trade back into the first for Lynch, but wouldn’t budge on the compensation and Denver made the deal with Seattle instead. Seattle was negotiating two different deals and one of them involved moving out of the first entirely. If that doesn’t put an end to this Niner fan created Garnett story, then I don’t know what will.

              10. I always appreciate the transparency and peak behind the curtain but Jones has to be smarter then that and realize that those comments really cut the nuts off of Prescott.

              11. Good point. It doesn’t exactly instill confidence in your rookie QB to read about your heartbreak over the one that got away.

              12. Jones: “Hi Dak, we want you to be really excited that we settled for you.”

              13. I wish Jones had made that trade for Lynch. Clearly that’s the only reason the 49ers didn’t get Prescott.

              14. CFC-I actually think playing him at guard would be a mistake because Ifedi moves well in short areas but he really struggles when pulling or leading. His movement strengths are his in line blocking and pass pro, but limited to the right side in non zone run blocking schemes. Tom Cable’s job, if he chooses to accept it, is to instill a nasty disposition and translate that into violence at the point of attack. Something I did not see on tape….

        2. Chiefs took Parker Ehinger with the 4th, and DJ White with the 6th.
          Both were OK picks, but nothing elite.

          1. Seb,
            You have to include DT Chris Jones in the list. It was three for a higher priced one deal. In the deal, SF got Josh Garnett; KC got a DT (Jones), a Guard (Ehinger) and a CB (White).

            If the Stanford guard is successful and yet two out of the three KC picks are equally successful then KC got the better value out of the trade.

            A poignant illustration on the risk of trading up (quantity for presumed quality) is injury. Imagine one of each from the deal gets an ACL injury and is out. Where SF has zero on the field, KC still has two healthy players on the field from that deal.

            I am going to wait quite a while before deciding on who got the better of this deal.

      2. Strategically speaking, if the Niners prevented the Seahawks from taking Garnett, and finding out they took a project, that should be figured into any valuation equation. Garnett may have helped fix their O line woes, and now the Niners do not have to go against Garnett twice a year. Ifedi could become a good player, but Garnett won the Outland Trophy, so he could be all pro for the next 10 years.

        1. Seb,
          IF the Seahawks were going to pick Garnett at their spot (32), and that is still a big IF, then, yes, this could have double value for the 49ers as you point out.
          Indeed,
          If that IF turns into a WAS then this begins to look like something equivalent to a coup orchestrated by the Niners upon their rivals to the North on draft day.

          But it is still a guilty pleasure IF until proven otherwise.

          1. I surmise there was a lot of expletives in the Seahawk war room when they saw the Niner pick. No proof, but I bet the Seagull site was lit up.

    2. I enjoyed this read . I guess I can’t get enough football but my only descripency would be Garnett. This kid has the potential to be a pro bowler in his first couple of years . A real mauler like Iupati but more mobile and not too heavy.

    3. A couple counterpoints Bruce.

      We’ll never know whether a team like Seattle, was targeting GARNETT before pick #37. However, it wouldn’t be stretch to belive he likely would have been off the board by 37. After all, he was widely regarded as the top run blocking OG, and was named the nations top interior lineman. It’s hard to understand why you thought the price was steep when, according to the draft value charts, the 49ERS came out 26 POINTS AHEAD on the deal, which is a significant number. As for scheme fit? 2 words: INSIDE ZONE. To get your targetted player, AND come out ahead in terms of draft value, it’s hard to find a reason to dislike the move.

      As for VERNON ADAMS, there is a reason he went undrafted, despite playing at a top program. As for his 2015 passer rating? Numbers never tell the whole story. Oregon runs one of the most QB friendly systems in D1.

      RONALD BLAIR dropped close to 10 lbs in between the scouting combine, and his pro day, in order to show teams that he isn’t “a one-trick pony,”. However, Baalke stated on Saturday that they envision Blair as a DL, who can play all over the defensive line.

  48. Great READ why we didn’t draft a ILB and how the niners defensive scheme is changing….

    http://www.ninersnation.com/2016/5/1/11548550/the-49ers-off-season-so-far-reading-between-the-lines

    “I have to admit: I found myself scratching my head about these picks. Both seemed ‘off’ somehow, and for different reasons. Add to that the 49ers’ surprising attempts to pursue expensive free agents only at CB this offseason (Sean Smith, Josh Norman). Clearly, I was missing something here.

    Then after reading between the lines of a Baalke interview I became convinced of this: my idea of needs-based offseason priorities for the defense was entirely wrong because it was based on an “old” vision for our defense. What Fangio installed and Tomsula/Mangini ultimately retained after early losses last year was a philosophy that placed ‘safe’ above ‘attacking’. In that Fangio approach, based on what is known as ‘pattern-matching’, a Cover 4 shell is used — primarily to reduce risk. In that philosophy it is entirely possible to work with mediocre talent in the secondary, which is what we’ve had. The ‘push’ up front was largely driven/complemented by exceptional linebackers (see: Fangio’s history in New Orleans).

    But O’Neil is not Fangio. O’Neil is an acolyte of the Ryan tree. The philosophy and coaching pedigree are different. O’Neil was first coached by Pettine’s dad in high school, then remained a good soldier for Pettine under Rex Ryan and followed him to the Bills and Browns. He’s a field general, which is the perfect temperament for working under Chip Kelly but, by the same token, I doubt O’Neil would ever actually tinker with the approach he learned under the Pettine/Ryan philosophy. It’s what he knows.

    Under that “46” philosophy the guiding principle is to aggressively overwhelm the offense with pressure from numbers. Originally six men lined up at of near the line (4 DL, two LB) and two more stood just behind (SS and MLB). But after a year or two of initial success (1985-86) the Bears got killed by WC offenses that exploited the large space vacated behind the eight men in the box. Short passes turned into large gains.

    For a Cover One shell to work in a Ryan defense one needs (a) exceptional man corners who can press and (b) some unpredictability about who is actually going to rush the passer and who is going to cover who. No doubt influenced by LeBeau’s zone blitz concepts, modern versions of the Ryan defense utilize two main elements to accomplish this goal: hybrid defenders that line up all over the place and play different roles from play to play, and at least one really good corner on an island. At the Jets, Pettine had Darelle Revis. In Cleveland O’Neil had Joe Haden his first year. With Haden, the Browns were a top six defense against the pass (though not so good against the run).

    Now here’s the good part: when Haden was hurt last year, the Pettine/O’Neil defense completely collapsed. There was no depth. O’Neil was derided in the Cleveland press as ‘a deer in the headlights’. In Buffalo, much the same thing happened with Rex Ryan, though to a lesser degree. In Rex Ryan’s case it became a full-blown disaster after his DBs underperformed and he suddenly became gun-shy about sending his high-priced rushers at the QB. Said rushers’ stats suffered, they became unhappy and voila, they gave interviews to the press. Mario Williams, the $100 million-dollar man, was released at the end of the season.

    I mention all these recent traumas to the Ryan coaching clan to construct a ‘why’ for the urgency that O’Neil presumably has expressed to Baalke about upgrading and creating quality depth at CB. Although the first and fifth rounds went (very nicely) to the trenches, Trent was forced to use the only two picks between those rounds on corners — one a fast twitch guy for the slot (only Ward can currently do that job) and one long-ish press corner for the outside (Robinson, the red-flag character-issue guy). It’s not as if crowds of top CB talent are just loitering around there for you at 133 in the draft. Conversely the newly reduced emphasis on linebackers may have allowed Trent to ignore ILB altogether in this draft.. “

    1. ” Under our new “46” defense Tart is the SS who plays on the up on the line of scrimmage, Bowman is the sole ILB, Harold is the weakside speed rushing DE who is lining up a couple yards off the tackle, Ward becomes the hawking sole free safety up top, and D. Johnson/R. Robinson are our press man corners? I guess the line becomes a “4 man front” with Buckner and Armstead as the tackles? Who are the Will and Sam linebackers?”

      1. I like the idea of the new defense. I wouldn’t count Reid out yet. I don’t think Tartt or Ward as as good as Reid nor as durable. Look how many games Reid’s missed compared to the two of them since they’ve been in the league. Reid does have concussion issues but Ward’s missed a lot with foot injuries and Tartt went down with a knee injury last year. I don’t know why people are so excited to push Reid out of the line up with two guys that haven’t proven much. I like Ward and Tart, lets see both of them play for a full season at the levels Reid’s played first.

    2. Thx for the link OneNiner…….. I am happy w Redmond and Robinson as you can never have too many good athletes/corners and it is worth the gamble of trying to find a shutdown corner.

      I am thrilled we are getting into a more attacking mode of defense after Fangio and Mangini.

    3. You need to keep that in context. It’s a ‘fans’ interpretation of the draft and of how Kelly will use them. It’s no different then if someone on here posted it. This isn’t written by someone with anymore inside information on what the team thinks or plans then you or I.

  49. Saw this in a Barrows article:

    “Kelly said he had to “sweat out” a few picks, and he called Driskel 20 minutes before the 49ers actually drafted him to see whether the quarterback was drawing attention from any other teams.”

    I didn’t realize teams could call potential draftees to see who might have contacted them while they are still waiting to be selected.

    Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article74942837.html#storylink=cpy

  50. Well, looking back at this draft, I made many mocks and postulated many scenarios. Glad the Niners moved up to grab the player they coveted. Glad they took Garnett off the board before Seahawks picked an O lineman 3 picks later. Hoped they would have traded players to move into the sweet part of draft, which was up to the 56th pick, but alas, it was not meant to be.
    Wish I had more hits on my last mock. I only hit on Buckner, Garnett and Fahn Cooper. Wonder if many other posters did as well, or better.

    1. In my first mocked, I totally zipped out. In my second I got Blair, but that was it. Totally enjoyed the experience, though.

    1. Cubus – Good spot on Reid’s 5th year option.

      Reading the roster math tea leaves…

      – Baalke drafting a slot corner
      – Baalke saying Ward will migrate to safety
      – No ILB drafted
      – Reid’s 5th year option

      tells me the talk about Tartt transitioning to ILB might not be just talk. We know Tartt does nickle ILB. Could he be more? Will O’Neil be installing something like a big nickle on base downs? Blair charges gaps. Not the typical 3-4 two gapper. They might be show more 4-3 looks in certain situations.

  51. Here’s an early stab at our 2017 draft:

    1. DT (we’ll already have 7 under contract before this pick)
    2. RB
    3. CB
    4. CB
    5. DT
    6. OG
    7. OG

    We’ll sign 3 DT’s and 4 CB’s after the draft.

    1. I’m lousy at searching but I can’t find anything that mentions the 2016 camp date. Last years started on May 15th.

      1. CFC, my notes say OTAs May 17-19, May 24-26, May 31, June 1-2. (No live contact. 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills with helmets are permitted)

        Mandatory minicamp June 7-9.

        I think there’s a rookie mini-camp coming up.

        1. Possible that either the 17-19 or the 24-26 will be the r.m.c.

  52. Been trying to put my finger on what’s eating at me about this last draft. I think for me the problem comes down to the fact that this team is bereft of talent and high end skill and that we need players now, not 3 years from now when they’ve recovered and or developed.

    We aren’t a stacked team that has the luxury of time to develop players while still being able to win 10+ games a season; that’s the Patriots. This is a 5 win a year team that needs quality starters now just so it can remain competitive. I didn’t see many players that came out of this draft that make this team better in 2016.

    Now I know you’re going to come at me with that I shouldn’t be expecting day one starters to be coming out of the draft or at least not more then 1 or 2 of them and I’m not nor am I really saying that’s what I was looking for. What I’m saying is that we’re just not a team that is in a position to be taking long term development project ‘risks.’ We need safer picks. Picks that not only have lower risk but have higher chance of being ‘good’ right away rather then gambling on picks that might be ‘great’ in a couple years.

    1. CFC,

      I agree with that and it’s why I’m at a loss to figure out why they wouldn’t use at least one pick on a pass rushing OLB, or an offensive skill position before round 6. They aren’t set at CB, but they have a lot of young players there already and have just added 3 more. It seems like Baalke is blindly throwing darts at a position and hoping for a bullseye.

      1. Are our WR’s really that good that we essentially didn’t need to draft one except as camp fodder?

        Maybe Baalke has figured that he doesn’t need to try and find good OLB’s if he can just get lucky and find the next Justin Smith because anybody will look great playing behind him. So he’ll draft 8 DE’s every year until he finds him.

        1. It’s not easy accomplishing the worst draft record of the last 5 years. There is a lot of time and energy put toward it.

          1. If nothing else the product on the field will once again reflect the quality of the teams general manager and after another 4 win season York will finally fire his butt.

      2. Rocket,

        Do you buy the idea that the “new” players that have a reasonable chance to improve the 49ers anemic the pass rush are an improved AA, DeForest Buckner, an improved and stronger EH, a slimmed down and moved to his more natural position TC, along with Blair?

        Could be whistling in the grave yard, but I see some reason for a little bit of optimism there.

        In fact, I think the 49ers are going to go 12-4. Kidding, I think…

        1. ex,

          If they show me they are improved I’ll buy in. Expecting improvement simply because it’s another year is wishful thinking. Harold was in way over his head last year while Tank has shown nothing in 3 years to be encouraged about. Maybe the light does go on for one or both, but I want to be shown; not told. I am encouraged by what I saw from Armstead, but he too needs to take a big step forward this year to warrant the pick used on him. Buckner and Blair being rookies, it is hard to forecast how much impact they will have but for the most part the Niners will be relying on players who have underachieved previously, or look like they are past their prime in the case of Brooks.

          1. Rocket,

            I agree that improvement has to be shown on the field, but players do tend to develop if they work at their craft. I think I’ve seen that happen before…

            Yes, Harold didn’t play well most of the year, but he flashed in the last few games. If he really has added functional strength, he should be improved.

            AA reportedly has reshaped his body, also, adding size. There’s no arguing that he improved steadily throughout the year and it’s more likely than not that he will be more effective at pushing the pocket this year.

            Adding his pal, Buckner to the interior pass rush mix, should be at least a small upgrade over last year.

            Again, I realize none of these players have shown it on the field, but neither would have any of the players that you wanted the 49ers to draft.

            Would you really feel that much better about the 49ers pass rush in 2016 if they had drafted Calhoun instead of Redmond?

            You don’t like any of the 49ers developing players because they haven’t shown it on the field. Well, neither has any player drafted last week, either.

            BTW, I’ve seen / heard multiple analysts rate Blair as the “steal of the draft” or “one to watch”. Doesn’t mean much, but it’s still good to read.

            He was told he’s going to be lined up “all across the front” as a pass rusher.

    2. The two major themes leading up to this draft were “12 draft picks” and what a deep draft class it was.

      But the depth was really about the high quality first three or four rounds.

      8 of the 12 picks were in rounds 5-6. And the league seemed to pull a fast one by delaying the new rule making comp picks trade-able until 2017 (they even had 2016 crossed out).

      With all the late non trade-able picks, Baalke seemed to mimic trading up by grabbing multiple gamble picks at the same position. Something like

      2 late round high ceiling, low floor players = 1 early round high floor player.

      I’m ho-hum on the draft myself. I was thinking through a possible CK trade + trades we could get 4 or 5 starter quality picks in the first three rounds, even if we stood pat at 7.

      One thing’s certain… its going to be a competitive training camp.

    3. You know what this draft reminds me of? A phase I went through with my fantasy drafts where I would pick the sleepers rather then going for the big name players. I would pick a big name in the first round or two but then I would start going for the ‘diamonds’ as I thought of them. The guys that might start off a bit slow but were going to have huge years.

      Problem was, I got my butt kicked by the teams that had focused on getting proven players. They were the safer choices where I kept going for the risky boom/bust type players. Baalke is drafting all boom/bust players and is skipping out on the safer big names. This is why the team the past couple years has played as well as my fantasy teams of abut 5 years ago did.

  53. Washington Redskins ✔ ‎@Redskins
    McCloughan announces that the #Redskins have released CB Chris Culliver.

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