With the 13th and 17th overall picks in the draft, the 49ers can go ahead and create their wish list. But they are still at the mercy of the 12 teams choosing in front of them.
The 49ers are in the market for an offensive tackle in the draft. They could attempt to trade up to land someone (assuming they find a team that wants to trade back rather than select one of those top players). Or, they could just let the draft come to them.
Russell Okung is expected to be gone. There seems to be a growing sentiment that Trent Williams will not make it out of the top 10, and Bryan Bulaga could be off the board when the 49ers select, too.
The 49ers would have to feel comfortable with the commitment level from Anthony Davis before pulling the trigger on him.
One player who is not getting a lot of attention is Charles Brown of USC. He’ll be chosen in the first round. And it would not surprise me to see the 49ers select him with one of their first-round selections.
Here’s what Northern California-based draft expert Frank Cooney wrote about Brown at the combine:
“Like several successful left tackles now in the NFL, Brown is a former tight end who made the transition to tackle in 2005. He immediately gained attention by protecting the blind side of quarterback Mark Sanchez. Has shown ample athletic ability to be considered a left tackle prospect in the NFL, but he is still learning the tricks of the trade and will also need to fill out his frame.”
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I don’t believe the 49ers should wait until the second round to get a right tackle prospect. If they don’t have their tackle by the 17th pick, they’d have to wait until the 49th overall spot. That means they’d take a tremendous gamble as 31 teams would make picks before the 49ers go back on the clock.
Here’s what Brown, who stands 6-foot-5, said a month ago at the combine:
Question: Is run blocking or pass blocking your strength?
Brown: “Probably pass-blocking. I have long arms and I am pretty athletic in my set.”
Question: One of the concerns of you playing tackle is the size. Where are you at right now with your size and what are you doing to keep on the girth?
Brown: “I weighed in at 303 today so I think I am pretty good.”
Question: How many sacks did you give up last year? When was the last time you gave up a sack?
Brown: “Zero (last year). Probably about Week 4 in my junior year (was last time surrendering sack).”
Question: (ho was it given up to?
Brown: “It was
Question: What will the team that drafts you get?
Brown: “They will get a real good pass-protector.”
Question: Going up against Everson Griffin and Clay Matthews (at USC), how did they help you?
Brown: “They helped me out a lot. Everson and Clay are the best D-ends I have ever seen in college. I got to see them every day in practice so it made me a lot better.”
Question: Do you keep in touch with guys like Chilo Rachal?
Brown: “I think he is great. I only watched like two games this year but he has a lot of power. I watch Sam Baker a lot. That is like my mentor football-wise.”
Question: When they told you to move to OL, how did they lay it out for you? Did they tell you your future was better at tackle?
Brown: “Yeah, that is pretty much how they told me. And coming out of high school, coach (Pete) Carroll told me if I weighed too much I would probably play lineman so I came in around 280. There was no (weight) limit but you could tell I was too heavy to play tight end and catch balls. That was redshirt freshman year.”
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