49ers draft grades (the ones that count)

Here is my Monday column grading the 49ers’ draft. Before we grade the 49ers’ draft, we have to agree on a grading criterion. I propose a simple one: Are the 49ers better than the Seahawks now? That’s the only question that should matter. That’s a pass-fail question. The 49ers added depth. They addressed needs. They drafted 12 players. But are the Niners better than the Seahawks? The first player the…

May 12, 2014
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Do the 49ers really need a speed receiver?

The 49ers need a third receiver. That is clear. Most draft gurus agree that the Niners need a burner, someone who can “take the top off the defense,” someone who runs a 4.3 40-yard dash or a low 4.4. Someone like Brandin Cooks or Odell Beckham. I agree, the 49ers need a deep threat. The Niners already have two possession receivers who excel on underneath and intermediate routes — Anquan…

April 9, 2014
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How the 49ers could use the Dolphins’ first-round draft pick

If the Dolphins make a bad decision and trade their top draft picks for Jim Harbaugh, who should the 49ers draft with the Dolphins first-rounder, No.19? If he’s healthy, I say the 49ers should take Marqise Lee. If Lee is not healthy, I say the Niners should take Allen Robinson. But if Kelvin Benjamin is available, the 49ers probably should take him. He’d give the offense two things it needs…

February 28, 2014
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NFL’s impressions of the top-50 draft prospects

One of the best reporters in the country, Bob McGinn, spoke off the record with NFL personnel executives and scouts and got their impressions of the top-50 prospects in the upcoming draft. Here is a brief excerpt about cornerback Bradley Roby from McGinn’s report: “When you talk about quickness, speed, athletic ability, change of direction, he’s got all that. Then he just gets beat every game. It’s mental.” To read…

February 23, 2014
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