The Future of ILB

The impact that Takeo Spikes has had on our organization has been tremendous. He's been a mentor to the younger LB's, not just on the field, but off of it as well (See 49ers.com's X-mas toy giveaway video). But he may have one year left, and his best days as a player are well behind him.

So, that begs the question, should we be satisfied with having Scott McKillop as the heir apparent? He was somewhat of a tackle machine in his Senior season at Pitt, but he's also a tad undersized (6'0", 244lbs) and a little slow.

I'm only asking this because we have an opportunity to draft a potential stud ILB in the 1st round, though it is not one of our pressing needs. His name is Rolando McClain!

With Ulbich retired and Wilhelm a question mark, the 49ers certainly need to acquire two ILB's in some fashion during the off-season.

What do you guys think? Roll with who we have? Draft a ILB in one of the later rounds? Pick one up in FA? Or draft McClain and have him play alongside Willis for years to come!

We shouldn't waste a Top 20 pick on a LB when we already have the best LB in the league on our team. We can't afford to pass up on drafting a RT or S with picks 13 and 17... Picking up McClain to play the TED... which is designed to basically do the dirty work while Pat makes the plays, would not be a very smart move at this point. Down the road, McKillop will do just fine.

do not be surprised if McClain is picked at 16/17 when we get the pick handed in.

But i wouldnt be surprised if we bring back Wilhelm for 2010.

And have Willis and Spikes start, with McKillop and Wilhelm backing up, and maybe even a rookie in the waiting.

But i wouldnt be mad if we drafted McClain, kid is a beast, he will be a machine like Willis, and who wouldnt want 2 Willis type players on one team.

i think that having two studs at ILB would be great, but i think a OT, CB, or S would make a bigger impact at this point.
The whole argument about drafting McClain to play TED is moot to me, having two studs in the middle can only help. We've all seen how Willis is able to stifle blockers or hit the hole b4 the pulling lineman can get there. You dont NEED a TED to play FB for the other ILB if u have two guys with the instincts to beat players to the holes and just blow up plays.
With that said, i just think we have more pressing needs.

Originally posted by AB83Rules:
do not be surprised if McClain is picked at 16/17 when we get the pick handed in.

But i wouldnt be surprised if we bring back Wilhelm for 2010.

And have Willis and Spikes start, with McKillop and Wilhelm backing up, and maybe even a rookie in the waiting.

But i wouldnt be mad if we drafted McClain, kid is a beast, he will be a machine like Willis, and who wouldnt want 2 Willis type players on one team.

This kid will be a perfect ted in the nfl. If we go tackle with the first pick then very likely it will be him or cj with second. either way having the best 2 inside lb in the league and were a 3-4 would not be bad thing at all. He's tall with very long arms get's high sometimes but such a reach he can keep guys off him. looks slow but thats because he's so tall and closes ground faster then you think, and at 240 will have room to add to his build in the nfl.

[ Edited by TheGoldDiggerrrr on Jan 13, 2010 at 22:12:35 ]

Originally posted by AB83Rules:
do not be surprised if McClain is picked at 16/17 when we get the pick handed in.

But i wouldnt be surprised if we bring back Wilhelm for 2010.

And have Willis and Spikes start, with McKillop and Wilhelm backing up, and maybe even a rookie in the waiting.

But i wouldnt be mad if we drafted McClain, kid is a beast, he will be a machine like Willis, and who wouldnt want 2 Willis type players on one team.

I don't think McClain gets past the Giants.

Originally posted by teeohh:

Originally posted by AB83Rules:
do not be surprised if McClain is picked at 16/17 when we get the pick handed in.

But i wouldnt be surprised if we bring back Wilhelm for 2010.

And have Willis and Spikes start, with McKillop and Wilhelm backing up, and maybe even a rookie in the waiting.

But i wouldnt be mad if we drafted McClain, kid is a beast, he will be a machine like Willis, and who wouldnt want 2 Willis type players on one team.

I don't think McClain gets past the Giants.

I don't think he makes it past Denver with the 9th pick.

But no, he is not the perfect TED. He is closer to Willis's repetoire. He would struggle at the TED, dealing with shedding blocks from the OG's more.

Draft a LB in later rounds...too many pressing needs to draft a LB in the 1st round and from what I've read the 49ers were ecstatic to draft McKillop where they did so let's give the kid a chance

if our team goes bpa then ILB might be it.....however since our lb core is one of the best in the league and we need a little more help from our safety positions or OL we will go there instead. It sucks but that's the truth. Also, our management will say to themselves we drafted McKillop last year so this would just be stockpiling ILB's. Spikes has at least 1 yr left until he leaves, we cut him or he gets beat out anyway so NO ILB in the draft in the 1st round most probably for sure

He is a huge talent for sure BUT if we don't fix the Oline we'll be singing the blues again next season. We are positioned in getting a high calibre OT most of whom get picked early. I say fix the Oline and we'll compete at a much higher level.

Who knows, we may have an opportunity to pick up a better LT than Staley and we can then move him to RT.

i think mckillop is a career backup/ST demon personally.

what about micah johnson at the TED?

I don't like the idea of drafting an ILB in the first round.

I would much rather draft Dan Williams as the successor at NT in the first round, than select a ILB in the first round.

We can always move Brit Miller back to linebacker? he did play that in college.

Originally posted by 9erHIGH:
i think mckillop is a career backup/ST demon personally.

what about micah johnson at the TED?

Curious: can you produce any justification for the McKillop comment or just gut feeling?

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by 9erHIGH:
i think mckillop is a career backup/ST demon personally.

what about micah johnson at the TED?

Curious: can you produce any justification for the McKillop comment or just gut feeling?

This is from Matt Maiocco's blog:

Q: How do the Niners feel about McKillop and Wilhelm? Do they view that position as a need, or are they confident in them? @mjl84

MM: The 49ers do not consider Scott McKillop a can't-miss future starter for the 49ers. But at the spot they got him in the draft, they adored him for being able to - at the very least - be a solid backup for a long time and be a demon on special teams. That's why I believe if a unique player, such as McClain were at the top of their list of best-available players, they would not hesitate to grab him. Wilhelm did what was asked of him after he replaced Jeff Ulbrich on the roster, but he is certainly guaranteed no spot for next season.

http://blog.pressdemocrat.com/49ers/2010/01/lots-of-questions-to-consider-as-offseason-begins.html

9erHIGH = Matt Maiocco