If the coaching staff feels boone is a quality Starting RT....

Realistically, I think they'd be thrilled if he emerges as a quality b/u OT. You need that depth to survive the long, tough season. He could fill an important role just backing up RT...

Alot has changed for him, as some have stated, he is in better physical shape, and obviouslly is mentally in a better place, top that off with an OL coach who knows what he's doing....

Now im not saying he will come out and be just absolutly amazing, but he was a decent tackle at Ohio State, and with him being better physically and mentally, i just think he has what it takes to be our starting RT and i believe, rookie or not, the RT job will be his to lose by the end of the season.

But im not here to argue that or the coaches being stupid for possibly thinking that, i just want to see what draft choices people would like if our Oline is not in as bad shape as it was last year, just because of better coaching and boone being ready to play pro ball....so thanks to the people who gave draft choices, instead of just putting their doubt into the possibility

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
I doubt they have pitted their future to a guy with alcohol, weight, and character issues in the past. Simply too risky.

Boone is a bonus if he makes the roster, and if he can back up somebody in this league.

Didn't you say something similar, or worse, about another "project" player last year?

Guy by the name of Brooks, IIRC. You said he'd be lucky to make the roster and that you doubted that he'd contribute in any way.

I know that you don't claim to be infallible, and are willing to admit that you might have misjudged Brooks.

Think you might be making a similar mistake with Boone?

The "alcohol, weight and character issues" you mention really boil down to the same thing: an alcohol issue. It appears that Boone has addressed that problem, and like many people who make mistakes in their youth, he may have turned his life around.

I agree with you that it's risky to pin all the team's hopes at RT on Boone. However, he was with the team all last season, and has shown a rededication to football. Its not as if the team doesn't know him, hasn't seen him in practice every week, all of last season. His turnaround wasn't an overnight thing; it started sometime during last season, and continues even now.

Singletary himself says that its not where you start in the league, its where you finish. Boone barely got into the league at all due to the issues you point out. Now, however, he presents himself as a 6'8" 325 pound guy with some strength, stamina, and agility. He was a highly regarded recruit out of high school and a starter at Ohio State. In other words, take away the alcohol, weight and character issues, and you've got a pretty good RT prospect. IMHO.

If he makes it, it would be, like Brooks, another successful project player for Singletary.

The Niners still need to upgrade the talent on the OL. No question. However, I would not be surprised to see Boone win the RT position outright during TC and the exhibition season. He appears to have the dedication, desire and determination they're loooking for.

Nor would I be surprised to see the Niner's pass on an OT in the first round, especially if there's a run on the top tier guys early on, as seems likely.

Boone gives the Niners some flexibilty going into the draft, meaning that they shouldn't have to reach for an OT. I still believe they need to draft a couple of OL guys, OT and an interior guy, cause last year's OL mess was deeper than just the need to replace Snyder. IMHO.

But if the only OT choice left to them at #13 in the draft is a guy like Davis, and they're not sold on him, the presence of Boone gives them an option to pass on OT, and take a second tier OT--Ducasse, Veldheer, Black, etc.,--at #49, or later, instead.

Originally posted by lamontb:
how can they think he's a quality starting RT when they haven't seen him play

They have been watching him for the last year.

One might suspect that they know as much about his ability as anyone they could pick in the draft.

If they think he can play right tackle, the draft needs of the team change.

Originally posted by buck:

Originally posted by lamontb:
how can they think he's a quality starting RT when they haven't seen him play

They have been watching him for the last year.

One might suspect that they know as much about his ability as anyone they could pick in the draft.

If they think he can play right tackle, the draft needs of the team change.

This.