Deep Positions This Year: 1st Round Talents and Those Who May Fall

Every year, there is always a set of individuals that get just happen to get pushed outside of the first round. I'm going to focus on some of the positions that are very deep, and players that could fall outside the 1st round. Let's get started.

The players that I feel could fall outside the first will be mark with "+"


Wide Receiver: 6 First Round Talents - Pending Declarations
A.J. Green, Georgia
Julio Jones, Alabama
Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
Torrey Smith, Maryland +
Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh +


Offensive Tackles: 6 First Round Talents - Pending More Declarations
Justin Tyron, USC
Derek Sherrod, Mississippi
Nate Solder, Colorado
Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin
Demarcus Love, Arkansas +


3-4 Defensive Ends: 8 First Round Talents - Pending Declarations
Cameron Heyward, Ohio State
Cameron Jordan, Cal +
Marvin Austin, North Carolina +
Muhammed Wilkerson, Temple +
Marcell Dareus, Alabama
Nick Fairley, Auburn
J.J. Watt, Wisconsin
Adrian Clayborn

3-4 Outside Linebackers: 7 First Round Talents - Pending Declarations
Robert Quinn, North Carolina
Akeem Ayers, UCLA
Aldon Smith, Missouri +
Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma +
Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
Jabaal Sheard, Pittsburgh +
Justin Houston, Georgia

You don't think Von Miller is a 1st round 3-4 OLB?

Originally posted by GEEK:
You don't think Von Miller is a 1st round 3-4 OLB?

I want to wait for his weigh-in until I add him. He is listed anywhere from 230-243, and if he's in the low 230's, I'm not sure I can envision him being a 3-4 OLB. He might be more of a 4-3 backer in the Keith Rivers mold.

IMO the best fits for us are Justin Houston and Von Miller because they've both already played OLB and proven they can rush the passer. Other guy I'm interested in though is Kerrigan, because he was really productive. How do you think he transitions to OLB?

btw what do you think of the CB Aaron Williams and Jimmy Smith. I like Williams a lot but he had a bit of a quiet year and I never saw Jimmy Smith play. I really think we need a CB, unless we sign a guy like Nnamdi.

Originally posted by WillistheWall:
IMO the best fits for us are Justin Houston and Von Miller because they've both already played OLB and proven they can rush the passer. Other guy I'm interested in though is Kerrigan, because he was really productive. How do you think he transitions to OLB?

btw what do you think of the CB Aaron Williams and Jimmy Smith. I like Williams a lot but he had a bit of a quiet year and I never saw Jimmy Smith play. I really think we need a CB, unless we sign a guy like Nnamdi.

Very well. Just as well as former Purdue DE to LB converts Anthony Spencer and Shaun Phillips.

I really like Williams. He's arguably the best defender on the team and so easily the best DB at UT. Jimmy Smith draws comparisons to Cromartie due to his size and speed combo. I think he would be a good fit here, but I doubt he falls out of the first.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by WillistheWall:
IMO the best fits for us are Justin Houston and Von Miller because they've both already played OLB and proven they can rush the passer. Other guy I'm interested in though is Kerrigan, because he was really productive. How do you think he transitions to OLB?

btw what do you think of the CB Aaron Williams and Jimmy Smith. I like Williams a lot but he had a bit of a quiet year and I never saw Jimmy Smith play. I really think we need a CB, unless we sign a guy like Nnamdi.

Very well. Just as well as former Purdue DE to LB converts Anthony Spencer and Shaun Phillips.

I really like Williams. He's arguably the best defender on the team and so easily the best DB at UT. Jimmy Smith draws comparisons to Cromartie due to his size and speed combo. I think he would be a good fit here, but I doubt he falls out of the first.

Thanks man. It's because I was thinking if we don't have a chance at Peterson or Prince and we stick in the 3-4 anyway with Fangio as DC than we could maybe trade back and grab a DB like Williams or an OLB like Kerrigan/Houston. I really think we could use another pick in the top 3 rounds. I would like to see us get 1-2 more actually somehow. What do you think about that?

I'm loving the 3-4 DE/OLB talent in this draft. If we could sign scrabble a trade down would be great to get better value out of those guys. I'd like Justin Houston if I had my choice.

Allen Bailey not in your 3-3 end?
Odd..

CB is another position that is very deep and should yield some very good 2nd/3rd round prospects (list below is not necessarily ranked):

1.) Patrick Peterson
2.) Prince Amukamara
3.) Janoris Jenkins
4.) Aaron Williams
5.) Brandon Burton +
6.) Brandon Harris +
7.) Jimmy Smith +
8.) Ras-I Dowling +
9.) Curtis Brown +
10.) Brandon Boykin +
11.) Johnny Patrick +

I think we could easily go QB in the 1st and CB in the 2nd and land some very good talent at positions of critical need.

Originally posted by Sjceruti:
Allen Bailey not in your 3-3 end?
Odd..

Just outside of the 1st round talent range. Grade him as a 2nd round talent.

Nice lists. Also agree with Ghost on the CB position. The Niners have at least 2 distinct needs at 3-4 OLB and at CB (......QB is a given). Should be a good year for Baalke and Harbaugh to have an impact on draft day.

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:
Nice lists. Also agree with Ghost on the CB position. The Niners have at least 2 distinct needs at 3-4 OLB and at CB (......QB is a given). Should be a good year for Baalke and Harbaugh to have an impact on draft day.

Agree. I really would like CB Jimmy Smith from Colorado

Add another OLB to the mix with Martez Wilson declaring, a DE/ILB/OLB tweener.

Originally posted by tohara3:

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:
Nice lists. Also agree with Ghost on the CB position. The Niners have at least 2 distinct needs at 3-4 OLB and at CB (......QB is a given). Should be a good year for Baalke and Harbaugh to have an impact on draft day.

Agree. I really would like CB Jimmy Smith from Colorado

Me too. Two people I'm really starting to be a fan of Smith and Ryan Kerrigan.

Originally posted by GhostofFredDean74:
CB is another position that is very deep and should yield some very good 2nd/3rd round prospects (list below is not necessarily ranked):

1.) Patrick Peterson
2.) Prince Amukamara
3.) Janoris Jenkins
4.) Aaron Williams
5.) Brandon Burton +
6.) Brandon Harris +
7.) Jimmy Smith +
8.) Ras-I Dowling +
9.) Curtis Brown +
10.) Brandon Boykin +
11.) Johnny Patrick +

I think we could easily go QB in the 1st and CB in the 2nd and land some very good talent at positions of critical need.

Updating a previous item, Florida CB Janoris Jenkins will not leave school for the NFL draft in 2011.
"After careful consideration, I've made a decision to return to school for my senior year," he said. Though he would've been a second-round pick at worst, it's an understandable decision because Jenkins recently underwent reconstructive right shoulder surgery. He'll be a first-rounder in 2012.
Source: USA Today

We can take Janoris off our wish list.