49er Draft Grades by Round

Now that the draft is officially over, what are your grades by round? I have grades for rounds 1-4, just finishing the rest of the rounds.

1. Aldon Smith - A
2. Colin Kaepernick - B
3. Curtis Culliver - D
4. Kendall Hunter - A+

1-A-49ers have needed a pass-rusher for the longest time, this guy just on potential seems like a major beast.

2-A-QB of the future that Harbaugh feels comfortable molding and it didn't cost them a lot.

3-B-This guy seems like a great prospect but he's really raw for the third round although a lot of publications had him going in that range. Very athletic, can be developed into either a starting safety or CB. Seeing as how our track record has been in the 3rd round, I don't feel bad about the 49ers giving this guy a shot if they think he can be a starter down the road.

4-A-Love the pick, kind of a steal, perfect young change-of-pace back to mix in with Gore, he's got great vision and is ready to go from Day One.

5-B-Like the attitude, for too long this team has been about as intimidating as the Care Bears and by all accounts Kilgore is a bad, bad man. Very raw, but also has lots of room to develop and has the right attitude and desire to improve, I have no problem with them giving up a late 7th round pick to get the guy they wanted.

6-B-Love the Colin Jones pick, he looks like a future special teams ace, an athletic freak that will be a terror out on the field. Like a faster Curtis Buckley. As far as Johnson, he's had issues with drops but he's a talented WR that can stretch the field, is willing to go over the middle, Harbaugh's obviously familiar with him so I see this as a value pick.

7-A-Love both picks a lot, if Miller sticks as an OLB he could very well become a valuable part of the rotation, if not, he's still going to be a special teams terror. Like the Person pick, by all accounts he's a solid OL prospect with room to develop, good value for where he was picked. Don't know much about Holcomb but he sounds just like the rest, raw, hard worker, coachable...etc, could be a good special teams addition if nothing else.

[ Edited by Phoenix49ers on Apr 30, 2011 at 16:53:26 ]

Smith-A-
Kap-B-
Culliver-D
Hunter-A+
Kilgore-C-
Jones-C+
Johnson-B
Miller-B+ if he is OLB, and a WTF if he is a FB
Person-B
Holcomb-D

Overall- B

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
1-A-49ers have needed a pass-rusher for the longest time, this guy just on potential seems like a major beast.

2-A-QB of the future that Harbaugh feels comfortable molding and it didn't cost them a lot.

3-B-This guy seems like a great prospect but he's really raw for the third round although a lot of publications had him going in that range. Very athletic, can be developed into either a starting safety or CB. Seeing as how our track record has been in the 3rd round, I don't feel bad about the 49ers giving this guy a shot if they think he can be a starter down the road.

4-A-Love the pick, kind of a steal, perfect young change-of-pace back to mix in with Gore, he's got great vision and is ready to go from Day One.

5-B-Like the attitude, for too long this team has been about as intimidating as the Care Bears and by all accounts Kilgore is a bad, bad man. Very raw, but also has lots of room to develop and has the right attitude and desire to improve, I have no problem with them giving up a late 7th round pick to get the guy they wanted.

6-B-Love the Colin Jones pick, he looks like a future special teams ace, an athletic freak that will be a terror out on the field. Like a faster Curtis Buckley. As far as Johnson, he's had issues with drops but he's a talented WR that can stretch the field, is willing to go over the middle, Harbaugh's obviously familiar with him so I see this as a value pick.

7-A-Love both picks a lot, if Miller sticks as an OLB he could very well become a valuable part of the rotation, if not, he's still going to be a special teams terror. Like the Person pick, by all accounts he's a solid OL prospect with room to develop, good value for where he was picked. Don't know much about Holcomb but he sounds just like the rest, raw, hard worker, coachable...etc, could be a good special teams addition if nothing else.

I agree with everything you said except I hate the FB pick. Why didn't we just pick Stanley Havili? the #2 rated FB was on the board yet we took a college DE/OLB to convert him to FB?

Originally posted by matt49er:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
1-A-49ers have needed a pass-rusher for the longest time, this guy just on potential seems like a major beast.

2-A-QB of the future that Harbaugh feels comfortable molding and it didn't cost them a lot.

3-B-This guy seems like a great prospect but he's really raw for the third round although a lot of publications had him going in that range. Very athletic, can be developed into either a starting safety or CB. Seeing as how our track record has been in the 3rd round, I don't feel bad about the 49ers giving this guy a shot if they think he can be a starter down the road.

4-A-Love the pick, kind of a steal, perfect young change-of-pace back to mix in with Gore, he's got great vision and is ready to go from Day One.

5-B-Like the attitude, for too long this team has been about as intimidating as the Care Bears and by all accounts Kilgore is a bad, bad man. Very raw, but also has lots of room to develop and has the right attitude and desire to improve, I have no problem with them giving up a late 7th round pick to get the guy they wanted.

6-B-Love the Colin Jones pick, he looks like a future special teams ace, an athletic freak that will be a terror out on the field. Like a faster Curtis Buckley. As far as Johnson, he's had issues with drops but he's a talented WR that can stretch the field, is willing to go over the middle, Harbaugh's obviously familiar with him so I see this as a value pick.

7-A-Love both picks a lot, if Miller sticks as an OLB he could very well become a valuable part of the rotation, if not, he's still going to be a special teams terror. Like the Person pick, by all accounts he's a solid OL prospect with room to develop, good value for where he was picked. Don't know much about Holcomb but he sounds just like the rest, raw, hard worker, coachable...etc, could be a good special teams addition if nothing else.

I agree with everything you said except I hate the FB pick. Why didn't we just pick Stanley Havili? the #2 rated FB was on the board yet we took a college DE/OLB to convert him to FB?

You simply HAVE to pick someone to convert to a position he didn't play in college. It wouldn't be a complete draft without it.

Great draft! The first, second and fourth rounds, in particular, were super. My expectations have certainly been raised.

Originally posted by matt49er:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
1-A-49ers have needed a pass-rusher for the longest time, this guy just on potential seems like a major beast.

2-A-QB of the future that Harbaugh feels comfortable molding and it didn't cost them a lot.

3-B-This guy seems like a great prospect but he's really raw for the third round although a lot of publications had him going in that range. Very athletic, can be developed into either a starting safety or CB. Seeing as how our track record has been in the 3rd round, I don't feel bad about the 49ers giving this guy a shot if they think he can be a starter down the road.

4-A-Love the pick, kind of a steal, perfect young change-of-pace back to mix in with Gore, he's got great vision and is ready to go from Day One.

5-B-Like the attitude, for too long this team has been about as intimidating as the Care Bears and by all accounts Kilgore is a bad, bad man. Very raw, but also has lots of room to develop and has the right attitude and desire to improve, I have no problem with them giving up a late 7th round pick to get the guy they wanted.

6-B-Love the Colin Jones pick, he looks like a future special teams ace, an athletic freak that will be a terror out on the field. Like a faster Curtis Buckley. As far as Johnson, he's had issues with drops but he's a talented WR that can stretch the field, is willing to go over the middle, Harbaugh's obviously familiar with him so I see this as a value pick.

7-A-Love both picks a lot, if Miller sticks as an OLB he could very well become a valuable part of the rotation, if not, he's still going to be a special teams terror. Like the Person pick, by all accounts he's a solid OL prospect with room to develop, good value for where he was picked. Don't know much about Holcomb but he sounds just like the rest, raw, hard worker, coachable...etc, could be a good special teams addition if nothing else.

I agree with everything you said except I hate the FB pick. Why didn't we just pick Stanley Havili? the #2 rated FB was on the board yet we took a college DE/OLB to convert him to FB?

Once again, why Havili? Do you even know why you're bringing his name up? A FB like Marecic that played in Harbaugh's system has basically nothing in common with Havili. An undersized fullback that is weak when it comes to blocking and has a rep of being uncoachable? Because he's from USC? Because his name is recognizable? I doubt Harbaugh ever had any interest in the guy from the get-go. If they wanted to go with a guy like Havili they would have just saved a pick and moved Anthony Dixon to fullback. Bigger size, better blocker...etc.


I would have preferred Chapas myself but whatever, I'll trust Harbaugh, in the end I still expect Miller to end up at OLB most of the time.

[ Edited by Phoenix49ers on Apr 30, 2011 at 17:14:53 ]

Havili is about 225 and isn't known as a great blocker. What about that makes him sound like a good FB for us?

It must be the Cali thing, because I don't see how Havili will make it in the NFL more than 1 season as a FB.

My guess is that if he was rated as a "top FB", it had more to do with his non-FB-like ability. Not a fit. We already have options coming out of the backfield.

Smith-B
Kap-B-
Culliver-D
Hunter-A+
Kilgore-d
Jones-B
Johnson-B+
Miller-B+ if he is OLB, and a D if he's our new full back
Person-C
Holcomb-C


Overall a C IMO.

Ask me in three years.

Originally posted by okdkid:
Havili is about 225 and isn't known as a great blocker. What about that makes him sound like a good FB for us?

It must be the Cali thing, because I don't see how Havili will make it in the NFL more than 1 season as a FB.

My guess is that if he was rated as a "top FB", it had more to do with his non-FB-like ability. Not a fit. We already have options coming out of the backfield.

Bingo, not sure why he was rated as a "top FB." He was more a hybrid halfback than anything else. Put him in a lineup along with Marecic, Chapas, Sherman and Hynoski and its clear which one of those isn't like the others.


The other guys all get rave reviews for their toughness and blocking, Havili gets rave reviews for being a runner and reciever out of the backfield. WTF, that's not a fullback, at least not in the traditional sense, nor the Harbaugh sense.



Also Miller played TE all 4 years in high-school so its not THAT much of a stretch for him to play fullback. As long as he's willing to wallop people and block his ass off using his great size, he'll be fine. The fullback isn't asked to be an offensive dynamo in Harbaugh's system anyways.

[ Edited by Phoenix49ers on Apr 30, 2011 at 17:22:45 ]

how many will be cut?

I give it a TBD.

Originally posted by skynet907:
how many will be cut?

The only guy I see possibly getting cut is Holcomb, the rest seem to be keepers as they fill one role or another on the team. That was the only pick that seemed to be a "throwaway" pick to me. In the past we've had at least 2 or 3 each draft. No Joe Cohen's or Jay Moore's in this draft.

[ Edited by Phoenix49ers on Apr 30, 2011 at 17:28:08 ]

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by okdkid:
Havili is about 225 and isn't known as a great blocker. What about that makes him sound like a good FB for us?

It must be the Cali thing, because I don't see how Havili will make it in the NFL more than 1 season as a FB.

My guess is that if he was rated as a "top FB", it had more to do with his non-FB-like ability. Not a fit. We already have options coming out of the backfield.

Bingo, not sure why he was rated as a "top FB." He was more a hybrid halfback than anything else. Put him in a lineup along with Marecic, Chapas, Sherman and Hynoski and its clear which one of those isn't like the others.


The other guys all get rave reviews for their toughness and blocking, Havili gets rave reviews for being a runner and reciever out of the backfield. WTF, that's not a fullback, at least not in the traditional sense, nor the Harbaugh sense.



Also Miller played TE all 4 years in high-school so its not THAT much of a stretch for him to play fullback. As long as he's willing to wallop people and block his ass off using his great size, he'll be fine. The fullback isn't asked to be an offensive dynamo in Harbaugh's system anyways.

Hardbaugh just said that if Miller doesn't work out as a fullback then he'd be ok playing Miller as a pass rusher too. So it's all good.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
1-A-49ers have needed a pass-rusher for the longest time, this guy just on potential seems like a major beast.

2-A-QB of the future that Harbaugh feels comfortable molding and it didn't cost them a lot.

3-B-This guy seems like a great prospect but he's really raw for the third round although a lot of publications had him going in that range. Very athletic, can be developed into either a starting safety or CB. Seeing as how our track record has been in the 3rd round, I don't feel bad about the 49ers giving this guy a shot if they think he can be a starter down the road.

4-A-Love the pick, kind of a steal, perfect young change-of-pace back to mix in with Gore, he's got great vision and is ready to go from Day One.

5-B-Like the attitude, for too long this team has been about as intimidating as the Care Bears and by all accounts Kilgore is a bad, bad man. Very raw, but also has lots of room to develop and has the right attitude and desire to improve, I have no problem with them giving up a late 7th round pick to get the guy they wanted.

6-B-Love the Colin Jones pick, he looks like a future special teams ace, an athletic freak that will be a terror out on the field. Like a faster Curtis Buckley. As far as Johnson, he's had issues with drops but he's a talented WR that can stretch the field, is willing to go over the middle, Harbaugh's obviously familiar with him so I see this as a value pick.

7-A-Love both picks a lot, if Miller sticks as an OLB he could very well become a valuable part of the rotation, if not, he's still going to be a special teams terror. Like the Person pick, by all accounts he's a solid OL prospect with room to develop, good value for where he was picked. Don't know much about Holcomb but he sounds just like the rest, raw, hard worker, coachable...etc, could be a good special teams addition if nothing else.

Best draft ever!