49ers 2012 NFL Draft
1. Kendall Wright-WR-Baylor, 5-10 190 4.42
After the phenomenal season Wright has had, I cannot see him falling out of the first round, especially if he clocks in the 4.3's which is very possible. Wright has made play after play after play for Baylor and after taking a close at our receivers.. outside of Crabtree, I've seen no one on our roster even come close to pulling off some of the things Wright has done this season. We certainly don't have anyone with the combination of hands and speed that Wright has (Kyle Williams is not there yet). Wright is built like Steve Smith, and would give us a deep threat that can actually catch the ball, unlike Ginn. With Morgan, Edwards, and Ginn as FA's.. we've got to get a receiver. Morgan will likely re-sign, but he'll be coming off of an injury, and if Ginn returns, he needs to be relegated to just KR/PR duties. We should NOT bank on Williams being the guy in the slot. You always want to upgrade, and Wright is a guy who should be a starter one day. On the year, he already has 95 catches for 1400+ yards and 12 TDs.
2. Kendall Reyes-DT/DE-Connecticut, 6-4 296 4.99
Think of Ray McDonald when you consider Reyes, a 1st Team All-Big East selection. Reyes is a team captain and has experience at both End and Tackle -- great for us because we rotate between the base 3-4 and 4-down linemen for the nickel. He's a quick, powerful lineman who has put up big numbers at UConn. We could really use the depth and competition, even though we liked what we saw from Dobbs this pre-season. Reyes brings a more polished presence, and this is evidenced by his stellar season thus far: 11.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks.
3. Kevin Zeitler-OG-Wisconsin, 6-4 318 5.26
Recognized for being a mauler, Zeitler would provide the Niners with some desperately needed OG depth, as everyone and their mother knows Rachal does not deserve to come back next season. Scouts say Zeitler is a tremendous fit for a zone blocking system, which is what we have switched to, so the adjustment would be seamless for Kevin. Wisconsin OL are well-known for being extremely technically sound and this is the case for Zeitler. He is well-coached and most likely would be ready to contribute immediately if called upon as a rookie.
4. Shea McClellin-OLB-Boise State, 6-3 255 4.74
McClellin seems like a perfect fit for us. He's played both DE and OLB for Boise State, showing his ability to play a hybrid pass rusher/linebacker and do it well -- he led the team in sacks last season with 8.5 to go with 12.5 TFL and 1 INT returned for a touchdown (also had 1 FF and 2 FR). This year, he looks like he will probably won't match those totals, as he has amassed 8 TFL with 5 sacks and 2 INTs so far in 2011, but still solid production. One thing that stands out to me is McClellin is just a very, very smart, disciplined player. He may not be insanely explosive, but he has good football instincts and can make plays sometimes solely because of this. His stock may rise or fall depending on workout numbers, but the 2011 pass-rushing class is fairly weak, and McClellin is one of the few solid prospects.
5. Trumaine Johnson-CB-Montana, 6-2 204 4.52
We all know Baalke clearly has no problem pulling players from small schools (Kilgore, Person), and if the last draft is any indication, it seems he can find some pretty good value here. Johnson's stock took a hit due to some character concerns, but he can flat out play. He possesses a great frame for press coverage and he uses it -- receivers have a hard time getting off the line. Johnson's character and small school status hurt him, but his technically sound play and production (5 interceptions last year) make him a guy the 49ers could target, as they could use some DB depth next season.
6. Kelcie McCray-S-Arkansas State, 6-1 195 4.48
Simply put, we need speed in the defensive backfield. McCray has been a playmaker at Arkansas St. and has four interceptions this season, 10 for his career so far. As noted a moment ago, we need speed and he's got it. Reggie Smith will be gone most likely and I believe we'll search for replacement depth this year.
7. Nicolas Jean-Baptiste-NT-Baylor, 6-2 335 5.06
For all of you that wanted to see a big fatty. Here he is. Baptiste has struggled with consistency, but commentators have noted that coaches say he has monstrous ability and potential, he just doesn't always show it. He could be a guy that winds up a steal. Low risk-high reward type of player here.
[ Edited by OnTheClock on Nov 30, 2011 at 1:24 PM ]