Saftey upgrades

I do like the idea of upgrading the Niners safety through the draft, but not to replace Goldson. I think they should upgrade Whitner. Goldson is not a ball hawk, but he is a very fundamentally sound tackler and a heavy hitter, who sometimes intercepts the ball. Whitner does not bring a lot to the pass defense. The Niners need a true ball hawk to pull down the INT.

Phillip Thomas, S, Fresno State
Height: 6-1. Weight: 215.
Projected 40 Time: 4.60.
Projected Round (2013): 4-6
He runs a little bit slow, but he leads the nation in INT's at 8. He does play in a smaller conference, but he's got a nose for the ball.

Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia
Height:6-0. Weight: 218.
Projected 40 Time: 4.58.
Projected Round (2013): 2-3
At nearly the same dimensions, Rambo projects to go 1-4 rounds sooner than Phillips.

Who are the best ball hawking options at safety this year?

"Ballhawking" Strong Safeties are few and far between, that is the job of the Free Safety, typically strong safeties play up in the box and switch off with LBs and guard TEs and RBs.

Whitner isn't an "elite" player by any means but we do not need an immediate upgrade at SS, we can afford to develop a player there.

Originally posted by Butter:
I do like the idea of upgrading the Niners safety through the draft, but not to replace Goldson. I think they should upgrade Whitner. Goldson is not a ball hawk, but he is a very fundamentally sound tackler and a heavy hitter, who sometimes intercepts the ball. Whitner does not bring a lot to the pass defense. The Niners need a true ball hawk to pull down the INT.

Phillip Thomas, S, Fresno State
Height: 6-1. Weight: 215.
Projected 40 Time: 4.60.
Projected Round (2013): 4-6
He runs a little bit slow, but he leads the nation in INT's at 8. He does play in a smaller conference, but he's got a nose for the ball.

Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia
Height:6-0. Weight: 218.
Projected 40 Time: 4.58.
Projected Round (2013): 2-3
At nearly the same dimensions, Rambo projects to go 1-4 rounds sooner than Phillips.

Who are the best ball hawking options at safety this year?

Wouldn't mind either one of these guys.

Originally posted by sfout:
"Ballhawking" Strong Safeties are few and far between, that is the job of the Free Safety, typically strong safeties play up in the box and switch off with LBs and guard TEs and RBs.

Whitner isn't an "elite" player by any means but we do not need an immediate upgrade at SS, we can afford to develop a player there.

I think they should move Goldson over to the SS spot and bring in a FS in the draft.

you might want to look at the other Safety on UGA's squad

Whitner may not be the best at coverage but he does provide great leadership and a great run stopper

Originally posted by jreff22:
you might want to look at the other Safety on UGA's squad

I like Williams, he's got great size and instincts. But most of the safeties in this draft seem like they are Whitner style players. I want a Ed Reed, Troy P type who is a threat to INT the ball.

The need for a prototypical 220 lbs SS is overrated. Goldson could add a bit of weight, but with his text book tackling form and nose for the ball, I think he'd be fine to play closer to the line.

Im really high on Thomas. I have us taking him in my early mock. I think in the long run he will be the best S in the draft if he can hold up.

I also would like to pick up a guy like Gary Walker from Idaho as an UDFA, or possibly a flier in the seventh. Guy is a tackling machine.

If we resign Goldson, I don't see us taking a safety early. We may want to develop a guy for the future (and we already have Robinson), but this isn't exactly a need. Nose tackle is a possible need. Defensive end is a definite need. A 2nd TE is a need (Delanie Walker is a special teams player and good blocker, but offers nothing as a receiver). I could even see us taking a tackle that could back up Staley and Davis.

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:
If we resign Goldson, I don't see us taking a safety early. We may want to develop a guy for the future (and we already have Robinson), but this isn't exactly a need. Nose tackle is a possible need. Defensive end is a definite need. A 2nd TE is a need (Delanie Walker is a special teams player and good blocker, but offers nothing as a receiver). I could even see us taking a tackle that could back up Staley and Davis.

My thoughts are that you cut Whitner loose to free up money to resign Goldson, and then bring in a blue chip rookie safety to compete with the other players already on the roster.

One thing I like about Phillips is that the Niners don't have to use one of their top picks on him. He could be snagged in the late 3rd or possibly as late as the 5th or 6th. I think the 4th might be a good target area, unless he blows up in the combine and off season.

I think Whitner is playing just fine, and is a team leader, why cut him?

We also have young guys like McBath and Robinson, and even Thomas and Whitley on the PS

I would like to add a CB early though, Gettin a bit worried bout Rogers
Culli may take the LCB spot in 2013, but like they say...

Originally posted by cools:
I think Whitner is playing just fine, and is a team leader, why cut him?

We also have young guys like McBath and Robinson, and even Thomas and Whitley on the PS

I would like to add a CB early though, Gettin a bit worried bout Rogers
Culli may take the LCB spot in 2013, but like they say...

Exactly, I want the SS to come up and knock the $h!t out of people, and Whitner does this just fine. I also think he works well with Goldson.

I don't think Whitner needs to be replaced just yet, but I would love to take a Safety through the draft in maybe the 2nd or 3rd rounds. And one safety that I have in mind that will mostly likely be out of the 9ers reach is Shawn Williams. Williams is a SS that has very good range, ball skills and he can hit. I think he could play both FS and SS in the NFL.

I'd really like for us to use a late rounder or pick up as an UDFA Safety Keelan Johnson (6-1, 205lbs, 4.5-4.6 40 time), ASU. He projects more as a Free Safety. I think he has great range and terrific athleticism. His problem is he is a raw football player that never started until his senior year, always a guy with "potential" because he was an athlete but not much of a football player. Dennis Erickson wasn't very good at teaching football to the athletes he had. Also he shows hesitation to really get physical and lay a big hit, angles are off at times, espicially when tracking down RB's on the other side of the field he often takes too sharp of an angle over-estimating his own speed. He needs to get lower on his hits and deliver more power, he needs more "Goldson" in his game.

I like him because of his range, ball skills, and playmaking ability. If we don't use an earlier pick on a safety, I'd love to grab him and groom him. I think he has the abilities to be a good player at the next level but needs more coaching and development.

Originally posted by SunDevilNiner79:
I'd really like for us to use a late rounder or pick up as an UDFA Safety Keelan Johnson (6-1, 205lbs, 4.5-4.6 40 time), ASU. He projects more as a Free Safety. I think he has great range and terrific athleticism. His problem is he is a raw football player that never started until his senior year, always a guy with "potential" because he was an athlete but not much of a football player. Dennis Erickson wasn't very good at teaching football to the athletes he had. Also he shows hesitation to really get physical and lay a big hit, angles are off at times, espicially when tracking down RB's on the other side of the field he often takes too sharp of an angle over-estimating his own speed. He needs to get lower on his hits and deliver more power, he needs more "Goldson" in his game.

I like him because of his range, ball skills, and playmaking ability. If we don't use an earlier pick on a safety, I'd love to grab him and groom him. I think he has the abilities to be a good player at the next level but needs more coaching and development.

Dennis Erickson wasn't very good at at a lot of things.