Requesting 2012 draft class progress report

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:
I didn't see any threads about these guys in the first few pages, so I hope it's okay I'm starting a new thread.

Is there anything some of the more knowledgeable posters can offer as to the progress of guys like Looney, Fleming, Robinson, Slowey, and Johnson. Are they are on track to be contributors in the coming years? Any busts already?

For Jenkins and James, the weeks of being inactive before finally contributing has been pretty well chronicled by following Maiocco and others, but I've had trouble garnering any tidbits about the rest of the class. Thanks!

Uh Slowey didnt even make final cuts. Have you been under a rock this whole season? Fleming tore his ACL way back in the spring....Everyone else has rarely played.

LMJ had a good debut last weekend

Jenkins was on the field for about 10 snaps and had some good blocks but no passes thrown his way.

Originally posted by sfout:

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:
I didn't see any threads about these guys in the first few pages, so I hope it's okay I'm starting a new thread.

Is there anything some of the more knowledgeable posters can offer as to the progress of guys like Looney, Fleming, Robinson, Slowey, and Johnson. Are they are on track to be contributors in the coming years? Any busts already?

For Jenkins and James, the weeks of being inactive before finally contributing has been pretty well chronicled by following Maiocco and others, but I've had trouble garnering any tidbits about the rest of the class. Thanks!

Uh Slowey didnt even make final cuts. Have you been under a rock this whole season? Fleming tore his ACL way back in the spring....Everyone else has rarely played.

LMJ had a good debut last weekend

Jenkins was on the field for about 10 snaps and had some good blocks but no passes thrown his way.

I've watched every snap this season and follow a couple 49er writers on twitter, so I don't appreciate the insult. I said in my original post that I don't need help evaluating James or Jenkins.

That said, I admitted that I HAVE felt sort of like I'm under a rock with respect to the other guys. Maybe that's my fault, or maybe nothing is written about these guys because there is nothing to report and/or people generally won't care. I guess what I'm asking is if some fans who follow practices, etc. closer than I do have insight as to whether Looney, Fleming, Johnson, and Robinson are still considered legit depth guys for next season and beyond.

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:
I've watched every snap this season and follow a couple 49er writers on twitter, so I don't appreciate the insult. I said in my original post that I don't need help evaluating James or Jenkins.

That said, I admitted that I HAVE felt sort of like I'm under a rock with respect to the other guys. Maybe that's my fault, or maybe nothing is written about these guys because there is nothing to report and/or people generally won't care. I guess what I'm asking is if some fans who follow practices, etc. closer than I do have insight as to whether Looney, Fleming, Johnson, and Robinson are still considered legit depth guys for next season and beyond.

Didn't think asking if you had lived under a rock was an insult, guess thats the problem with text so my bad.

On a serious note, Looney is reportedly learning how to play center as well his duties as guard. Considering how much effort Baalke put into getting him I think the FO/coaches have a lot of faith in him.

With Fleming being injured we can't assume anything so we'll probably draft an OLB in round 3 were we are expected to have 3 picks. Same goes as Cam Johnson but at least he is getting reps on the practice squad.

Robinson got early reps on ST but we'll probably draft another depth pick because we haven't seen anything from him.

So I guess the short answer is expect us to draft an OLB, FS by round 5 again. Even if they re-sign Goldson as well.

The 2011 class gets a lot of props because Culliver, Hunter, Kilgore, and Miller became contributors pretty early (in addition to the obvious Aldon and CK). By this time last year, we were already touting the well-roundedness of the draft.

I guess I'm just wondering if there are any indications either way as to whether the 2012 can live up to that, or if it will ultimately be disappointing. Perhaps it's simply too soon to tell, in large part because our team is more stacked and there is less opportunity for rookies to contribute.

Originally posted by sfout:

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:
I've watched every snap this season and follow a couple 49er writers on twitter, so I don't appreciate the insult. I said in my original post that I don't need help evaluating James or Jenkins.

That said, I admitted that I HAVE felt sort of like I'm under a rock with respect to the other guys. Maybe that's my fault, or maybe nothing is written about these guys because there is nothing to report and/or people generally won't care. I guess what I'm asking is if some fans who follow practices, etc. closer than I do have insight as to whether Looney, Fleming, Johnson, and Robinson are still considered legit depth guys for next season and beyond.

Didn't think asking if you had lived under a rock was an insult, guess thats the problem with text so my bad.

On a serious note, Looney is reportedly learning how to play center as well his duties as guard. Considering how much effort Baalke put into getting him I think the FO/coaches have a lot of faith in him.

With Fleming being injured we can't assume anything so we'll probably draft an OLB in round 3 were we are expected to have 3 picks. Same goes as Cam Johnson but at least he is getting reps on the practice squad.

Robinson got early reps on ST but we'll probably draft another depth pick because we haven't seen anything from him.

So I guess the short answer is expect us to draft an OLB, FS by round 5 again. Even if they re-sign Goldson as well.

Very helpful--thanks for the updates. Sounds like it will go down as a pretty unproductive draft outside the first two rounds, even if Jenkins and James become key contributors. Unless there are some surprises down the line.

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:
Very helpful--thanks for the updates. Sounds like it will go down as a pretty unproductive draft outside the first two rounds, even if Jenkins and James become key contributors. Unless there are some surprises down the line.

Yea pretty much but thats not the end of the world considering how stacked we were defensively and that we signed key FAs like Manningham and Moss to give Jenkins time to develop.

BUT that is relative because I think Looney is expected our new "Alex Boone" as our multi-purpose lineman playing both G and C well. Then we have Boone who can play G and T well.

This draft will be fairly key especially if something crazy happens in March regarding our FA's (like if Goldson goes to a new team then its our #1 priority to get Vaccaro or Tony Jefferson because the FA field of Safeties is atrocious. The top 2 expected on the market probably wont make it there Jairus Byrd will probably be franchised, same with Louis Delmas and he has knee problems.)

Then IMHO we need a center like Khaled Holmes in the 3rd because Kilgore as the center of the future is not a given and Goodwin might get cut because of his cap #.

WR is a a bigger need then people think because Rio now has 2 fairly serious shoulder injuries that have caused him to miss time and he is only here for 1 more year. Moss and Gin are not expected back so within the next 2 years we could see up to 3 new WRs on our roster whether its FA or draft.

If we lose Larry Grant to FA we will need a very quality #3 MLB because Grant was good enough that when Willis went down our defense didn't skip a beat.

Not worried about this class. Can't have a 2011 class every year. With that said, seems most playing time is from Celek as an UDFA. Now Jenkins and James will get time, hopefully they play well.

Only time will tell but it seems to me that IMHO... Jenkins & James have to be PLAYERS or this is a bad draft! Doug Martin in the 1st rd woulda been nice... after that ... How about concentrating on a pass rushing OLB! Mind you I am a guy who loves Baalke... Our 1st rd pick doesn't have a reception... WTF!!!!!????

looney will be a starter within the next couple of year or so

fleming is learning the scheme as he is injured so TC will tell if he has any promising potential to be a contributor as a rotational guy

slowey BUST

trenton robinson will probably be cut during TC next year

cam johnson is a project still. bigtime wildcard

Originally posted by NYCNINER:
Only time will tell but it seems to me that IMHO... Jenkins & James have to be PLAYERS or this is a bad draft! Doug Martin in the 1st rd woulda been nice... after that ... How about concentrating on a pass rushing OLB! Mind you I am a guy who loves Baalke... Our 1st rd pick doesn't have a reception... WTF!!!!!????

To be honest no one saw Aldon Smith, and many booed the pick. Pretty much everyone wanted a CB like Amukamara or DE/OLB like Quinn.

As for my further thoughts,

Jenkins is clearly gonna be a top 3 WR in the near future for us. It should be Mario, Crabs and AJ as top 3 by 2014.

James will be the returner of the future

Looney is a swing OL

Fleming and Johnson are projects mostly

Robinson played good snaps first few weeks, but lost out to McBath.

Celek as a UDFA has been a nice surprise.

WAYYYYYYYYYYYY to early to call the draft a bust.

The FO knew it had a top-tier roster and many people would be coming up for FA. So, IMO, the smart move was to partially draft for that eventuality.

Let's get real, if your draft produces a lot of starters your team SUCKED and your previous drafts were weak. That's what JH/Baalke stepped into.

The jury will be out for 2 more years.

Not to mention we drafted 7th in 2011 and 30th? In 2012. Huge difference, especially in the first 3 rounds

Where would we would of upgraded at a starting spot, we had all 22 spots filled. Dont say TE, becaause Fleener isn't proven anything, and you want to pay Fleener top 25 TE money and Vernon top 5 TE money.

Thats why I dont see a 1st rd TE happening. Same with another WR.