has the webzone population made a major shift in drafting policy

Originally posted by stonecold590:
The people that b***h just don't have a clue. They are entitled to their opinion but really have tunnel vision.

Yea, there's a dude named SanDiego49er that b***hes nonstop in every thread since the inception of the site. Annoying as hell

I personally love the strategy and I hope the 49ers can take advantage before other teams begin to do this. I don't expect it to happen in high numbers, but for teams who's starters are mostly set and have decent depth, I can see them adopting the strategy. The 49ers can conceivably coming away with 2 or 3 future starters or key backups with guys like Aaron Murray and Dominique Easley out there.

Originally posted by CorvaNinerFan:
There's room for redshirting good players...I see both Carradine and Lattimore becoming studs for us. Dial, not so much, especially with how Dorsey and TJE played. After Seattle beat us in the NFCCG, I've been looking at quite a few mocks...one name I've seen several times is DT Aaron Donald, a stellar player from Pitt. Far as I know he's healthy, but could be a guy Baalke would go after if he's on the board, or even trade up to get if the price isn't too steep.

One name not mentioned a lot, but who I think's worthy of getting picked is CB Kyle Fuller from VA Tech. That school has produced a number of quality DB's over the years. He's got good size, decent speed and is a versatile player. I'd also love to see Baalke grab one of the big CB's, either Jean-Baptiste or McGill. Harbaugh would love to have more size in his secondary.

With Bowman's surgery this week, there's a decent chance he's not ready to play early next season. I have faith in Wilhoite, but it also seems like a good idea to draft someone like Shayne Skov. He's a beast and could be a future starter for us.

Assuming we re-sign Boldin, we still lack a burner to stretch the field...either Beckham or Cooks would fulfill that role, methinks.

If Whitner walks, I like Bucannon or Bailey to draft. Would love to see Baalke sign Josh Mccown (again, they let him go before), then draft Fales. QB's a bit thin now, as I don't expect them to re-sign McCoy.

Another position that could be redshirted is OL...I really see Marquardt becoming the swing OT, and maybe a starter at some point. Huge guy, very athletic. Also see Looney emerging at C...think he has a shot to become a real beast. The idea of redshirting is appealing when you have a deep roster like ours...but, definitely need to fill some positions for 2014.

I love Shayne Shov and would like him on the team, but no one that plays inside linebacker has a chance of being a starter on this team unless something goes really wrong.

if any real fan understands the price of being good they understand..making the nfc championship game 3 years in a row and superbowl 1ce makes our players get paid and not from us ( goldson overpaid..rjf overpaid..sopuaga overpaid..) so the idea of drafting an injured player to plug in a year later is genius on our part bc he can step right in 100% healthy and cheap..look at the patriots and how they have done it year after year..the formula we are working with is how you stay relevant and a super bowl contender..plus the fact that we cant draft 13 players bc we are deep as it is and there is no room on the roster..

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:
I love Shayne Shov and would like him on the team, but no one that plays inside linebacker has a chance of being a starter on this team unless something goes really wrong.

I don't think so either anytime soon...buuuuuut...Patrick Willis will be 30 next season......just in case you weren't aware...

So in 4-5 years we may indeed need a starter at that spot. If that person happens to be a player we draft in the mid-rounds this season, I don't see a problem.

I love Baalke/Harbaugh's Draft philosophy in regards to "redshirt" players. I absolutely believe they will pay off in the long run. Including Joe Looney who can be viewed as having TWO redshirt seasons...

Here's a stat that nobody brings up 98.

98?

A record 98 underclassmen entered the 2014 draft? That is 3 rounds worth of players!!!

Meaning this draft is DEEP because of the amount of underclassmen who declared!

1.) For those of you who think we need to draft healthy players I completely agree. We do that with our nearly all of our first 7 picks/ 1st 4 rounds. Most teams only have 7 PICKS TOTAL!!! We have 7 in the first 4 rounds and use at least six of those picks on healthy players. Rounds 5-7 injured players.

*We lost BJ Daniels, Marcus Cooper, Marqueis Gray. They couldn't even clear waivers to get on our practice squad. Why tempt fate in 2014?

2.) It's essential to draft Aaron Murray or Mettenberger. Why? The Best coaches always had a QB learning and lurking in the shadows: Bill Walsh: Young, Bono, Grbac. Bellicheck: Brady, Cassel, Ryan Mallet, etc. Most QB's need to learn their team offensive and that takes more than a year to be proficient. Sit a year and develop: CONFIDENCE. It worked for all the QB's listed above.

3.) Proven Success with injured players: Frank Gore, Joe Looney, Cam Johnson (was a late 7th rounder but showed enough to get traded for a 7th rounder).

4.) Drafting and Signing strategy last year: Tank, Lattimore, Dial, signed Marquardt, Okoye.

5.) Variety of good players injured who fit 49ers positional needs: QB, CB, S, G, DE

6.) Cheap gamble. 5th/7th round rookie contracts are the cheapest in the league. If they contribute as starters, you got your money's worth. IF they walk in free agency you get compensatory picks. Where is the downfall?

Those are the major reasons why 2014 is a great year to draft and stash injured players.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by hofer36:

seems like during the season i heard alot of b***hin and moaning about baalke wasting 2 picks on players who could not contribute right away in carradine and lattimore...now every mock i see here has niners taking 2 3 or even 4 players who will likely start their niners career on ir or pup

Who was b***hing? I generally don't take those people very seriously. If you get a top of the 1st round talent like Carradine and another 1st round talent in Lattimore later on in the draft, especially with Baalke having traded down and acquired a future 3rd round BEFORE selecting Carradine, I'm all for it. Talent like that is worth a year to wait for.

This year, the scenario is much different, you're talking about guys like Colvin, Long and Millard who would all be late round picks, yet they all were looked at as potential 2nd-3rd rounders so once again, the value is still sky high. I know some people have brought up a guy like Easley, he's definitely an interesting prospect, but mostly, the logic is, at least mine, is that the vast majority of late round picks will be out of the NFL within a year anyways, if you can take guys who are highly talented, had injury issues, let them recover, learn the system in their first year, that second year you've got an absurd amount of talent on your hands even if one or even two continue to have injury issues, you definitely come out ahead.


I guess the way I look at it is this, if I told you that you could get a 2nd round pick and 2 3rd rounds picks in 2015 for a late 6th rounder and 2 7th rounders this year, do you do it?

The last line says it all. The Niners proved they were good enough to survive without getting a single down from two of their top 5 picks. What they did get was a year of education like rookie QB's used to get before they are asked to contribute. This year, they can do the same by accumulating an insane group of talented players in the 6th and 7th rounds.