my mock #2 (post-combine)

Originally posted by WRATHman44:
I'd like to read your analysis on how horrible Looney was. I broke down a lot of his plays, and he really only struggled that first game. If Boone hadn't come on strong in December, Looney would have had a better year than him. Regarding ZBS, we already run zone plays, we just didn't run them frequently enough to be successful at them. Martin won't be adjusting nearly as much as a rookie will have to. Thomas has already been taught our system, and will have an entire off season to apply his knowledge physically, giving him a distinct advantage over any rookie we select.

Give me a couple days and I'll post it
I'm gonna go back and watch some more tape

Originally posted by crew:
Like the 1st 3 picks with a preference towards Parker or Strong in the 1st, Devin Smith & Coates are 2nd rounders, would take Smith before Coates.
Ronald Darby will be off the board by the 4th round after his combine results, like the Pruitt and Xavier Williams picks, Chris Conley is goin Rd 3/4.

I imply trades in order to move up or DOWN thus, if we think that we can pick coates late 1st or even early 2nd round, I assume that the Niners will do it, in my mock we will receive the trade bait through future draft picks.

Conley was viewed as a 7th-rounder before the CBS updated their board. If this view complies with most draft boards in the NFL, then the combine won't help him that much. 3rd-4th round, before being a 7th-rounder just based on some physical tests? this leapfrog is way too huge, imho.

Originally posted by communist:
I imply trades in order to move up or DOWN thus, if we think that we can pick coates late 1st or even early 2nd round, I assume that the Niners will do it, in my mock we will receive the trade bait through future draft picks.

Conley was viewed as a 7th-rounder before the CBS updated their board. If this view complies with most draft boards in the NFL, then the combine won't help him that much. 3rd-4th round, before being a 7th-rounder just based on some physical tests? this leapfrog is way too huge, imho.

That leapfrog could make sense if it causes teams to look at him and see something on tape that they missed before (if they even looked at him before the combine). Good players fall to late rounds all the time because they aren't noticed (see Tom Brady). His combine will cause scouts to pay a lot more attention and he obviously has the physical tools to be successful in the NFL. I would be surprised if he isn't taken before the 4th round. There are other guys with less impressive physical tools and mediocre stats being mocked much higher than that (Arik Armstead). The only difference is that their names were known in advance. If Gurley didn't get hurt and Georgia made it to the playoffs, Conley's name would have been known before the combine so there wouldn't be this drastic jump.

Jerick McKinnon was projected in the 7th round prior to the combine last year and was taken in the 3rd round of the draft. Conley may be an even better athlete than Coates who is going to be taken almost entirely for his size and athleticism. And Conley has better hands and longer arms...

Not a good comparison, imho. McKinnon came from a low-level school where your argument "missed something on tape" could be applied way better. And he showed power and speed at the combine. I mean, he showed everything you want to see from a RB in physical matter. Here, one could say, he has got a lot of potential which he could not show in college due to low competitiveness of his division. Was gone at the end of round 3.
Conley is coming from a very solid pro-style SEC program. Wasn't their #1-WR by any means. I don't see any potential for round 3 at all, given the load at WR in this draft in particular.

I conclude that the very highest possible pick for Conley is a mid 4th-rounder. Imho, here is too much Martavis Bryant-similarity though Bryant never really was a 7th-round prospect, iirc.

I say we go DB in the first round. I'm hoping for Wayne's to be there at 15.

Reason being is we can have a young core of guys in the secondary. You got Brock, Culliver, Ward and Reid. Cox will be probably walk and Dontae Johnson can be plugged in if Culliver leaves.

We've always had a suspect secondary, now we have a chance to build on it with a talented young group of guys.

There's nobody that can replace Justin Smith and all the attention that he takes away from Aldon. Yes we can draft/sign depth but I think were better off solidifying the secondary which at this point is closer than the DL.

just my 2cents.

He's a way better prospect than Bryant was in my opinion. Bryant got a lot of attention for his height/speed combination. Conley flew under the radar relative to some of the taller receivers, because we don't really know arm length until the combine. Having 33 3/4" arms at 6'2 is very impressive and makes Conley functionally almost the same size as Bryant (32 5/8" arms) while being a much better athlete. Bryant really could only run fly routes coming out of college and was not nearly as explosive as Conley and had worse hands. Conley is also a very good run blocker which is underrated.

I also think the early success of both Bryant and McKinnon could make teams more likely to pull the trigger on Conley. We will see during the draft, but I think there is a lot teams will like about this kid. The highest possible pick for Conley is late 2nd round imo, but I think 3rd round is likely.