2. Second round, #46
2a. via trade
3. Third round, #79
4. Fourth round, TBD
5. Fifth round, TBD
6. Sixth round, TBD
7. Sixth round, TBD (Compensatory)
8. Seventh round, TBD
9. Seventh round, TBD (Compensatory)
I have to say that the retirement of Patrick Willis shocked me. But the retirement of one Chris Borland through me off my square, and the NEVER happens, and I needed some time to really gather my thoughts, and myself, on this. But I take back NOTHING I stated in relation to Borland's retirement. I expect the Cowboy to retire, though I held out hope he won't. But with Tank and Dockett I think the D-line will be just fine. But Borland is 24, and at least a top 10 LB. And, but for his epiphany about injury, with a full season as a starter I think he would have been a top 5 ILB. Now, I cannot imagine Baalke not addressing this position somewhere between our 1st and 3rd pick. No way we let Wilhoite, the likely other ILB starter with Bowman, walk. Besides, I think Wilhoite is salivating at the chance to be the opening day starter. Borland's cowardly retirement (yes, I said COWARDLY
), and the Willis retirement, has totally changed our draft needs and priorities, exposing Baalke's draft direction (something he prides on hiding). Consider the players on defense who's departed:Willis
Borland
RayMac
Cowboy
Cully
Cox
Now that's a major loss of production and I just don't see how we recover from that with the current personnel on our roster, at least in 2015. Before the retirement of Willis and Borland I still held expectations that this team would go deep in the PO. Now, I'm not sure that's a realistic hope, much less expectation. I really feel bad for Tomsula and the hand he's been dealt. If he can somehow will this team back to the playoff the FO need to reward him with a serious extension.
Anyway, with the addition of Torrey Smith, just 26 and a deep threat, really removes the dire need (but not the total need) for a WR. I still think we draft a WR, just not as early. The addition of Dockett, at first, made picking a DE/DT unnecessary, at least not before our 6th pick. Now, with Cowboy likely retiring I think that pushes that need back to the 3rd. Finally, I think this draft needs to be HEAVY on the defensive side of the ball. While Baalke sucks large ones when drafting WR's he's been an ace drafting all other positions for the most part.
1st
ILB – Eric Kendricks, 6'0", 232lbs, UCLA
Either we move back in the 1st to get the best ILB in the draft (Butkus Award winner like Willis) and gain picks in the process, or move up in the early 2nd to get Benardrick McKinney of Miss State, and give up picks in the process. I prefer the former, and I'd guess Baalke would too. IMHO any fan who thinks we're ok at this position is WAY too optimistic. If Baalke pulls the trade trigger and draft this kid he would be no worse than a replacement for Willis, much less Borland. I've seen a lot of this kid, but frankly, he simply wasn't on my draft radar before the recent unfortunate retirements at the position. This kid is as much the real-deal as Willis was coming out of Ol Miss. Extremely instinctive player, pure middle LB. Diagnoses like a doctor. Mean, physical hitter, which this defense needs. Very high character. Could stand to put on a few pounds. Gonna have to hold his own in the NFL as the scheme helped him at UCLA. Day 1 starter.
[NOTE]: We trade down between the 25th and the 32nd pick for that team's 2nd or 3rd round pick this season. I won't try to figure which team or pick.
2nd
CB – Quinten Rollins, 5'11", 193lbs, Miami (Ohio) – 4.57 40
If PJ Williams is here I say we take him, but I think he'll be gone by now. Keep in mind that Cully and Cox are BOTH gone. I won't speak for anyone else but I think this guy is the best all-around CB in the draft. Unlike most here I have doubt he drops to the 2nd, but I was excoriated for putting him atop my 1st mock draft. In any event, we need to draft this kid. His game screams NFC West. Not much to say negative about him other than he don't have much experience at the position seeing that he played 4 years playing basketball. But to me that speaks to his athleticism. This is a "can't miss" pick. Good character. Strong work ethic. Despite his extremely physical style of play Rollins proved to be very durable. Can be put on an island ALL GAME. Won't be bullied by top, 6-3+ 215+lbs WR's. Fights through blocks very well, so offenses won't make much of a living running his way. Crowds WR's down field. Absolutely enjoys tackling, and a sure tackler to boot. Actually, he's perhaps the meanest tackling CB in this draft. This guy has shut-down written all over him. Day 1 starter.
2nd
DE/DT – Preston Smith, 6'5", 271lbs, Miss. St.
No change here. Again, there will be teams that will reach for Arik Armstead, who I really want here. Owamagbe Odighizuwa of UCLA and Mario Edwards Jr. of Florida State will likely be out of reach here as well. But if one of those three are available here we definitely take them. Much like Cowboy, Preston can be moved all around the D-line and still create problems for the offense and push the pocket better than reasonable. Won't beat anyone with speed, but then again neither did Cowboy. Would make the 53.
3rd
ILB – Denzel Perryman, 5'11", 236lbs, Miami
See those two retirements, plus the huge question mark in Bowman, then ask yourself why we should take two top quality ILB's in this draft. We have to reset this position for the future, and drafting Kendricks and Perryman will do just that. If Borland had Zack Thomas written all over him Denzel Perryman has London Fletcher written all over him. Another crushing tackler. In spite of his height Perryman handles blockers quite will, which will make him an ideal Sam LB in our 3-4 scheme. Great open field tackler. Exceptional leader, of the old-school variety (voted team captain). Will need to work on pass coverage to stay on the field on 3rd downs. Would make the 46.
4th
CB – Eric Rowe, 6'1", 207lbs, Utah – 4.45 40
Originally had Terrence Magee here. But with our two starting CB's gone (again), and with the signing of Reggie Bush and the Australian, and given we already have Hunter and Hyde I don't see this as a position to address in the draft. Consider the top corners on our roster:
Brock (coming off injury but day one starter)
Dontae Johnson
Chris Cook
Shareece Wright
Kenneth Acker
Keith Reaser
Marcus Cromartie
Cameron Fuller
I don't know about anyone else but that's not a corps of corners that I'm having confidence going into the season with. Brock is coming off an injury. Johnson looked decent. Cook didn't wow me much. Didn't like the Wright signing AT ALL!! Don't really know what to expect from Acker and Reaser. Cromartie barley flashed on the screen. And I cannot say that I saw Fuller much. Rowe (and Rollins) would definitely upgrade this corps. Baalke cannot tempt the devil this season here. We cannot rely on the front seven we have on paper to mask deficiencies in the CB play. Rowe is a big, strong corner with very good speed. Very good and aggressive at jamming and re-routing WR's at the LOS. Aggressive on special teams. Disruptive downfield defender. Better than decent in run support. Good value pick. Would make the 46.
5th
QB – Sean Mannion, 6'6", 229lbs, Oregon State
No change here. Not gonna go into why we need this pick. Kaep needs to be pushed by a legitimate contender, and Mannion is that, and then some. IMHO, what this team needs, among other things, is a good old fashioned QB controversy. JJ, and Crappert posed absolutely no threat at all to Kaep's position as the starting QB and gave no push, and that's just simply unacceptable. Mannion would give this offence a prototypical QB dimension. Throws an accurate deep and short ball, and throws with real touch on the intermediate routes. Played under center in a pro-style offence under Mike Riley. I'm actually a little shocked he's rated this low. I still have a 2nd – 3rd round grade on this kid. But every place I've looked he's graded as a 5th – 6th. So getting him here would be larceny. Mannion won't wow anyone with his speed or mobility. Gonna have to learn how to step up in the pocket as his first read will often be taken away in the NFL. Gonna have to learn to better deal with pocket pressure and simply face it down. Would make the 46.
6th
TE – Wes Saxton, 6'4", 243lbs, South Alabama – 4.65 40
No change here as well. I'll continue to say I think we've held on to Vernon Davis a year too long. His drop-off last season was painfully obvious. Now, that may have been connected to the scheme that JH & Co. tried to employ with Kaep. And injuries had something to say about it as well. But when he was on the field he simply looked like a man at the end of his career. And none behind Davis has impressed me frankly. Saxton is extremely athletic. Carries the ball with real physicality. Very versatile; can be split out and play with his hands in the dirt. Decent blocker. Perhaps the biggest thing Saxton would bring (back) to the 49ers is that H-back dimension that Delany Walker provided. He would cause all kinds of problems for a defense with the formation looks alone. Saxton will have improve his concentration as he has ugly drops. Also, he can stand to bulk up a bit, and given his frame it can be said that he isn't even done growing, which is scary. Would make the 46.
6th
OLB – Tony Washington, 6'3", 250lbs, Oregon
Can never have too many pass-rushers. Plus, as I suspected, some sucker overpaid for Skuta so we gotta replace depth at this position. Washington is very quick, long, and can drop into coverage. Classic speed edge rusher. His game will fit our 3-4 scheme seamlessly. Won't be a liability in the run game. He's gonna have to get smarter in his plan of attack and develop more moves. Has a lean frame, so will need to bulk up a bit, lower as well as upper body. Would make the 53.
7th
WR – Darren Waller, 6'6", 238lbs, Georgia Tech. – 4.46 40
The combine changed me here. This guy would be a real nightmare for defenses to defend. He'll be a project, but with the addition of Torrey Smith I think we can afford a WR project. Given how NFL teams covet these large WR's with speed I won't be at all surprised to see a team reach for Waller in the 6th, or even the 5th. Would make the 53
7th
OT/OG – Jamon Brown, 6'4", 323lbs, Louisville
I know we signed Erik Pears but frankly I don't see him starting unless for injury. I see him as a guy Baalke views as competition to push someone – Looney for example – off the roster. Brown is one huge man who carries his weight well!! Speed rushers have a really difficult time getting around him. Will be a decent replacement for Iupati and excellent swing guy on the line. Played OG and OT very well. Rare athleticism or a man his size. But will need to improve is footwork at the NFL level. I'd like to see him loose a few pounds to improve his stamina (he seemed to get worn down in games). Great value pick here who'd make the team. Would make the 53.
Let's face it, loosing Willis, Borland, Cowboy, RayMac, Cully, and Cox – both starting corners and ILBs – means total rebuild on defense. I expect Baalke to do much trading back to stock picks because not only has the depth been depleted but so has the starting lineup. There's just too much turnover on defense for us to make any serious playoff push. I hope I'm very wrong on that but I just don't see us making a serious push unless Baalke has one of the best drafts in the history of the draft. In my mind personnel wise the defense was already in trouble. Borland's cowardly retirement was the straw that broke this camel's back. A defense can't lose both starting corners, starting ILB's, and both starting DE's and still expect to be as dominant, especially as this offense is gonna need it to be.
Thoughts?
if the draft went down like this. And your basically throwing away your 5th on QB when there is a ton of talent to be had. Baalke should just grab a UDFA instead....this class is awful at QB.
That was a really bad injury.
if the draft went down like this. And your basically throwing away your 5th on QB when there is a ton of talent to be had. Baalke should just grab a UDFA instead....this class is awful at QB.
And what URFA do you have in mind?
bet you could not either