It's finally here! This is the day the pundits are proven right or wrong and the 49ers have a real opportunity to improve. Stay tuned for all the latest updates.
12:19 pm: The 49ers just unveiled their new jerseys. Everyone thinks they look too much like the Arizona Cardinal's jerseys. I just don't see it. Check out reply 274 in this thread to see the differences (or similarities) between the two jerseys.
http://www.49erswebzone.com/forum/thread.php?num=122954&start=274
12:28 pm: A highlight video just started playing at the jersey unveiling. The clips are heavy on the throwbacks.
12:30 pm: Gary Plummer and Ted Robinson are hosting the event. As you know, Ted Robinson is the new voice of the 49ers after Joe Starkey retired from the booth.
I have to say it: WHAT A BONANZA!
12:38 pm: There is another video about how the 49ers plan on "getting back to their winning ways." It looks like a highlight film really. Nothing more.
Patrick Willis just came out and he is in the new jersey. It looks a lot like the old throwback. Incidentally, he was introduced with Keena Turner.
When on, the jersey looks VERY similar to the old one. The pants are gold and the stripes down the seam are big, but not as big as the throwbacks. The stripes consist of one thick white stripe with two red stripes hugging each side.
Josh Morgan and Dashon Goldson were also introduced. Goldson was introduced with Eric Davis.
The helmets DO have a grey facemask and the center stripe is like the stripe on the seam of the pants, white center and two red striped flanking the sides.
Then comes out Joe Staley and Jesse Sapolu. Then Moran Norris and Tom Rathamn were introduced.
Interesting that they introduced Moran Norris. I think this was more about the pairing (Alumni and current player).
The 49ers above the number is small and is not really visible.
12:43 pm: The big thing to take away is that while the pics on the NFL shop look burgundy, a la the Cardinals, in real life they look cherry red much like the throwbacks. No need to worry - quit whining already.
12:47 pm: Perhaps the big thing with the jerseys was the angled stripes. It looks, though, like the stripes are curved so they look normal when the sleeves are tied to hug the shoulder pads. This is how the players were wearing the sleeves when they came out on stage and it didn't look bad.
1:14 pm: Intrigue right away: St. Louis has not picked and the Chiefs are on the clock.
1:18 pm: #2 Pick: Jason Smith - OT (Maryland).
This is not a surprise. We all knew St. Louis was going to pick an offensive lineman and this is it.
1:27 pm: #3: Tyson Jackson - DE (LSU). Maiocco had this guy slipping all the way down to the 49ers at #10. This means that more OTs are going to be available when the 49ers pick. Maybe Crabtree gets past the Raiders?
Perhaps even better, Sanchez drops down to #10 and the 49ers trade back.
Also, Steve Young just went on a rant about people not "loving" the game of Football. He said that players just play the game in college and just move onto the NFL and if that happens, the NFL will spit them out. Rashaun Woods come to mind?
1:30 pm: Really - Michael Smith with a magic CNN-like TV on ESPN? What's next - football games via hologram?
1:32 pm: Seattle Selects Aaron Curry - LB (Wake Forest). He is a replacement for Peterson and really, it's a smart pick for them. I think they can get by with T.J. Housyourmomma.
1:34 pm: Dang - do you really want to make your number one pick look like he has radioactive sludge on his head? That Seattle hat is uuuuuuuuugly.
1:40 pm: The Jets have now traded with the Browns to move up and get Sanchez. Man, I was hoping the 49ers would benefit from his slide. Moving from #17 to #5. That's a big jump.
1:41 pm: It's official: #5 Mark Sanchez - QB (USC). This is a great pick for the Jets since Kellen Clemmons is not the answer.
1:43 pm: I'm pretty sure I just saw Sanchez fluff his sideburns so they stick out of his hat. Really? That's just bad.
1:45 pm: What is Chris Mortenson on? He looks drunk.
1:47 pm: WOW!
The Browns just robbed the Jets. 2nd round pick and some solid contributing defensive players that Mangini wanted for his team. If the Jets have a huge decline on defense this trade will be reviled in NYC.
1:52 pm: #6: Bengals select Andre Smith - OT (Alabama).
As the commish was getting to the table, Steve Young yells, "Help Carson Palmer!"
The off-field issues seemingly did not impact Smith. This means that there really is only one other top flight OT for the 49ers to pick. Crabtree is still there. Could this be the year the 49ers get a real offensive weapon on the outside?
2:00 pm: The Raiders do it again. At #7 They draft Darious Hayward-Bay - WR (Maryland). Al Davis loves his speed. Crabtree now is the darling of the draft. It's a pipe dream that Crabtree falls to the 49ers at 10.
2:07 pm: #8: Jacksonville selects Eugene Monroe - OT (Virginia). Only Green Bay left. Maybe Crabtree falls to the 49ers! We can only hope.
2:09 pm: It looks like BJ Raji may be the pick. Crabtree may fall to the 49ers!
2:15 pm: The 49ers are on the clock...
2:20 pm: With the 10th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft the 49ers select:
Michael Crabtree - WR (Texas Tech)
This is a great pick for the 49ers. It really is fortuitous that Crabtree fell down to the 49ers. He helps the 49ers at a position of need and it finally gets the 49ers a much needed offensive threat.
Crabtree is a great player and is a steal at #10.
2:29 pm: Steve Young: "Ten minutes up the 101 highway, Jerry Rice lives. Ten minutes up from the 49ers facility. If Michael Crabtree doesn't call that guy up and start work -
Jerry Rice can still outwork most of the guys in the league. Go work out with Jerry Rice at 45 years old and go find out how to play football. That's what I would suggest for him to do right away."
2:31 pm: The 49ers have VD. And now - they have Crabs too.
2:32 pm: #11: Bill Select Aaron Maybin - DE (Penn State). The Bills needed a pass rusher. Is he more than a one year wonder?
2:50 pm: Honestly - I missed the last couple of picks because I was doing a happy dance after dancing Crabtree. The Saints picked up a cornerback to help their defense. Malcom Jenkins - CB (Ohio State).
3:07 pm: The 49ers really had their pick of a couple of positions. Michael Oher was still on the board (OT), Brian Orakpo (DE/LB) and Crabtree (WR). If this was really a need based pick, then OT and OLB takes priority.
McClougan made the right pick in this instance but, it wasn't much of a choice. Crabtree may have been rated the overall #1 on some boards. It was really a no-brainer.
Either way this is a great move for the 49ers. They have spent wisely on defense via free agency and the draft. They needed some talent on the offensive side. Now, it's a count down until the second round to see if they can get an OLB or an OT.
3:09 pm: According to Matt Maiocco (via facebook), Singletary says that Crabtree will only participate in walkthroughs at the next mini-camp as he needs to fully recover from stress fracture surgery.
3:35 pm: So who is left for the 49ers in the second round? They would still be wise to draft an offensive tackle to groom for a year under Marvell Smith. Michael Oher is still on the board at #22 and it is VERY unlikely that he will last until the 49ers pick again in the second round. They pick 11th (43rd overall).
But hey, if Crabtree can fall, who knows.
3:41 pm: Oher goes to Baltimore. Lightning doesn't strike twice.
3:50 pm: I really think Chris Mortenson is drunk.
4:01 pm: Alright folks - I might come back in a bit. I've got to take a break.
4:52 pm: So the break turned into playing with my puppy and getting dinner. Either way - I'm back and the 49ers are going to be picking soon.
Positions of need here are still OT and OLB. RB is a position McCloughan and Sing said they wanted.
Everette Brown is an option in the second round. Ray Maualuga would be a great value pick in the second round. He would replace Spikes at ted later in the season.
5:06 pm: That Drew Rosenhaus commercial on ESPN is pretty funny.
"Rosenhaus strikes again."
5:13 pm: Got this from the forums (thanks, VABeachNiner)
I think that echoes the feelings of Raider fans everywhere.
5:17 pm: Mike Leach is heated about Mangini passing on Crabtree due to potential "Diva" issues.
"How about that guy [Mangini]? Crabtree as a receiver has been more successful than that guy has been as a coach."
5:52 pm: Technical issues gang. Sorry.
While I was gone the 49ers had a chance to draft a pass rusher - Everette Brown - and passed. Instead they traded the pick to Carolina (who then drafted Brown) with the 11th pick (4th round) and in return received next year's Carolina's first round pick.
I presume the rationale was that with a compensatory pick in the 5th, the early pick is effectively a late 4th rounder. Using this rationale we traded back in the fourth and turned that second round pick into a first round pick next year.
This move could be a great deal, or it could be disastrous. If Brown even sniffs double digit sacks, and he could under John Fox, this will be seen a bad move. Especially since the 49ers could still use a RB to spell Gore, a QB to develop, and a tackle to groom behind Marvell Smith.
On the other hand, they have two first round picks that could net them two more great players next year.
Time will tell.