The 49ers find themselves in quite an enviable position as the 2013 NFL draft approaches. With 13 picks and an already loaded roster, the team is primed to gain the depth is needs and also be able to take some chances on players who may need a year or two to develop. Here's my take on a 7 round mock.
DISCLAIMER: I am not Mel freaking Kiper. This is just a guy making some picks for the sake of entertainment without any inside knowledge. Please read with that in mind. I hope you enjoy.
Round 1:
The 49ers trade pick number 31 (1st), 74 (3rd), 128 (4th) and 180 (6th) to the Dallas Cowboys for the 18th pick in the 1st round and a 6th round pick in 2014.
(18) Kenny Vaccaro, Safety, Texas
The 49ers have one glaring hole on their roster and that is at free safety. Craig Dahl is more of a backup/special teams player and the team needs a true starter at the position. I don't believe Baalke is one to draft for "need" but I think in this situation they might approach their first selection like the Anthony Davis pick in 2010. The team identified the player they wanted at a position they wanted to improve and traded up to get him. Vaccaro is a good run defender and can cover a lot of ground in pass defense. He could step into the 49er's defense and start from day one.
Round 2:
(34) Margus Hunt, Defensive End, SMU
The amount of depth at the defensive line position in the draft could cause some players to fall. The 49ers will most likely have a lot of good options with this pick. I like Hunt here because of his upside. At 6'8 and 277 pounds, he is very fast (4.60 40 time) and very athletic. He may come into the NFL a little raw but that will be okay because he won't be starting (barring injury) in his rookie season. Hunt will be able to play limited snaps and develop behind Justin Smith and Ray McDonald. In the meantime, he can provide the 49ers with the depth they so sorely need at defensive line.
The 49ers have featured two tight end sets ever since Jim Harbaugh brought his talents to San Fran. I would think it would be a priority to them to get someone to play Robin to Vernon Davis' Batman in the lineup. If Zach Ertz is here I think the 49ers jump all over him but Ertz will most likely be gone. In Escobar, they get a tight end with size (6'6, 254) who can be a matchup nightmare in the red zone. He does lack speed though (4.84 40) and could have issues separating at the NFL level because of that. I think this is less of an issue with Colin Kaepernick than it would be with Alex Smith because Kaep is not afraid to put the ball in tight spots.
Round 3:
(93) Kenny Stills, Wide Receiver, Oklahoma
The 49ers are always good for a surprise pick or two and I think it may come here. Anquan Boldin only has 1 year left on his contract. Mario Manningham is in the last year of his deal and he's coming off of a major injury. AJ Jenkins appears to be, at best, a work in progress. In Stills, the 49ers get a wide receiver who could eventually be a nice compliment to Michael Crabtree. Stills, had a strong season for the Sooners with 82 receptions for 959 yards and 11 scores. Maybe most importantly, he had a 4.38 40 time. The team desperately needs to add speed on the outside and Stills could give the them a boost in that department.
Round 4:
(131) William Goldson, Defensive End, Michigan State
Goldson had a disappointing 2012 but has a lot of upside. He was thought to be a possible future first round pick after his 2011 campaign but he struggled this past season to put pressure on the quarterback. At 6'6 and 281 pounds he is still a physical specimen who could fit well at a 3-4 end. The 49ers should not need him to play right away and that will allow Goldson to develop within their system.
Round 5:
(157) Matt Scott, Quarterback, Arizona
The backup quarterback position may be the most wide open competition on the 49er's roster. The team obviously likes Scott Tolzien (they've kept him around since 2011) but did bring in Colt McCoy for competition. I'm not sure Scott is someone who can challenge for the backup spot this season, but he is a nice "project" quarterback who is a dual threat (sound like anyone else you know?). The 49er's franchise is moving forward with Colin Kaepernick as its center piece and to have a backup quarterback with a similar skill set is a good idea. That way your offense can stay true to what you want to do even if Kaepernick is out.
Round 6:
(173) Stefphon Jefferson, Runningback, Nevada
Jefferson would come to the 49ers from Nevada, the same college it's quarterback came from. Schooled in Chris Ault's pistol offense, Jefferson could be a player the team could stash away this year and make him part of the offense in 2014. Frank Gore only has so many carries left and the 49ers need to start planning for the future. A bell cow at Nevada, he rushed 375 times for 1883 yards. Jefferson has the feel of a sleeper back in this years draft so he may not be on the board in the 6th round. I do think the 49ers will take a flier on a back at some point, maybe even earlier than the 6th round.
(237) Steve Greer, Inside Linebacker, Virginia
The 49ers are so deep it will be difficult for a 7th rounder to make the team. An inside linebacker might have one of the best shots because of their use on special teams. Also, with Larry Grant unlikely to return, it might make sense to start grooming a solid backup in the event Patrick Willis or Navorro Bowman miss any time due to injury. Greer was a solid linebacker at Virginia and finished second in the ACC with 122 tackles.
(246) Zeke Motta, Safety, Notre Dame
Motta played well for Notre Dame in 2012 but, like rest of the team, had a bad performance in the National Championship game. He is a good run defender and is probably best suited to play in run support near the line of scrimmage. He doesn't have the best ball skills and ran the slowest 40 time of any safety at the combine (4.83). He might be worth a flier pick and could contribute on special teams if he were to somehow make the squad.
(252) Jeff Braun, Tackle, West Virgina
The 49ers have one of the top starting tackle tandems in Anthony Davis and Joe Staley but their best backup tackle is also their starting right guard (Alex Boone). Taking an offensive lineman late is never a bad idea and Jeff Bruan played on a very good line at West Virginia. He's a big body (6'5, 321) and could develop into a solid backup.
Al Sacco
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