MadDog's Best Player Available Board #1-50

Cant see Wilson that high.

Originally posted by I-U-Porta-Poties:
MadDog, have you ever made a Big Board from the 49ers' perspective? I'd be really interested in seeing how you would rate players in context to the team's needs.

Thank you Mad Dog for this list, it helps a lot for my evaluations. I also would like a big board from the Niners perspective - who would fit our team and why and hopefully it would narrow things down another notch. Thanks for the work.

Originally posted by NinerG94:
I may have mistaken your post but are they ranked in order? You think Trent Richardson is the 3rd best player in the draft? He's the best RB in the draft but that doesn't mean he's a top 5 pick. He's not quite the prospect people are making him out to be IMO. He's good but this class of RB is beyond weak. I'd bet that the draft will reflect that and he will slide. Who was the last RB drafted in the top 3?

The list is is NOT a mock draft. It is a ranking of players based on talent.

The draft has to consider a team's needs, perceived positional value a player's talent, and how that player fits into the team's offensive and defensive schemes.

Quarterbacks tend to be drafted higher than the individual's talent might warrant.
On the other hand, it is hard for an offensive guard, no matter the skill level, to be drafted in the top ten.

Ranking Trent Richardson as third best talent in this year's draft is clearly reasonable.
I would argue that he unquestionably merits a top five ranking.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by MadDog49er:

Originally posted by ishkabibel:
I assume the Alabama boys - Upshaw and Hightower are downgraded because they're one-dimentional. And Ingram because tweener. If that's not rationale please advise.

Just can't get my arms around Sanu at 15 even after your explanation. Shocking.

Thanks again for all your hard work.

I can't see Hightower playing at a high level with that size. Call me a skeptic, but a middle backer at 265 pounds. I just see limitations at that size.

Upshaw ran a 4.80+ forty today, and looks stiff in LB drills at the combine. Great college player, but don't see specialness in the NFL.

From all I've read, Upshaw was falling. Moved him into the 2nd round and that appears to be very likely to come true now. After today, he hasn't helped himself. He's still a second rounder, but some will have to question how much being on a great defense helped him.

- Short arms
- Short in height and 270+ pounds, not great expectations for being mobile and probably going to have to be a situational 4-3 rusher.
- Now a 4.8+ forty makes him look less athletic.

Mid to late 2nd.

Pet peeve---short in height is redundant. Short is sufficient.

You're one of the few people I know that sees Brandon Brooks as a 1st round talent, top 20 to be more exact (in terms of your ranking). Not entirely sure I'd put him that high, but it's hard to argue with a man that big who can move that well...so it gets me thinking about Brooks as a possibility at either #30 or nabbing him in the early 2nd as part of a trade-back situation.

Originally posted by SFL49ER:

How high of a ceiling do yousee for Andre Branch? He is my number 1 wantbut don't think the Niners will draft the position early. And do you think he would be a fit for our D anyway?

Bump

Originally posted by susweel:
Do which draft website did you copy this from ?

LOL sus you know MD is legit. Folk may never agree with what he says or how he says it but theres no denying he does his work. Props!

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:
17 can't miss prospects in your estimation and Bobby Wagner is one of them. Would love to hear why you think he is in that group.

Also, what's your take on Osemele? Looked to me like he needs some serious technique work after watching him at the Senior Bowl.......

Osemele is raw, long, and pretty athletic. Should be able to play RT and both guard positions. Good upside. I grade Brooks higher in that second level of guards, but he presents good second round value if on the board at number 61

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:
MD, what do you think of Amini Silatolu?

Nice player with big upside, like many of the smaller school guard prospects. Strong kid, with good mobility. Just hasn't played the best competition, so hard to know at the next level. Some say he may end up sneaking into bottom part of first round. Dont see it happening.

Originally posted by SFL49ER:
How high of a ceiling do yousee for Andre Branch? He is my number 1 wantbut don't think the Niners will draft the position early. And do you think he would be a fit for our D anyway?

I think he is vastly underrated right now, and I project him higher than most places. Wouldnt be surprised to see the Jets pull the lever at 16. I see Pro-Bowl possibilities in Branch. Just scratching the surface. Could go as high as 12 to the Seahawks, but no way is a second rounder.

Originally posted by GhostofFredDean74:
You're one of the few people I know that sees Brandon Brooks as a 1st round talent, top 20 to be more exact (in terms of your ranking). Not entirely sure I'd put him that high, but it's hard to argue with a man that big who can move that well...so it gets me thinking about Brooks as a possibility at either #30 or nabbing him in the early 2nd as part of a trade-back situation.

If any scout turns on the East-West Shrine Game, as has any shread of non-bias, there is no way they could grade anyone better than Brooks. He was the best player in the game, and I'm not sure it was close. This followed a great week of practice. Pro-Day was another checkmark. I love watching the big uglies more than any position in the draft, and am very enthusiastic about this guy's place in the NFL.

Originally posted by Ninefan56:
Thank you Mad Dog for this list, it helps a lot for my evaluations. I also would like a big board from the Niners perspective - who would fit our team and why and hopefully it would narrow things down another notch. Thanks for the work.

I will try to produce a Niners' board soon.

Originally posted by overthemiddle:
Cant see Wilson that high.

We will see. I see a guy that is a threat to break at any moment, a guy with pretty good hands, and with all running backs, a hunch is about the best I've got.

In my opinion, projecting RB's correctly is about as easy as herding cats. Good luck, and throw darts at the board.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
I think we disagree more this year than most years. I'm very low on Bernard Pierce. Maybe it is from seeing limited games, but I was never impressed. He did not look to me like someone who could get to the edge in the NFL. He looked to go down on contact too easy and someone who was really just a straight-ahead runner. Just seems stiff and not shifty.

I do like Ballard, he seems to have some short area quickness to him. David Wilson is dynamic, Doug Martin looks well-balance, Turbin looks like a feature back, and the extremely fit Michael Smith is a rock solid sleeper who is an unknown that might excel, given the chance.

In a draft full of 190-200 pound backs, it is hard to find those 220 pound guys who can take a beating and still run the ball 20 times a game. Those mid round guys are intriguing, but with the signing of Jacobs, I think the team bypasses RB this year in the draft.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
I think we disagree more this year than most years. I'm very low on Bernard Pierce. Maybe it is from seeing limited games, but I was never impressed. He did not look to me like someone who could get to the edge in the NFL. He looked to go down on contact too easy and someone who was really just a straight-ahead runner. Just seems stiff and not shifty.

I do like Ballard, he seems to have some short area quickness to him. David Wilson is dynamic, Doug Martin looks well-balance, Turbin looks like a feature back, and the extremely fit Michael Smith is a rock solid sleeper who is an unknown that might excel, given the chance.

I rarely cheer for specific players to succeed, since I feel it creates a personal bias that blinds my analysis, but nothing would make me happier in this draft than to see Turbin be a stud. His personal story is remarkable, and awe-inspiring.