Early Ghost mocking - 2013

I'll probably be off in where I'm selecting some of these prospects as of today, but I'm projecting them after the combine where I think many of them will go higher than where they're currently ranked. I also project we sign a handful of free agents, but no big names...just guys that fill needs at a good price. We'll also have to restructure/extend a few contracts (like Justin Smith and maybe Vernon) to fit everyone under our cap, but it shouldn't be a big deal. With that said, feel free to rip it to shreds.


Trade
Alex Smith - trade to KC for a 2013 3rd round pick and Chiefs back-up CB Jalil Brown (6'1", 204)

Release
David Akers
Parys Haralson

Do not re-sign
Randy Moss
Delanie Walker
Isaac Sopoaga
Ted Ginn, Jr.
Tramaine Brock
Leonard Davis
Clark Haggans

Re-sign
Dashon Goldson ($5M cap#) - Leader of the defensive backfield and the enforcer; he has to come back
Ricky Jean-Francois ($1.5M cap#) - Could play 3-4 DE if the rookie NT (see Hughes below) steps up
Tavares Gooden ($900k cap#) - Key special-teamer

Free-agent signings
Brandon Gibson, WR (6'0", 210, $1.5M cap#) - Steady veteran who starts opposite Crabs until Mario is fully healthy
Travis Beckum, TE (6'3", 240, $900k cap#) - Injury bug has stopped him from being productive, but very talented receiving TE
Josh Johnson, QB (6'3", 200, $750k cap#) - Veteran QB with great running ability

Comp picks
4th rounder
7th rounder
7th rounder

2013 draft

1.) Datone Jones, DE (6'4", 280) - UCLA - Justin Smith's heir-apparent
2.) Justin Hunter, WR (6'4", 200) - Tennessee - Deep speed to stretch the field
3.) Montori Hughes, NT (6'4", 327) - Tenn-Martin - Eventual starter at NT
3.) B.W. Webb, CB (5'10", 190) - William & Mary - Very athletic corner who adds punt return ability as well
3.) Joe Kruger, DE (6'6", 280) - Utah - 20 year-old version of Margus Hunt with better football bloodlines
4.) Ace Sanders, WR/PR (5'8", 175) - South Carolina - Punt return star and slot WR; might push K-Williams off the roster
4.) Terron Armstead, OT (6'5", 304) - Ark-Pine Bluff - Finally depth at OT; athletic small-school lineman to develop behind Staley
5.) Armonty Bryant, DE/OLB (6'4", 260) - East Central Oklahoma - Could eventually be a better 3-4 pass rusher than Fleming or Johnson
5.) Caleb Sturgis, K (5'10", 186) - Florida - Do I even need to say anything?
6.) Nick Kasa, TE (6'5", 270) - Colorado - Big, fast but very raw TE to develop
6.) T.J. Johnson, OC (6'4", 323) - South Carolina - Interior bruiser; could swing as an OG/OC
7.) Rashard Hall, SS (6'2", 210) - Clemson - Academic All-American with great size and speed for a SS; just needs time to develop
7.) Washaun Ealey, RB (5'11", 220) - Jacksonville St. - Reformed former Georgia Bulldog; he gets a seat on the practice squad
7.) Martavius Neloms, FS (6'0", 190) - Kentucky - Excellent special-teamer, likely practice squad material
7.) Shane McCardell, DE/OLB (6'4", 245) - Miss. St. - Former WR; very fast and athletic but needs a lot of work; practice squadder

Training camp roster
QB - Kap, Tolzien, J-Johnson
RB - Gore, James, Hunter, Dixon, Hampton, Ealey, Miller (FB)
WR - Crabtree, Gibson, Manningham, Jenkins, Hunter, Sanders, K-Williams
TE - V-Davis, Beckum, Celek, Kasa
OT - Staley, A-Davis, Armstead, Netter
OG - Iupati, Boone, Looney, Kilgore (OG/OC)
OC - Goodwin, TJ-Johnson, (Kilgore)

NT - RJF, I-Williams, Hughes
DE - J-Smith, RayMac, D-Jones, Kruger, Tukuafu, Dobbs, Jerrod-Eddie
ILB - Willis, Bowman, Gooden, Wilhoite
OLB - Aldon, Brooks, C-Johnson, Fleming, Bryant, McCardell
CB - T-Brown, Culliver, Rogers, J-Brown, Cox, Webb
FS - Goldson, Spillman, Neloms
SS - Whitner, T-Robinson, Hall

P - Lee
K - Sturgis
LS - Jennings

Interesting Mock! Now I have to hurry to a site and look some of these guys up! The first two picks would make my day...and then you address the rest of the concerns for next year. Thanks for the work.

Edit--glad you addressed the age issue! Some people don't seem to consider that a negative but I certainly do. Drafting a guy for his potential when he is already older than some of the vets on your team...? Hunt is older than 14 current 9ers.

I like it

Am good with your re-signings and departures... would be great if we could get Goldson to that 5 mil cap hit you presented. The FA signings are "meh."

Love the Jones and Hunter picks... A+ there. The rest are all "meh" for one reason or another.

Originally posted by Mr.Mcgibblets:
Am good with your re-signings and departures... would be great if we could get Goldson to that 5 mil cap hit you presented. The FA signings are "meh."

Love the Jones and Hunter picks... A+ there. The rest are all "meh" for one reason or another.

I was being mindful of the fact that we don't have a lot of cap space to get top free agent names, and we have a ton of picks to fill in our roster. Just didn't think we could/will make much of a splash; more about getting reasonably priced young veterans who still have some upside.

Goldson's 2013 cap number should be pretty reasonable regardless of what kind of long-term deal he gets; they'll craft it that way.

Love the drafts picks. Good job. I dont think Hunter will fall that far though. Its already being reported that Dixon will sign with the Eagles after the super bowl.

I like the draft, if things went down that way, I can't say I'd be disappointed, there's a lot of good talent there for this team to build on. I think Hughes might be somewhat high up there, injury issues prevented him from making much of an impact at the Senior Bowl and there are character issues that I think will keep him down, I see him as a mid 4th rounder to mid 5th round pick right about now.

I like the additions of TJ Johnson and Rashard Hall a lot, both represent good value at those spots and are hard-working, grinder types.

i do not know anything about college football but i trust fred and i like the positions of need and where he has drafted those things. i will trust his judgement on the players he drafted and his reasoning is very sound on every level. i like the people he cut or chose not to resign. i would love the trade to kansas city for both alex and us. i do not think we need high priced sexy free agents. we never sign those types of people anyway. i agree so much with the vet quarterback thing. having two kids behind ck is a scary thought

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
I like the draft, if things went down that way, I can't say I'd be disappointed, there's a lot of good talent there for this team to build on. I think Hughes might be somewhat high up there, injury issues prevented him from making much of an impact at the Senior Bowl and there are character issues that I think will keep him down, I see him as a mid 4th rounder to mid 5th round pick right about now.

I like the additions of TJ Johnson and Rashard Hall a lot, both represent good value at those spots and are hard-working, grinder types.

Thanks Phx....mostly because of need, I think Hughes stock will rise. My preference is Brandon Williams, but I think he'll be gone by the time we pick in the 2nd. Another option is to draft Jones in the 1st, and move up in the 2nd to get Williams. Those two picks alone would make it a successful draft.

Originally posted by lamontb:
Love the drafts picks. Good job. I dont think Hunter will fall that far though. Its already being reported that Dixon will sign with the Eagles after the super bowl.

Because Hunter is still not 100% after his knee surgery, he might be available (or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part). If not, a deep threat like Marquise Goodwin might be an option (though would be a reach at #64 overall, IMO).

Originally posted by GhostofFredDean74:
Thanks Phx....mostly because of need, I think Hughes stock will rise. My preference is Brandon Williams, but I think he'll be gone by the time we pick in the 2nd. Another option is to draft Jones in the 1st, and move up in the 2nd to get Williams. Those two picks alone would make it a successful draft.

I'd be very much in favor of moving up in the 2nd to get Williams, I really don't see him getting drafted earlier than the 19th or 20th pick of the 2nd round and it would be well worthwhile to have a guy with as much potential as Williams to develop and someday become the starter at NT.

Originally posted by GhostofFredDean74:
Because Hunter is still not 100% after his knee surgery, he might be available (or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part). If not, a deep threat like Marquise Goodwin might be an option (though would be a reach at #64 overall, IMO).

You already know what I'm going to say when it comes to WR......although I think Green Bay really seems to have their eyes on him and I wouldn't be shocked to see them select him as the replacement for Greg Jennings, would make me kinda upset but that's life.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by GhostofFredDean74:
Because Hunter is still not 100% after his knee surgery, he might be available (or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part). If not, a deep threat like Marquise Goodwin might be an option (though would be a reach at #64 overall, IMO).

You already know what I'm going to say when it comes to WR......although I think Green Bay really seems to have their eyes on him and I wouldn't be shocked to see them select him as the replacement for Greg Jennings, would make me kinda upset but that's life.

That would definitely suck.

Dixon will be going to the Eagles.

Originally posted by stonecold590:
Dixon will be going to the Eagles.

Bummer if it happens.