2014 49ers draft strategy

Obvious needs.

2 CBs(Brown, Nnamdi, Brock are all UFAs, Cox is a RFA, $1.4M is nothing to retain him, plus Rogers wont be back on an $8M cap figure)

1-2 WRs(Depended on if we retain Boldin and/or Manningham, hope both)

a Center(Goodwin is a FA)

a Swing Tackle(either vet or 3rd rounder)

potentially a 3rd TE(Late round to battle with Celek, and Harper)

a SS(I like Whitner, hope he plays great, give him a 2yr deal, but draft a guy like Loston in the 2nd or 3rd round, my 1 sleepers are Ahmad Dixon from Baylor, and Deone Buchannon from Washington State)

a better backup QB(Either proven vet, or a pro ready like rookie QB)

maybe a NT, doubt it tho, I like Ian, Dorsey, and potential of Dial. I wouldn't draft a DL, rather add another cheap vet like Dorsey

I think we are fine at RB, FB, TE(outside of battle for 3rd TE), OT(Outside of a swing guy), OG, DE(Not a big need, especially if Tank, Justin, and McDonald are back 100%, plus Dial could play some end, and we have Dorsey signed), NT(Like Ian and Dial as NTs), OLB(Skuta and Lemonyay are capable backups, maybe a 5th if we keep 5), ILB(Fine with Willis, Bow, Moody, and a re-signed Wilhoite, 1yr EFA tender of $570K), FS(Reid, Dahl and Spillman are fine), P and LS.

So QB, WR, C, CB, K(If Dawson plays better, he stays), and depth all over for our sake.

Moves I would make.

Re-Sign Boldin, Mario, Dawson(depends on production), Brock, Cox, Wilhoite
Redo/Extensions Vernon, Willis, and Ray Mac
Restructure Brooks, Bowman. (Give them up front money, plus security)
Extend with new money, Kap, Cully, Miller, Kilgore(If Center of future), Hunter, and maybe Aldon.
Cut Rogers
Draft a CB, WR, SS, CB, OT, QB, K(If Dawson doesnt return), WR(We could have Crabs, Baldwin, Boldin and/or Mario, Patton, and a rook or 2). maybe a 5th OLB, and a 3rd TE to battle.

Originally posted by Harkonnenzombie:

. I can definitely understand where Ur coming from with the speed necessity but I just feel Evans would be great in our offense. He's big, strong, and I think he's Fairly fast for a 6'5 guy. Baldwin is big but he has shown he can't catch. Evans catches everything in his Sight, and he does it in the sec. I feel we can get our speed wideout later on in the draft, someone like Dre Archer would be great and we could put him as a returner as well.

Can someone explain why people think Baldwin can't catch.

At this point my strategy would be to hope Sammy Watkins runs a slow 40. Hopefully he falls to the 15-19 range and we trade up to get him. It is obvious that WR will be the number 1 target in my eyes. Boldin is old and questions remain about how Crabs comes back.

I honestly would have no problem trading our 1st, 2 2nd's and a 3rd to move up and take him. He is an absolute stud.

1. Haha Clinton Dix S
2a. Donte Moncrief WR
2b. Antone Exum CB

I really do think that this is the year to package up some of those picks we've been stock piling and go for high quality talent. I apprecaite it's never a certainty in the draft but we should be moving up for an AJ Green or Julio Jones., and doing those trades for real positions of need.

Certainly WR springs to mind, but even if we opted to do it for one potential shutdown CB (not sure if there are any) I'd be good with that. I trust our front office to find value in the later rounds but I'd like to see us make a bold move at a position of need.

WR, CB, Backup QB, SS, OLB, DL

Originally posted by HarbaughzDeep:
At this point my strategy would be to hope Sammy Watkins runs a slow 40. Hopefully he falls to the 15-19 range and we trade up to get him. It is obvious that WR will be the number 1 target in my eyes. Boldin is old and questions remain about how Crabs comes back.

I honestly would have no problem trading our 1st, 2 2nd's and a 3rd to move up and take him. He is an absolute stud.

No thanks. You never see teams like the Giants or the Packers freak out and blow a bunch of picks trading up, teams like Atlanta do that and look where they are now. I wouldn't even say that WR is the #1 need for this team. Crabtree will be back, Patton will be back, Baldwin, they could possibly re-sign Boldin or Manningham, I see the need in the secondary, especially at CB being a lot higher. This team needs better, true quality depth at OL, help at safety...etc...etc, too many needs to be throwing picks away.


In a draft with a ton of talent, with more 1st round talent than first round picks, it'd be silly to waste picks on one player, when that guy ends up a bust, you've just screwed yourself, even if he turns out to be a great talent, you've neglected other areas of the team just to fill one need. That right there is the difference between flash in the pan teams like Atlanta.....who are good for a few years and then fall off.......and consistent winners like New England.

Originally posted by bigwads:

Originally posted by Harkonnenzombie:

. I can definitely understand where Ur coming from with the speed necessity but I just feel Evans would be great in our offense. He's big, strong, and I think he's Fairly fast for a 6'5 guy. Baldwin is big but he has shown he can't catch. Evans catches everything in his Sight, and he does it in the sec. I feel we can get our speed wideout later on in the draft, someone like Dre Archer would be great and we could put him as a returner as well.

Can someone explain why people think Baldwin can't catch.

Because that's been the knock on him since he was drafted. Added, he was over drafted because of his height and timed speed.

I think the Niners need to follow the San Jose Sharks strategy of re-loading their talent base.

1) Draft big, skilled AND fast players. The speed is the key to competing in the new pass happy NFL.
2) Sign their core players to cap friendly, longer term deals (Kaep, Iupati, Crabs, and Aldon)

3) Draft WR, 2 CB's, SS, C, OT, D-Line and SAK (Swiss Army Knife).

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:
I think the Niners need to follow the San Jose Sharks strategy of re-loading their talent base.

1) Draft big, skilled AND fast players. The speed is the key to competing in the new pass happy NFL.
2) Sign their core players to cap friendly, longer term deals (Kaep, Iupati, Crabs, and Aldon)

3) Draft WR, 2 CB's, SS, C, OT, D-Line and SAK (Swiss Army Knife).

Dont forget re-sign Miller, Hunter, and Cully

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:
I think the Niners need to follow the San Jose Sharks strategy of re-loading their talent base.

1) Draft big, skilled AND fast players. The speed is the key to competing in the new pass happy NFL.
2) Sign their core players to cap friendly, longer term deals (Kaep, Iupati, Crabs, and Aldon)

3) Draft WR, 2 CB's, SS, C, OT, D-Line and SAK (Swiss Army Knife).

Speed on offense is hugely important. Speed at WR and if they aren't going to let James play, a lightning fast RB/WR type like Dri Archer who can be a big time playmaker and give defensive coordinators nightmares.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:
I think the Niners need to follow the San Jose Sharks strategy of re-loading their talent base.

1) Draft big, skilled AND fast players. The speed is the key to competing in the new pass happy NFL.
2) Sign their core players to cap friendly, longer term deals (Kaep, Iupati, Crabs, and Aldon)

3) Draft WR, 2 CB's, SS, C, OT, D-Line and SAK (Swiss Army Knife).

Speed on offense is hugely important. Speed at WR and if they aren't going to let James play, a lightning fast RB/WR type like Dri Archer who can be a big time playmaker and give defensive coordinators nightmares.

Agreed. Speed kills and that is where the Niner need some help outside and out of the backfield. Dri Archer or D'Anthony Thomas would be very nice.

I also agree with AB about Miller, Hunter, and Cully. It's going to be interesting to see how Baalke continues to balance veteran signings with drafting long term cheaper replacements.

And we need a quality punt returner and kick returner as well. Special teams has improved but Williams is just a safe person not a punt returner.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by HarbaughzDeep:
At this point my strategy would be to hope Sammy Watkins runs a slow 40. Hopefully he falls to the 15-19 range and we trade up to get him. It is obvious that WR will be the number 1 target in my eyes. Boldin is old and questions remain about how Crabs comes back.

I honestly would have no problem trading our 1st, 2 2nd's and a 3rd to move up and take him. He is an absolute stud.

No thanks. You never see teams like the Giants or the Packers freak out and blow a bunch of picks trading up, teams like Atlanta do that and look where they are now. I wouldn't even say that WR is the #1 need for this team. Crabtree will be back, Patton will be back, Baldwin, they could possibly re-sign Boldin or Manningham, I see the need in the secondary, especially at CB being a lot higher. This team needs better, true quality depth at OL, help at safety...etc...etc, too many needs to be throwing picks away.


In a draft with a ton of talent, with more 1st round talent than first round picks, it'd be silly to waste picks on one player, when that guy ends up a bust, you've just screwed yourself, even if he turns out to be a great talent, you've neglected other areas of the team just to fill one need. That right there is the difference between flash in the pan teams like Atlanta.....who are good for a few years and then fall off.......and consistent winners like New England.

Funny, because I was going to ask in this thread who is in favor of trading up into the top 10 in the draft to ensure we have a the first or second best receiver available. This type of strategy is very splashy but I am against doing such a thing for a position like receiver, even in light of our issues. We are in a position where it will be very important that we keep a steady stream of talent coming in on rookie contracts because it impossible to resign/extrend everyone. Trading away valuable picks will limit our ability to keep bringing in quality players.

I'd rather just draft two receivers with complementary skillets- a more physical receiver in the mold of Boldin/Crabtree, and a shifty, speed receiver who can also return punts/kicks. I wouldn't mind if they took a third in the 7th or even as an UDFA to put on the practice squad and develop, similar to Ricardo Lockette. Basically a guy with great size and speed, but needing more development as an actual receiver.

I think the way things are going, receiver will be a need next season, but it won't be as bad because it should be extremely easy to resign Mario Manningham at this point who would make a great #3 receiver and a dependable #2 longterm until we have someone else that can leapfrog him, whether it be Quinton Patton, Jon Baldwin, or some other draft pick.

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:
Agreed. Speed kills and that is where the Niner need some help outside and out of the backfield. Dri Archer or D'Anthony Thomas would be very nice.

I also agree with AB about Miller, Hunter, and Cully. It's going to be interesting to see how Baalke continues to balance veteran signings with drafting long term cheaper replacements.

I think we have the speed at running back. We just don't use one guy enough (Kendall Hunter) or the other really at all (LaMichael James). All I am left with is the hope that James is on the roster in 2014 and has improved enough in pass protection and kick returns to warrant him being on the active 45 man roster each week. They definitely could use two guys with speed to help out at receiver. I'd look to draft three in 2014. Two in the first three rounds and another late pick to develop in the seventh round. Two of those picks would be guys who's speed teams would have to respect, putting us in a position where we can put multiple guys on the field at once that have some legitimate speed. All of the skill players on the field would be helped by this particular Kaep as he would have another guy that could take advantage of his arm strength.

In terms of veteran signings, I mentioned I'd like to draft a swing tackle, but don't the decent tackles normally go in the first or second rounds? I think I may prefer that our veteran signing of 2014 is a tackle with starting experience that can back up Joe Staley and Anthony Davis. If Dawson doesn't improve, we may as well use one of those sixth or seventh round picks on a rookie kicker.

Originally posted by strickac:
Because that's been the knock on him since he was drafted. Added, he was over drafted because of his height and timed speed.

Not sure how Baldwin will progress, but based off of production at this point, he's the perfect 4th receiver (replacing Kyle Williams) longterm once we have Maro Manningham and Crabtree back.

Originally posted by Ninefan56:
And we need a quality punt returner and kick returner as well. Special teams has improved but Williams is just a safe person not a punt returner.

At this point, I wish we could teach LaMichael James to call fair catches and get out of the way if they are uncomfortable with him catching the punt. Either that or use Perrish Cox in that role. It definitely would free up a roster spot, but I think Kyle Williams's saving grace is that he's the 49ers only real threat in terms of speed at receiver.

Originally posted by outside4949:
If you count up entrenched starters incoming rookies and guys coming off redshirt seasons and the guys coming off injuries. There is going to be a serious shortage of roster spots. If there was ever a draft to trade up high it would be this one. We have 2 holes on this team at wr and cb. Because of our front 7 on defense and our lack off speed on offense. To me the bigger hole is wr. I think we use our draft capitol to try and get up in the top of the first round and draft marquis lee. If you were the gm what is your strategy for this draft?

While most of our starters are set, there will be plenty of roster spots available. Potential starters needed include CB, SS, WR and PK. With cap space becoming an issue, we will be relying on draft picks for crucial backup spots include QB, OT, C, S,CB, TE, OLB and KR/WR.

Based on some of the current rankings, this would be my mock draft:
1 -(CB) Jasson Verrett or Bradley Roby or Louchiez Purifoy
2a-(QB) Aaron Murray
2b-(WR) Odell Beckham Jr or Jarvis Landry or Brandon Coleman
3a-(OT) James Hurst
3b-(S) Tre Boston or Dion Bailey
3c-(CB) E.J Gaines
4 -(WR) Dri Archer or Cody Hoffman
5 -(TE) C.J. Fiedorowicz or Jacob Pederson
6 -(OLB) Demarcus Lawrence or James Gayle
7a- (S) Kenny Ladler or Tevin McDonald or Sean Parker
7b-(OC) Zac Kerin or Andrew Miller
7c-(PK) Cairo Santos or Chandler Catanzaro
7d-(KR) Eric Gordon (CB) or Tramaine Thompson (WR)