MadDog49er Forty-Niners Draft Board Top 50

Closing in on 18 hours to go before the draft, here is my Niners' Draft Board, from 1-50. After the completion of tomorrow's first round, I will re-stack the board and list it for Friday's rounds 2 and 3. The same will go for Saturday's final rounds. Attempting to be at the keyboard for all 256 picks, and will be posting my selections for each pick at the time on the running draft thread.

The Niners' draft board is not a mock, nor a best available overall player (top graded player), nor a projection of where I believe each player will be selected. It is the board I have to determine the best player for the team to select while on the clock.

I do expect the team to make a fairly dramatic move forward in the draft, but if not, I feel it will come down to Verrett, Bitonio, Ward, and Robinson, who I all grade similarly. The question is whether the team feels Bitonio can move successfully to center, whether the team can shift Reid to SS, or have Ward play that role, and if they perceive Robinson to be a guy that gets separation. Once again, I think this will all be a moot point soon, as I see the team moving up.

Players out of scheme and not in a position of need get downgraded from my best overall player board. Hence, G. Robinson drops from 2 on my best overall board to 5. The same goes for other positions, such as RB and QB. As the draft progresses, this distinction narrows. The challenge is determining where a team simply states, "I know he is not a fit for our current roster, but he is so good that we have to find a way to get him on the field". In Robinson's case, it might be shuffling OL to get him at RT or RG or whatever. The same would go for an Aaron Donald, who doesn't really fit our scheme, and would be better in a 43 alignment, but offers at least a stud interior lineman in nickel situations that is going to be a nightmare for opposing teams.


2014 NFL Draft 49ers Board
Pick Player School Position
1 Khalil Mack Buffalo DE/OLB
2 Sammy Watkins Clemson WR
3 Mike Evans Texas A&M WR
4 Odell Beckham LSU WR
5 Greg Robinson Auburn OT
6 Anthony Barr UCLA LB
7 Brandin Cooks Oregon St WR
8 Jadeveon Clowney South Carolina DE
9 Kyle Fuller Virginia Tech CB
10 Justin Gilbert Oklahoma State CB
11 Calvin Pryor Louisville S
12 Hasean Clinton-Dix Alabama S
13 Jason Verrett TCU CB
14 Joel Bitonio Nevada OT/G
15 Jimmie Ward Northern Illinois S
16 Allen Robinson Penn State WR
17 Dee Ford Auburn LB
18 Zack Martin Notre Dame OT/G
19 Carlos Hyde Ohio State RB
20 Ryan Shazier Ohio State LB
21 Aaron Donald Pittsburgh DT
22 Jake Matthews Texas A&M OT
23 Weston Richburg Colorado St C
24 Deone Buchanon Washington St S
25 Cody Latimer Indiana WR
26 Marcus Martin USC C
27 Jeremiah Attaochu Georgia Tech LB
28 Xavier Su'a-Filo UCLA G
29 Terrence Brooks Florida State S
30 Marcus Smith Louisville LB
31 Phillip Gaines Rice CB
32 Darqueze Dennard Michigan St CB
33 Jordan Matthews Vanderbilt WR
34 Marqise Lee USC WR
35 CJ Mosley Alabama LB
36 Jarvis Landry LSU WR
37 Bradley Roby Ohio State CB
38 Eric Ebron North Carolina TE
39 Jace Amaro Texas Tech TE
40 Taylor Lewan Michigan OT
41 Scott Crichton Oregon St DE/OLB
42 Kyle Van Noy BYU LB
43 Donte Moncrief Mississippi WR
44 Davante Adams Fresno State WR
45 Martavis Bryant Clemson WR
46 Stanley Jean-Baptiste Nebraska CB
47 Ja'Wuan James Tennessee OT
48 Morgan Moses Virginia OT
49 Jeremy Hill LSU RB
50 Pierre Desir Lindenwood CB

Don't you think that the team would have Dennard higher than that? Wouldn't they grab him in this scenario?

No Bruce Ellington no care

Given our recent off-field issues, I'm betting Carlos Hyde isn't even on our board--since he punched a woman in the face and all.

Originally posted by JamesGatz83:
Given our recent off-field issues, I'm betting Carlos Hyde isn't even on our board--since he punched a woman in the face and all.

Hyde is not considered a problem by the locals here is Columbus. A bit immature in the past, but people see him as vastly more mature from two years ago. He is generally thought of as a good guy. Roby is the guy that is shaky. Everyone knows he is a potential problem down the road. Shazier is a good kid.

Originally posted by genus49:
No Bruce Ellington no care

Just off the board. No worries. Once the first round gets cleared out, and the board gets narrower, you will see him on the list.

Originally posted by Murphys1:
Don't you think that the team would have Dennard higher than that? Wouldn't they grab him in this scenario?

I am guessing most teams have him higher. As stated in another thread, my concerns are on his ability to play off coverage. The combo of 3 cone times and shuttle times shows some of the stiffness that I saw in Big Ten action.

He is terrific at the LOS, but struggles a bit when tracking guys down the field. I see other guys better in that area.

Not sure about OT being on the 9ers board unless there is such a discrepancy between talent at other positions. And if that were the case, then QB should be on the board as well. Interersting that you and so many others have elevated Latimer...I don't recall--did yoiu always have him this high or is it recent?

Originally posted by dtg_9er:
Not sure about OT being on the 9ers board unless there is such a discrepancy between talent at other positions. And if that were the case, then QB should be on the board as well. Interersting that you and so many others have elevated Latimer...I don't recall--did yoiu always have him this high or is it recent?

Fairly recent with Latimer. The upside is huge, but since he was unable to work out for scouts at the combine, it was tough to make a complete evaluation. His workout was tremendous, and the numbers plus upside definitely pushed him up for me. I do think that someone might draft him too early. To me, he has a second round grade.

With so many receivers predicted in the 1st round, the only thing scaring me off is the memory of 2004. 8 WR's in the 1st round and apart from Fitzgerald they all blew chunks.

Originally posted by MadDog49er:

Originally posted by dtg_9er:
Not sure about OT being on the 9ers board unless there is such a discrepancy between talent at other positions. And if that were the case, then QB should be on the board as well. Interersting that you and so many others have elevated Latimer...I don't recall--did yoiu always have him this high or is it recent?

Fairly recent with Latimer. The upside is huge, but since he was unable to work out for scouts at the combine, it was tough to make a complete evaluation. His workout was tremendous, and the numbers plus upside definitely pushed him up for me. I do think that someone might draft him too early. To me, he has a second round grade.

Sometimes I wonder that Latimer is a product of an over-extended, over-hyped draft period.

Originally posted by bzborow1:
Sometimes I wonder that Latimer is a product of an over-extended, over-hyped draft period.

Maybe. Have had to re-think Landry since the combine, where he looked slow. Terrific college player. Had to upgrade him recently to a more favorable position. Sometimes we overthink the offseason and should simply go back and see what they did on the field.

WOW, isn't Robinson ranked rather high on your board?

Jimmie Ward would be my surprise pick in the first if we do not move up.

Ward could function as the slot corner over the next two years, and over the long run combine with Reid to give us two solid coverage safeties.

Originally posted by Wisconsin49erfan:
WOW, isn't Robinson ranked rather high on your board?

I don't think so. I really like the kid a lot. And, just read earlier today that he might sneak into the first round. Kind of flew under the radar this offseason, but fared extremely well at his Pro-Day, offers a ton of athleticism, and is only 20 years old. Lot of room for growth. Will be a top 40 pick.