2015 49ers Draft Needs

Originally posted by Giedi:
This, I think, was the 2014 draft strategy and it worked well in my opinion. WR was a need, but free agency and trades seemed to fix that need. Same with backup QB. We got Gabbert and Josh, and I think strengthened the backup QB position again via trade and free agency. We got some free agency DB's that have been working very well for us too.

So, if we can meet the minimum talent level needs via free agency, this strategy should be used again for 2015. For example, if we can get a very fast WR that can catch through free agency, then I'm all for drafting BPA in the first round and if it's some stud RB then go for it.

The one flaw in Baalke's draft strategy is that there is a difference in drafting play makers versus getting them in FAcy. It's much cheaper to get a top WR in the draft than trying to lure one to the anemic passing attack here in SF. They traded for Boldin and Johnson, which was much easier than trying to gain one through FAcy.

So, what play makers are on the team through the draft? Kaepernick...maybe Ellington, though a 4th round draft pick is a bit iffy. Any others? Ah...well...VD if he returns to form. So two true play makers from the draft. Why use the draft? The rookie salary cap makes it very sensible to use a first round pick for a WR. Years (5?) to develop and use before he's even a FA.

I'd love to see us pick a top flight CB in the 1st round.

That is not a good strategy being that our issue is a top flight receiver that respect a downfield threat ,although draft the bpa , is good for depth it still leaves a void in the wr area which has killed us the past three season

WR
TE
Oline
Dline
LB

in that order...

Is TE beginning to creep up anyone's boards? I don't even think we need an "elite" TE. Just someone with good size that can block and be relied on to catch the ball. I like Vance McDonald and want him to get more opportunities, but those chances will be few and far between with us only throwing 20-30 passes a game. We need a guy with good hands. It's just throwing some competition into the mix.

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
What I'd like to see

1st - Danny Shelton

2nd - Ty Montgomery

3rd - Michael Dyer

4th (own pick) - To Buffalo for Stevie Johnson trade

4th (From Denver) - Henry Anderson

5th - Preston Smith - 6'6" 270 pounds Mississippi St.

6th - Garrett Grayson

7th - Bill VaVau

My first mock would look like this based on my needs list:
1st Kevin White WR West Virginia
2nd Hau'oli Kikaha OLB Washington
3rd Bryce Petty QB Baylor
4th David Cobb RB Minnesota
5th John Miller OG Louisville
6th Quandre Diggs CB Texas
7th Henry Anderson DE Stanford
Comp pick Blake Bell TE Oklahoma

Let the discussion continue.

I like Kevin White, but his lack of production is why I think he'll fall. Also I rather not see the 49ers draft a receiver in the 1st round, Johnson, Boldin and Lloyd will be the first off the bench.

And Henry Anderson in the 7th round?? I just don't think that guy will fall that far, and I think the need should be higher.

Originally posted by Kolohe:
I like Kevin White, but his lack of production is why I think he'll fall. Also I rather not see the 49ers draft a receiver in the 1st round, Johnson, Boldin and Lloyd will be the first off the bench.

And Henry Anderson in the 7th round?? I just don't think that guy will fall that far, and I think the need should be higher.

What about the idea of picking play makers in the first round to lock them up? Seems like it would be better to lock up a potentially high priced player over a mid-level position?

Originally posted by dtg_9er:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
I like Kevin White, but his lack of production is why I think he'll fall. Also I rather not see the 49ers draft a receiver in the 1st round, Johnson, Boldin and Lloyd will be the first off the bench.

And Henry Anderson in the 7th round?? I just don't think that guy will fall that far, and I think the need should be higher.

What about the idea of picking play makers in the first round to lock them up? Seems like it would be better to lock up a potentially high priced player over a mid-level position?

What would you consider a play makers position??

WR?? CB?? RB?? TE??

Out of those four I'd say CB would be the top of my list, which need would come into play also.

Originally posted by Kolohe:
What would you consider a play makers position??

WR?? CB?? RB?? TE??

Out of those four I'd say CB would be the top of my list, which need would come into play also.

WR and CB would be top of the list (after QB). RBs aren't getting much respect these days so don't merit huge paydays. I agree about the CB position being a primary need if they can get a shutdown guy...but WR would be right up there. Best player in one of those positions unless there is a huge difference in quality elsewhere.

Of course, all this is dependent on how the young CBs look in the offseason, and which WRs the team decides to keep. If they decide to let Crabtree go then WR would jump to the top in my pantheon of needs. Don't think Culliver leaving would make the same hole on that side of the line.

Some rethinking--what if?

It's been mentioned in other threads that the offense is morphing a bit toward the passing game--though they are still extremely balanced (29-29 Sunday). Early in the season they won when the ran more, lost when they passed...or passed when they were losing. So what do they need to do for the passing game?

O Line
C: M Martin & Kilgore are good to decent all around blockers--pass and run
OG: Looney & Thomas are good pass blockers (Thomas' college coach called his pass blocking awesome, Looney blocked well at Wake)
OT: Staley is a very good pass blocker, Davis is not, Boone may be an improvement over Davis.
TE: VD, McDonald, & Carrier are a decent group if they return to health and play well...big if though.
Need: A pass blocking OT (2nd-4th round, maybe TE if production stays stagnant)

Skill Positions
QB: Kaepernick is the future
RB: Gore & Hyde are a good tandem
FB: Miller and Millard will battle--nice problem for coaches--perhaps keep both with one less RB?
WR: Boldin, Crabtree, Johnson, Lloyd, Ellington, Patton--decent but need true playmaker.
Need: Dominant WR (1st/2nd round), QB backup (2nd-7th), RB to develop (midround)


DL
NT: Dorsey, Williams, Dial all do a nice job--not dynamic
DT: Smith, McDonald, Carradine, TJ-E, Dial--strong group, if Carradine does well even stronger
Need: If BPA a high pick, or a lower camp fodder flyer.

LB
MLB: Willis, Bowman, Borland, Willhoite, Moody--Wow!
OLB: A Smith, Brooks, Lynch, Skuta, Lemonier--Wow!
Need: If they let Brooks go and Lemonier doesn't develop--OLB depth is needed.

DB
CB: Brock, Culliver, Cox, Johnson, McFadden, Acker, Reaser, Cook--good depth (most injured )
S: Reid, Bethea, Ward, McCray, Dahl
Need: Playmaker if one is available in 1st/2nd, or depth/camp fodder later.


Draft (based on CBS & Walter)
1: WR Stong or CB Peters (best player)
2: WR Agholor (returner as well)
3: NT Davison or FS Prewitt (if they can't get a CB they like, allows Ward to concentrate on CB)
4. OT Fisher (good pass blocking experience)

Originally posted by dtg_9er:

Originally posted by Giedi:
This, I think, was the 2014 draft strategy and it worked well in my opinion. WR was a need, but free agency and trades seemed to fix that need. Same with backup QB. We got Gabbert and Josh, and I think strengthened the backup QB position again via trade and free agency. We got some free agency DB's that have been working very well for us too.

So, if we can meet the minimum talent level needs via free agency, this strategy should be used again for 2015. For example, if we can get a very fast WR that can catch through free agency, then I'm all for drafting BPA in the first round and if it's some stud RB then go for it.

The one flaw in Baalke's draft strategy is that there is a difference in drafting play makers versus getting them in FAcy. It's much cheaper to get a top WR in the draft than trying to lure one to the anemic passing attach here in SF. They traded for Boldin and Johnson, which was much easier than trying to gain one through FAcy.

So, what play makers are on the team through the draft? Kaepernick...maybe Ellington, though a 4th round draft pick is a bit iffy. Any others? Ah...well...VD if he returns to form. So two true play makers from the draft. Why use the draft? The rookie salary cap makes it very sensible to use a first round pick for a WR. Years (5?) to develop and use before he's even a FA.

Well, regarding getting top WR's via Free Agency. You are right, it's expensive to get top of the line WR's via Free Agency. Also, I don't think our WR coaches are good enough to turn a undrafted free agent WR into something equivalent to a 4rth or 5th round pick (like Tomsula can with undrafted D-linemen).

What I mean is that via Free agency, we get a passable WR with speed and hands. If you would separate WR's into 5 groups, (A,B,C,D,F) *A* being the top - ie Odel Beckam, Mike Evans talent, and *F* being Owusu/Lockett talent, I'd be looking for a WR that would grade around a *C.* In other words, through free agency try to get that WR position to the level of *average.* Now when we draft, we don't have the pressure of drafting a WR high, middle and low because we have zero players at that position who can play. Now we can go Best Player available in the high rounds (which could be a WR), and draft a WR for depth and competition in the later rounds. I hope that makes a bit of sense?

QB 3rd round or so

D-Line...Need to get Cowboys replacement with this draft, we have been putting it off to long.

QB in the 1st then we can talk about the rest.

Keapernick + Our first for Mariota!


That's a possible deal? A good idea?