OTC's Post-Combine/Pre-Free Agency Mock 3/3/15

Love it those early line picks while not sexy. Pay off big time as far as helping the whole team

Originally posted by bors:

Love it those early line picks while not sexy. Pay off big time as far as helping the whole team

I think the 49ers will look at the OL earlier than some people think due to the combination of the following factors:

1. Players leaving in 2015 free agency (Iupati)
2. Players potentially leaving in 2016 free agency (Boone, Jonathan Martin, Looney -- and that's if those last two make the team in '15)
3. Health concerns (Anthony Davis, Marcus Martin) and concerns on how some players will perform post-injury (Kilgore, Thomas)
4. Lack of acceptable depth at OT with an unreliable swing tackle.

Good pick on Cameron Erving, i've been mocking him as our 1st recently as well.

I've liked Justin Cox as well since i started studying prospects for this draft back in November. But i think he'll be available as late as the 6th round due to his off field issues.

I had also mocked Rory Anderson in the 7th round as 1 of our picks but recently removed him due to him having some of the smallest, if not the smallest hands at the combine.

Very Solid Mock

Where are the inside linebackers?

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

I think the 49ers will look at the OL earlier than some people think due to the combination of the following factors:

1. Players leaving in 2015 free agency (Iupati)
2. Players potentially leaving in 2016 free agency (Boone, Jonathan Martin, Looney -- and that's if those last two make the team in '15)
3. Health concerns (Anthony Davis, Marcus Martin) and concerns on how some players will perform post-injury (Kilgore, Thomas)
4. Lack of acceptable depth at OT with an unreliable swing tackle.

I really like most of the mock but do you think the 1st round pick changes if J. Smith retires? You think they'll go DL earlier than the 3rd round? If so who do you like?

Originally posted by Luckycharms:

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

I think the 49ers will look at the OL earlier than some people think due to the combination of the following factors:

1. Players leaving in 2015 free agency (Iupati)
2. Players potentially leaving in 2016 free agency (Boone, Jonathan Martin, Looney -- and that's if those last two make the team in '15)
3. Health concerns (Anthony Davis, Marcus Martin) and concerns on how some players will perform post-injury (Kilgore, Thomas)
4. Lack of acceptable depth at OT with an unreliable swing tackle.

I really like most of the mock but do you think the 1st round pick changes if J. Smith retires? You think they'll go DL earlier than the 3rd round? If so who do you like?

Not necessarily. Carradine has been being groomed to take over in Justin's attacking RDE role. I think the 49ers will look for depth at DE, but it may not necessarily be at the RDE position. We may elect for a defender that fits McDonald's former role as the LDE. Depends on how high we are on TJE, Dial, and/or if we intend to use Dorsey there next season instead of at NT.

As an FSU fan, I can't say I'd be thrilled with the first pick. He struggled for the first half of the season at LT. Looked like a 3rd round pick with upside. Looked better when moved to center and that versatility helps him, but I question his anchor in the middle at the next level. Maybe worth our 2ND round pick imo. I'd rather take Goldman with our 1st, if he checks out at his pro day. Surprised he weighed in so heavy at the combine and wondering if somethings up.

Also, im not at as pessimistic as you about the injuries on the O-line. We'd have to draft some ILB if we used that logic. Seems like all the o-lineman got some valuable playing time although some did struggle at times. I'd be fine with just taking a developmental swing tackle in the mid rounds for when Boone/j Martin leave.

I see WR, CB and DL as bigger needs. Williams and J Smith are in the last year of their contracts and Dorsey the year after. I'd even take a OLB before OL in case aldon screws up. And if he doesn't you can't have too many pass rushers. Lemonier did nothing last year, big disappointment.

I like the rest for the most part.

I would completely lose my cool if those were our first 2 picks, but I actually like the rest of it.

Going into 2015 with Phillip Dorsett as the answer to all our WR problems would be a gigantic mistake. I like him, but not as a starter, and we actually get WORSE in the Red Zone in 2015 than when we had Crabtree starting.

Kilgore was our starting C last year, and Marcus Martin and Brandon Thomas were drafted in the 2nd and 3rd round just last year. Baalke figured well before last season started that it's not going to be realistic to keep Mike Iupati... and drafting a G in the 1st again this year would be repeating that same mistake.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by bors:
Love it those early line picks while not sexy. Pay off big time as far as helping the whole team

I think the 49ers will look at the OL earlier than some people think due to the combination of the following factors:

1. Players leaving in 2015 free agency (Iupati)
2. Players potentially leaving in 2016 free agency (Boone, Jonathan Martin, Looney -- and that's if those last two make the team in '15)
3. Health concerns (Anthony Davis, Marcus Martin) and concerns on how some players will perform post-injury (Kilgore, Thomas)
4. Lack of acceptable depth at OT with an unreliable swing tackle.

That same logic could be applied to DL, ILB, and CB, couldn't it? We had a lot of injuries, we're depending on guys coming back well from those, but we still have those guys. Willhoite will be gone in 2015, Pat and Bow were hurt; Cully and/or Cox will be gone this year, Brock was hurt all year; TJE and Dial are entering year 3, Cowboy is either gone in 2015 or 2016, Dorsey/Williams are coming off of injury. Gotta trust your med staff and trainers. If they say the guy's good to go, you gotta roll with it. Can't replace all the injured guys. Obviously, if they say the guy won't be ready, we need some insurance.

I really like our options for the interior line, and I don't get why people get so down on Looney. Having broken down every snap of his from the preseason through the first 3-4 weeks (can;t remember off the top of my head), I can confidently say he had a lot more positive plays than negative, but his negative plays were obvious, even to people who weren't intentionally watching the line. Some plays that looked like his mistake were communication issues or him being hung out to dry on a double team by JMartin. That's why I'm a lo more concerned about the swing tackle spot, but that hole can be plugged in a middle round. They might believe that JMartin struggled because of the late TC bout w/mono, but I think he's just soft. I thought that when he was in college: physically and mentally soft. nothing has changed my mind yet.

I like the two linemen in the first 3 rounds. I also like Dorsett, but I really have a good feeling about Lockett, partly because of his return skills.

I don't know that Erving could be the BPA at #15, but overall, I would be pretty content with this outcome. Nice job, OTC.

Favorite pick = Dorsett in rd 2.

Kudos, OTC. That would be an amazing offseason and draft.

OTC,
You question Brandon Thomas because he'll be basically a rookie, then suggest that your first pick, a pure rookie, would be better. Thomas was a top talent, perhaps even a 1st round talent prior to his injury. Another 1st round OT (Staley, Iupati, Davis) is not the answer when the team needs only a swing tackle to upgrade J. Martin.

I do like the Dorsett selection. Second round may be necessary for him, if that's who the Niners want.

OTC, where is Erving projected could we trade back get him and add another draft pick