49ers Draft Grade

Originally posted by Mookster:
I'm giving a D+ grade and for at least the second year in a row am very disappointed in Baalke.

I don't have a player(s) that I wanted on the roster, there were no draft crushes YouTube favourites etc etc etc. I'm disappointed because there are glaring holes in the roster that were not addressed at all let alone adequately, and that many of the choices that were made I believe good have been made in later rounds.

First, EVERYONE drafted has talent. Some have a higher ceiling or lower floor of that talent but everyone of the players selected has the talent to be a professional athlete. As such, the 'talent' argument doesn't carry alot of weight to me. It's not only that its ubiquitous but that it needs to translate to performance.

Those who like this draft class tend to point out future needs; replace Bethea, Reid's concussions, Vernon hitting FA and in decline..... but that argument carries through to many other positions and of more immediate need. Boone has shown his willingness to sit out has requested a trade and will enter his last year. We also lost Iupati so now have 2 major holes to fill on our interior oline. For a power running team this is death. Anquan Boldin turns 34 and is in the last year of his contract. While he's playing at a high level still, there is no identified successor for a position we've been historically bad at selecting. By all accounts this was a WR loaded class with potential #1s still available in round 2. Our starting CBs are unproven or have not been effective with our back ups coming off season ending injury and yet Baalke feels the need for 8 TE's instead of adding competition in the defensive backfield. Bowman is coming off a major knee injury, Wilhoite is on a 1 year tender, Moody is a decent back up and after that we have some PS tryouts. Again, immediate need, lack of depth now and concerns for the future at a position which is critical to the success of the team and was simply not addressed. This was a very poor draft.

I actually like the Armstead pick, he addresses a need, has high upside and given a chance to develop could be a great player. Like all talent, time will tell if he's just another big guy playing football or his heart is really in the game. Boom or bust but given need and players available not a terrible choice. A

Tartt - Bethea is at the mid point of a 4 year deal and was a team MVP. Reid, although he has concussion issues, is playing at a high level and we may have a solid back up/potential future starter in Ward last year (with a 1st round pick no less!) along with serviceable back ups. Tartt is 4th on the depth chart at best and when he does get a chance to become a starter he'll be at least 2 years through his initial 3/4year contract. IMO, player could have been taken at least a round later and didn't represent good value given other players available and the needs of the team. Would have preferred a WR or CB here; someone who can get on the field and make an impact in 2015. Unless Baalke is now saying Ward was a mistake, this pick was a waste. F

Harold - Probably the pick that moved my grade from a D- to a D+ (Armstead kept it from becoming an F). Lemonier hasn't developed well and Aldon is in the final year of his deal with off field issues. We're counting on Lynch continuing to develop as well. A

Top half of the draft was a B+. WR/CB in round 2 would have moved it to an A. 4th round and after..... can I give an F-???

Bell - another relatively high pick on a Baalke project. Good size and some promise and maybe he lights a fire under Davis but this is a pick that could have come at least a round later. With OGs on the Board it seemed like a waste of a pick to me. D-

Davis - I'm ok with the position, not sure about the player (injuries) and lack of production (1 good year 1 injured year). Better talent was available IMO and with Bush signed, Hyde starting and FA help available for depth...... D-

Smelter - Finally a position of NEED! But another guy who is coming off an ACL, who it will take 2 years to fully evaluate (ie no immediate development and won't see the field until 2016 which will influence our 2016 picks.). This could be a good pick but we could all be sitting at the draft in 2017 with the same need as always and 2 years lost on a player that didn't pan out. Too high risk for what the team needs and where he was selected. D-

Round 5 - We have pro bowl Andy Lee and we select a punter. OK, I get competition but when decent punters get signed off the street did we really NEED to waste a 5th round pick? OG/healthy WR/Project CB/ILB/PS QB...... anything other than a TE would have been better than this pick. F

Round 6 - Silberman, finally an OG but if we're basing our future depth and power run game here we'll be sitting with a high pick in 2016. F

Round 7 - No issues with using a 7th rounder on Brown as a just in case it works out pick. But c'mon Trent.... ANOTHER TE? Really??? C and F respectively.

We had lots of picks, there was lots of talent at positions we NEED to fill now. Maybe Tartt becomes a pro bowler in 3 or 4 years, maybe Smelter comes back healthy, maybe Bell fully develops into our TE of the future but with players available with proven (or at least more known) skillsets in those roles Baalke went and put to many maybes on the roster.

I now personally hope it's his last draft for the 49ers.

D+? You are already way generous.

Likewise, let's pray this is Baalke's last draft. Just looking back to the draft since he took over in 2011 has been nothing but depressing.

Originally posted by davidboutte:

Originally posted by mike86:
D

I'm not one to generally give too much or too little credit to a team after a draft, but based on perceived value I thought Baalke & Co were atrocious this year.

First off, I'm not a fan of Armstead. Sure he MIGHT become a good, hell even great, player but he's got an incredibly long way to go and if the 49ers wanted a tall, long, athletic project then they have one on the roster - his name is Lawerence Okoye and he looked pretty damn good last year towards the end of the preseason. More alarming are the concerns over this kids heart. I have a bad feeling this guy will be much more like Kentwan Balmer than Richard Seymour. Not only that, but DL is one of the deepest positions on the team, even if Smith doesn't come back, so not only was he far from BPA but it doesn't come close to filling a need.

I'm going to reserve judgement on the 2nd round pick, but unless everyone in the NFL had Tartt as the 2nd coming of Kam Chancellor I'm going to say this was maybe the biggest reach of the draft. I think S is a big need for the team b/c I don't see Bethea staying past this year and Reid is potentially one more concussion from hanging it up. But with guys like Perryman and Rowe going right after this one was a total head scratcher.

Harold is the one pick I like. He reminds me of Bruce Irvin and by all accounts plays hard and is a leader. With Brooks likely gone before training camp he also gives us more depth. OLB is by far the strongest position on the team.

The entire 4th round was a huge debacle for me. Blake Bell?!? A former QB with one year at TE experience and not particularly impressive measurables was worth a 4th rounder? To me thats a 6th or 7th round pick at best. The 49ers would have been best served taking the Bell pick and trading for a 2016 3rd rounder. Mike Davis is intriguing and Smelter has potential, but it's just that - potential.

The rest of the picks seem like throw aways. Andy Lee is signed through 2018 so unless the 49ers want to part ways with his $2.5-3M salary over the next couple years the P pick is mind numbing. Then a couple OLs with serious limitations.

I'm happy to be proven wrong, but right now this draft looks as bad if not worse than the dreaded 2012 draft.

This

So this.

Hopefully with this draft Baalke has sealed his fate and demise with the 9ers.

i really find it silly and a waste of time to grade a draft when those players haven't even taken one snap in practice. It's one of the dumbest things fans do, period.

Originally posted by NCommand:
Originally posted by Mookster:

I now personally hope it's his last draft for the 49ers.

Hilarious! I guess we'll see you next year around this time to find out.

Not sure what you find 'hilarious' other than the large holes in our roster. We needed help at WR, ILB, CB and came away with ZERO for the 2015 season. OL got 2 late round prospects/projects and we're down 1 pro bowl LG and our pro bowl RG is looking at holding out/saying he'd be ok with a trade. 2 more TEs, another safety and some prospect OLs, not to mention another punter, aren't making us a whole lot better than we were last year and the losses of P52, Borland and 40% of our o-line make it worse.

I notice that gnerally all those who have have more than 2000 posts, although they may be under whelmed by the picks, understand the picks, while those johnny com lately's, those with less than 2000, especially under 1000, hate the picks, because they are not flashy picks. They only go for the name recognition. They don't consider the other facets of building a team.

Originally posted by 4everFaithful:
Wow that's impressive

Tell me about it. The great former GM Matt Miller was able to sync his thoughts in line with Baalke, and didn't make much of an effort to do so as well.

Originally posted by WildBill:
I notice that gnerally all those who have have more than 2000 posts, although they may be under whelmed by the picks, understand the picks, while those johnny com lately's, those with less than 2000, especially under 1000, hate the picks, because they are not flashy picks. They only go for the name recognition. They don't consider the other facets of building a team.

Its been the culture here for years.
I take it as a positive because people are engaged and debating.

Originally posted by awp8912:
Tell me about it. The great former GM Matt Miller was able to sync his thoughts in line with Baalke, and didn't make much of an effort to do so as well.

I believe the name you are looking for is great former GM, as well as 49ers LB Matt MILLEN, but close enough I guess.

Judging the Redskins draft and the 49ers draft, I now know who the pretender is between Baalke and McCloughan. Scot is gonna turn the Redskins into the Seahawks/49ers. Baalke is clumsily trying to do what Scot did best and is failing miserably. A couple more drafts like this and 1-15 is what this team will become.

Lol...are you all surprised by Baalke's draft picks? I'm not, it's the same old Baalke from 5 yrs ago. I don't get why some of you are so surprised and getting all worked up with Baalke's pick. Baalke is being Baalke whether we like it or not. His ego is bigger than the fantasy world he thinks he lives in.

Originally posted by goldlame2013:
Judging the Redskins draft and the 49ers draft, I now know who the pretender is between Baalke and McCloughan. Scot is gonna turn the Redskins into the Seahawks/49ers. Baalke is clumsily trying to do what Scot did best and is failing miserably. A couple more drafts like this and 1-15 is what this team will become.

The same guy who drafted Kentwan Balmer and Chilo Rachal........I mean..uh...uhm...2012...2012...2012.

We grabbed a bunch of projects and reached A LOT.

I don't see how this draft doesn't get a failing grade. D+ at best.

Originally posted by Mookster:
Not sure what you find 'hilarious' other than the large holes in our roster. We needed help at WR, ILB, CB and came away with ZERO for the 2015 season. OL got 2 late round prospects/projects and we're down 1 pro bowl LG and our pro bowl RG is looking at holding out/saying he'd be ok with a trade. 2 more TEs, another safety and some prospect OLs, not to mention another punter, aren't making us a whole lot better than we were last year and the losses of P52, Borland and 40% of our o-line make it worse.

When you say holes, if you mean depth, then agreed. Otherwise, I disagree. Just because you draft someone doesn't mean the hole is going to be filled either.

We have our starting wide outs in Boldin and Smith. Simpson, if he keeps his head on straight will provide depth. Plus Ellington did okay when he could see the field, but was injury prone and with a year under the belt might do better. Baalke, from what I heard wanted Parker, but the Dolphins snatched him up because Gurley was gone. The fall of Gregory and Ray out of the top 10 also helped precipitated that. Trade up-well we tried that last year for Odell, to steep, how do you know that they didn't try and either price was to steep or none wanted to move, since you were not paying attention, there were alot of teams that wanted to move up, but none of the teams moved, that should tell you something. None of the WR after that are a lock to help either. Plus you and others forget that we are not going to be doing a lot of 3 and 4 wr sets.

We did get Deandre Smelter, even though he won't play this year, he gets to sit and learn, he is fast and I like the fact that he is described as a physical wr, meaning he is Boldins replacement, plus being injured, he can be stashed w/o taking up a roster spot as we see if Simpson and Patton and Ellington can have a break out year. I like his size and his 20 yd per catch average and the fact that he produced on a team that is run oriented.

ILB-Bowman is set at one and Wilhoite did more than a credible job is a starter caliber-Patrick Willis -no (and there was none in the draft that are), but more than suffiecient. Who is to say Skov won't come around either, Borland got the nod, but Skov with a year under the belt could possibly step in. Plus there was no top ILB talent in the first and the ones in the second, had there question marks from too small to too slow, and after Borland, well Baalke did say he wanted to get bigger and stronger. Plus we signed Phillip Wheeler as a free agent.

CB-Well we lost two this year, but lost two starters the previous year and we did more than great and that doesn't include the loss the of our safeties. Plus Brock has one side locked down and Baalke drafted four players last year, Dontae did a great job and has a year under his belt. He will compete with Shareece and Cook, remember when we signed that guy from the redskins...Baalke has done a great job of bringing in FA that end up more than contribute. Not to mention Acker. Plus Ward can be moved to CB with the drafting of Tartt who I think was picked man up on big TE and WR like Graham and Marshall. Was I surprised at the at pick, yes, but when I looked at the big picture I understood it better.

As for OL, again the niners drafted people with that in mind from last year, they will be better prepared than a high pick this year which was considered a down year this year. I don't think Brown, one of the OL picked is going to be a starter, ever, but he will be used in jumbo and run packages, he needs work on his pass protection, but as a run locker, people have been saying he is ready now. the guy is huge and will be a load and look foward to him getting to the second level on Sherman.

TE-for the jumbo package and the two TE package we are gonna need talent and he is to say they won't contribute, I was surprised by the picks, but potential is the key, Bell is an interesting selection who ran the ball and is a big target, so in red zone and a two tight end formation, can be set in motion and hand off the ball and he can either run it in or pass it. Kaep could also keep it and take it himself or pitch it. But even more so he can run out and be a big target. Reading up on this guy, the way some describe him, reminds of a Mark Bavaro type. Plus being a former QB he knows how to better read the D than others.

Face it none of the picks taken in the third day are rarely gonna contribute, unless you are a really bad team and the niners are not a really bad or even bad team, mediocre, so you go with potential untapped talent that fits your style of play, just cause a guy flashed in college and has name recognition, does not mean he translates to your system or even as a pro and you are not going to build your system around his playing style unless he is the QB.

Now as a fan, I am like everyone, underwhelmed by the picks, due to name recognition, but as a person of the game, I know you have to factor in the system as well as things that you or I or the news media have not seen or taken into account. You maybe one that wanted DGB, but I don't want a person with so many red flags, hell we have aldon, who had no red flags and now have to deal with it, talented as DGB is, he is useless if he is suspended or a headcase. The Titans coach and gm are on the hot seat so they are willing to take that chance. Baalke, just cause he does not do what the fans want is not going anywhere and neither is Tomosula unless he has a Singletary melt down and disconnect with the owner and before he goes it will be the OC and DC first.

We as fans tend to look at the draft like playing checkers while GMs should be looking to play it like chess which Baalke does.

Originally posted by goldlame2013:
Judging the Redskins draft and the 49ers draft, I now know who the pretender is between Baalke and McCloughan. Scot is gonna turn the Redskins into the Seahawks/49ers. Baalke is clumsily trying to do what Scot did best and is failing miserably. A couple more drafts like this and 1-15 is what this team will become.

Excellent point.

I had always wondered about that, now is clear who the real McCoy is. I just hope after this performance the countdown to Baalke's demise or departure begins. I don't think he will be able to last 2 more disastrous drafts in this magnitude, I reckon 1 tops.