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3 years later, Grading the 2016 49er draft
May 3, 2019 at 12:51 PM
- RiceOwensStokes
- Veteran
- Posts: 8,609
Baalke went out with a bang with this one. LMAO
May 3, 2019 at 7:40 PM
- MadDog49er
- Hall of Fame
- Posts: 19,368
Here was my review from this draft:
1. DeForest Buckner- A+ grade- The board knows my affinity for Buckner, who I ranked as the 3rd best player in the draft. Equally adept at getting after the passer and playing run support, he is an all-around stud 34 DE. Lining up as a RDE at Oregon, he went through a Murderer's Row of tough competition, with the likes of Stanford's Garnett, Michigan St LT Jack Conklin, ASU's Christian Westerman, Colorado's Nembot, Oregon State's Seumalo, and many other superb college OL. He held up well, posted unreal numbers for a 34 DE, and scored extremely well with Pro Football Focus. An absolute steal at 7.
MadDog pick- DE Buckner
1. Joshua Garnett- B- grade- The Garnett pick nets a decent grade because the kid is a very good football player. A very strong run blocker and adequate pass protector, he played a huge role in Christian McCaffrey having a monster season in 2015. Garnett was my number one pure offensive guard (non-transition) in the draft. The only downgrade is the moving up of 9 slots to gain the pick, and the transition he will supposedly be making to RG because of Z. Beadles. The Niners did not do much in free agency, but one action they did take was securing a RG. How that impacts Garnett's development by playing in a new position for him (he was a RT and LG in college) waits to be seen.
MadDog pick- WR Sterling Shepard
3. Will Redmond- C+ grade- The first of the defensive backs the Niners picked up, Redmond was a good college football player. Plays taller than he is, has good read and react skills, seems to have enough football smarts to get on the field. Slightly thinner than what you want at 182, and coming off an ACL, and with only 7 college starts to his credit, there are a lot of question marks about him, especially since he was unable to work out. To me, there were simply better corners out there, and better players with less question marks on the board.
MadDog pick- CB KeiVarae Russell
4. Rashard Robinson- D grade- Back-to-back secondary players for Baalke, Robinson fits the length that the Niners have drafted recently. Tall with long arms, Robinson is razor thin at 171 pounds. This showed when he was only able to bench 5 times at his Pro Day, so strength is an issue he will have to address. Has been out of playing for nearly a year and a half, and showed little athleticism in his testing, ranking in the 3rd percentile. I just don't see much commitment to football, and that spells trouble in the hyper competitive NFL.
MadDog pick- RB Kenneth Dixon
5. Ronald Blair- A- grade- Blair was a superb small school DL for Appalachian St. My second to last player to complete an evaluation before the draft, Blair is a high motor, hard working, quick defensive lineman that can play across the line. Super low pad level, so he is a challenge to block. Very strong spin move. At 6'2", 284, with 34 " arms, and strong, he seems destined to be a rotational 34 DE, rushing the passer inside on passing downs. I believe he was ill at the combine and did not post good numbers, but rebounded very well at his Pro Day. His SPARQ numbers were outstanding, in the 89th percentile. He will make an impact on this league, and just needs to fit a creative coordinator to put him in the right spot.
MadDog pick- TE Jerell Adams
5. John Theus- C+ grade- I like that Theus is experienced, and has played multiple positions across the OL. He was an award winning SEC lineman. And, yet, at the Senior Bowl week, he was thrashed pretty badly, exposing some severe athletic limitations. His SPARQ score ranked him in the 23rd percentile. So, he is limited to the right tackle position and maybe have to kick inside to guard. Some players have maxed out their abilities in college. I think that matches Theus. I just don't see much upside.
MadDog pick- G/C Christian Westerman
5. Fahn Cooper- B- grade- In my opinion, this was the better of the two picks of the 5th round OL. Cooper played well in relief of Laremy Tunsil at LT in the beginning of 2015, and then slide over effectively as a RT after. Very solid East-West week where he really stood out. Smooth player with pretty good footwork. A swing tackle who is best at RT. I think will be a solid backup in the NFL, but he tested very poorly, ranking 8th percentile in SPARQ, which concerns me at the next level. His All-Star week work against better competition is encouraging.
MadDog pick- ILB/OLB Jatavis Brown
6. Jeff Driskel- A grade- Count me in on Driskell as an excellent value pick here. I believe I graded him as the 5th or 6th best QB in this draft, and see plenty of upside. Very athletic, with a solid arm, and rebounded well at Louisiana Tech after playing at Florida. One of few QBs in this draft I believe have a shot to be an NFL starter. I thought he had a really solid Senior Bowl week, and has regained some momentum. Very good selection in the 6th round.
MadDog pick- WR Keyarris Garrett
6. Kelvin Taylor- D grade- Count me out on Taylor. Great bloodlines, played in the SEC, and scores a lot of TDs (13 in 2015). However, somebody has to explain why he entered the draft. Maybe it is the mileage of three years of running the ball, maybe he is sick of Florida, or maybe he is flunking out. I don't know the reason, but is 4.0 yards per carry should be a big concern for fans. Tested poorly for a 207 pound back- SPARQ 4th percentile, short arms, and small hands. If his name was not Taylor, I doubt he would be drafted. Special teamer
MadDog pick- CB Jonathan Jones
6. Aaron Burbridge- C grade- I have mixed feeling on Burbridge. He played pretty well this year against Big Ten corners, especially making big catches against Eli Apple of OSU and drawing flags. Good football intelligence. Hard-working. No problems motivating to block. Like many of the other draftees of the Niners, scored very low in SPARQ, with a 9th percentile. Add in tiny hands, and a few dropsies along the way, I see a try-hard kid who has wringed out about every ounce of ceiling in his game, but simply can't compete at the next level. Special teamer for sure.
MadDog pick- S Jalen Mills
7. Prince Charles Iworah- B- grade- Straight-line burner who will be a slot corner at the next level. Strong, fiesty, and will compete. Fast riser toward the end of the evaluation process as he had a terrific Pro-Day. Will be a gunner on special teams, and a player to stash on the practice squad. Very good SPARQ score of 70th percentile. Just needs to some time to develop.
MadDog pick- C Jack Allen
In the end, the Niners picked up 6 offensive players: 1 QB, 2 OT's, 1 G, 1 RB, 1 WR; and 5 defensive players: 2 DEs, 3 CBs. While I love the Buckner, Blair and Driskell selection, and am happy to pick up Garnett, I feel that the team lost some real opportunities to pick up some better pieces to improve their roster. This team needs talent, and I just don't think they hit enough to satisfy fans down the road.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looking back, I think I hit a homer early with Buckner and Sterling, missed on Russell, saw Dixon destroy his chances to be really good because of PEDs, but hit pretty well with 5th and 6th rounders in Jatavis Brown, Jonathan Jones and Jalen Mills.
1. DeForest Buckner- A+ grade- The board knows my affinity for Buckner, who I ranked as the 3rd best player in the draft. Equally adept at getting after the passer and playing run support, he is an all-around stud 34 DE. Lining up as a RDE at Oregon, he went through a Murderer's Row of tough competition, with the likes of Stanford's Garnett, Michigan St LT Jack Conklin, ASU's Christian Westerman, Colorado's Nembot, Oregon State's Seumalo, and many other superb college OL. He held up well, posted unreal numbers for a 34 DE, and scored extremely well with Pro Football Focus. An absolute steal at 7.
MadDog pick- DE Buckner
1. Joshua Garnett- B- grade- The Garnett pick nets a decent grade because the kid is a very good football player. A very strong run blocker and adequate pass protector, he played a huge role in Christian McCaffrey having a monster season in 2015. Garnett was my number one pure offensive guard (non-transition) in the draft. The only downgrade is the moving up of 9 slots to gain the pick, and the transition he will supposedly be making to RG because of Z. Beadles. The Niners did not do much in free agency, but one action they did take was securing a RG. How that impacts Garnett's development by playing in a new position for him (he was a RT and LG in college) waits to be seen.
MadDog pick- WR Sterling Shepard
3. Will Redmond- C+ grade- The first of the defensive backs the Niners picked up, Redmond was a good college football player. Plays taller than he is, has good read and react skills, seems to have enough football smarts to get on the field. Slightly thinner than what you want at 182, and coming off an ACL, and with only 7 college starts to his credit, there are a lot of question marks about him, especially since he was unable to work out. To me, there were simply better corners out there, and better players with less question marks on the board.
MadDog pick- CB KeiVarae Russell
4. Rashard Robinson- D grade- Back-to-back secondary players for Baalke, Robinson fits the length that the Niners have drafted recently. Tall with long arms, Robinson is razor thin at 171 pounds. This showed when he was only able to bench 5 times at his Pro Day, so strength is an issue he will have to address. Has been out of playing for nearly a year and a half, and showed little athleticism in his testing, ranking in the 3rd percentile. I just don't see much commitment to football, and that spells trouble in the hyper competitive NFL.
MadDog pick- RB Kenneth Dixon
5. Ronald Blair- A- grade- Blair was a superb small school DL for Appalachian St. My second to last player to complete an evaluation before the draft, Blair is a high motor, hard working, quick defensive lineman that can play across the line. Super low pad level, so he is a challenge to block. Very strong spin move. At 6'2", 284, with 34 " arms, and strong, he seems destined to be a rotational 34 DE, rushing the passer inside on passing downs. I believe he was ill at the combine and did not post good numbers, but rebounded very well at his Pro Day. His SPARQ numbers were outstanding, in the 89th percentile. He will make an impact on this league, and just needs to fit a creative coordinator to put him in the right spot.
MadDog pick- TE Jerell Adams
5. John Theus- C+ grade- I like that Theus is experienced, and has played multiple positions across the OL. He was an award winning SEC lineman. And, yet, at the Senior Bowl week, he was thrashed pretty badly, exposing some severe athletic limitations. His SPARQ score ranked him in the 23rd percentile. So, he is limited to the right tackle position and maybe have to kick inside to guard. Some players have maxed out their abilities in college. I think that matches Theus. I just don't see much upside.
MadDog pick- G/C Christian Westerman
5. Fahn Cooper- B- grade- In my opinion, this was the better of the two picks of the 5th round OL. Cooper played well in relief of Laremy Tunsil at LT in the beginning of 2015, and then slide over effectively as a RT after. Very solid East-West week where he really stood out. Smooth player with pretty good footwork. A swing tackle who is best at RT. I think will be a solid backup in the NFL, but he tested very poorly, ranking 8th percentile in SPARQ, which concerns me at the next level. His All-Star week work against better competition is encouraging.
MadDog pick- ILB/OLB Jatavis Brown
6. Jeff Driskel- A grade- Count me in on Driskell as an excellent value pick here. I believe I graded him as the 5th or 6th best QB in this draft, and see plenty of upside. Very athletic, with a solid arm, and rebounded well at Louisiana Tech after playing at Florida. One of few QBs in this draft I believe have a shot to be an NFL starter. I thought he had a really solid Senior Bowl week, and has regained some momentum. Very good selection in the 6th round.
MadDog pick- WR Keyarris Garrett
6. Kelvin Taylor- D grade- Count me out on Taylor. Great bloodlines, played in the SEC, and scores a lot of TDs (13 in 2015). However, somebody has to explain why he entered the draft. Maybe it is the mileage of three years of running the ball, maybe he is sick of Florida, or maybe he is flunking out. I don't know the reason, but is 4.0 yards per carry should be a big concern for fans. Tested poorly for a 207 pound back- SPARQ 4th percentile, short arms, and small hands. If his name was not Taylor, I doubt he would be drafted. Special teamer
MadDog pick- CB Jonathan Jones
6. Aaron Burbridge- C grade- I have mixed feeling on Burbridge. He played pretty well this year against Big Ten corners, especially making big catches against Eli Apple of OSU and drawing flags. Good football intelligence. Hard-working. No problems motivating to block. Like many of the other draftees of the Niners, scored very low in SPARQ, with a 9th percentile. Add in tiny hands, and a few dropsies along the way, I see a try-hard kid who has wringed out about every ounce of ceiling in his game, but simply can't compete at the next level. Special teamer for sure.
MadDog pick- S Jalen Mills
7. Prince Charles Iworah- B- grade- Straight-line burner who will be a slot corner at the next level. Strong, fiesty, and will compete. Fast riser toward the end of the evaluation process as he had a terrific Pro-Day. Will be a gunner on special teams, and a player to stash on the practice squad. Very good SPARQ score of 70th percentile. Just needs to some time to develop.
MadDog pick- C Jack Allen
In the end, the Niners picked up 6 offensive players: 1 QB, 2 OT's, 1 G, 1 RB, 1 WR; and 5 defensive players: 2 DEs, 3 CBs. While I love the Buckner, Blair and Driskell selection, and am happy to pick up Garnett, I feel that the team lost some real opportunities to pick up some better pieces to improve their roster. This team needs talent, and I just don't think they hit enough to satisfy fans down the road.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looking back, I think I hit a homer early with Buckner and Sterling, missed on Russell, saw Dixon destroy his chances to be really good because of PEDs, but hit pretty well with 5th and 6th rounders in Jatavis Brown, Jonathan Jones and Jalen Mills.
May 4, 2019 at 1:14 AM
- TheFunkyChicken
- Veteran
- Posts: 4,206
Originally posted by MadDog49er:Here was my review from this draft:
1. DeForest Buckner- A+ grade- The board knows my affinity for Buckner, who I ranked as the 3rd best player in the draft. Equally adept at getting after the passer and playing run support, he is an all-around stud 34 DE. Lining up as a RDE at Oregon, he went through a Murderer's Row of tough competition, with the likes of Stanford's Garnett, Michigan St LT Jack Conklin, ASU's Christian Westerman, Colorado's Nembot, Oregon State's Seumalo, and many other superb college OL. He held up well, posted unreal numbers for a 34 DE, and scored extremely well with Pro Football Focus. An absolute steal at 7.
MadDog pick- DE Buckner
1. Joshua Garnett- B- grade- The Garnett pick nets a decent grade because the kid is a very good football player. A very strong run blocker and adequate pass protector, he played a huge role in Christian McCaffrey having a monster season in 2015. Garnett was my number one pure offensive guard (non-transition) in the draft. The only downgrade is the moving up of 9 slots to gain the pick, and the transition he will supposedly be making to RG because of Z. Beadles. The Niners did not do much in free agency, but one action they did take was securing a RG. How that impacts Garnett's development by playing in a new position for him (he was a RT and LG in college) waits to be seen.
MadDog pick- WR Sterling Shepard
3. Will Redmond- C+ grade- The first of the defensive backs the Niners picked up, Redmond was a good college football player. Plays taller than he is, has good read and react skills, seems to have enough football smarts to get on the field. Slightly thinner than what you want at 182, and coming off an ACL, and with only 7 college starts to his credit, there are a lot of question marks about him, especially since he was unable to work out. To me, there were simply better corners out there, and better players with less question marks on the board.
MadDog pick- CB KeiVarae Russell
4. Rashard Robinson- D grade- Back-to-back secondary players for Baalke, Robinson fits the length that the Niners have drafted recently. Tall with long arms, Robinson is razor thin at 171 pounds. This showed when he was only able to bench 5 times at his Pro Day, so strength is an issue he will have to address. Has been out of playing for nearly a year and a half, and showed little athleticism in his testing, ranking in the 3rd percentile. I just don't see much commitment to football, and that spells trouble in the hyper competitive NFL.
MadDog pick- RB Kenneth Dixon
5. Ronald Blair- A- grade- Blair was a superb small school DL for Appalachian St. My second to last player to complete an evaluation before the draft, Blair is a high motor, hard working, quick defensive lineman that can play across the line. Super low pad level, so he is a challenge to block. Very strong spin move. At 6'2", 284, with 34 " arms, and strong, he seems destined to be a rotational 34 DE, rushing the passer inside on passing downs. I believe he was ill at the combine and did not post good numbers, but rebounded very well at his Pro Day. His SPARQ numbers were outstanding, in the 89th percentile. He will make an impact on this league, and just needs to fit a creative coordinator to put him in the right spot.
MadDog pick- TE Jerell Adams
5. John Theus- C+ grade- I like that Theus is experienced, and has played multiple positions across the OL. He was an award winning SEC lineman. And, yet, at the Senior Bowl week, he was thrashed pretty badly, exposing some severe athletic limitations. His SPARQ score ranked him in the 23rd percentile. So, he is limited to the right tackle position and maybe have to kick inside to guard. Some players have maxed out their abilities in college. I think that matches Theus. I just don't see much upside.
MadDog pick- G/C Christian Westerman
5. Fahn Cooper- B- grade- In my opinion, this was the better of the two picks of the 5th round OL. Cooper played well in relief of Laremy Tunsil at LT in the beginning of 2015, and then slide over effectively as a RT after. Very solid East-West week where he really stood out. Smooth player with pretty good footwork. A swing tackle who is best at RT. I think will be a solid backup in the NFL, but he tested very poorly, ranking 8th percentile in SPARQ, which concerns me at the next level. His All-Star week work against better competition is encouraging.
MadDog pick- ILB/OLB Jatavis Brown
6. Jeff Driskel- A grade- Count me in on Driskell as an excellent value pick here. I believe I graded him as the 5th or 6th best QB in this draft, and see plenty of upside. Very athletic, with a solid arm, and rebounded well at Louisiana Tech after playing at Florida. One of few QBs in this draft I believe have a shot to be an NFL starter. I thought he had a really solid Senior Bowl week, and has regained some momentum. Very good selection in the 6th round.
MadDog pick- WR Keyarris Garrett
6. Kelvin Taylor- D grade- Count me out on Taylor. Great bloodlines, played in the SEC, and scores a lot of TDs (13 in 2015). However, somebody has to explain why he entered the draft. Maybe it is the mileage of three years of running the ball, maybe he is sick of Florida, or maybe he is flunking out. I don't know the reason, but is 4.0 yards per carry should be a big concern for fans. Tested poorly for a 207 pound back- SPARQ 4th percentile, short arms, and small hands. If his name was not Taylor, I doubt he would be drafted. Special teamer
MadDog pick- CB Jonathan Jones
6. Aaron Burbridge- C grade- I have mixed feeling on Burbridge. He played pretty well this year against Big Ten corners, especially making big catches against Eli Apple of OSU and drawing flags. Good football intelligence. Hard-working. No problems motivating to block. Like many of the other draftees of the Niners, scored very low in SPARQ, with a 9th percentile. Add in tiny hands, and a few dropsies along the way, I see a try-hard kid who has wringed out about every ounce of ceiling in his game, but simply can't compete at the next level. Special teamer for sure.
MadDog pick- S Jalen Mills
7. Prince Charles Iworah- B- grade- Straight-line burner who will be a slot corner at the next level. Strong, fiesty, and will compete. Fast riser toward the end of the evaluation process as he had a terrific Pro-Day. Will be a gunner on special teams, and a player to stash on the practice squad. Very good SPARQ score of 70th percentile. Just needs to some time to develop.
MadDog pick- C Jack Allen
In the end, the Niners picked up 6 offensive players: 1 QB, 2 OT's, 1 G, 1 RB, 1 WR; and 5 defensive players: 2 DEs, 3 CBs. While I love the Buckner, Blair and Driskell selection, and am happy to pick up Garnett, I feel that the team lost some real opportunities to pick up some better pieces to improve their roster. This team needs talent, and I just don't think they hit enough to satisfy fans down the road.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looking back, I think I hit a homer early with Buckner and Sterling, missed on Russell, saw Dixon destroy his chances to be really good because of PEDs, but hit pretty well with 5th and 6th rounders in Jatavis Brown, Jonathan Jones and Jalen Mills.
I remember really hoping we'd draft Keyarris Garrett. Then he went undrafted, got picked up by the WR needy Panthers and I never heard about him again.
Starting to view the draft like baseball. Everyone fails more than they succeed. No one is batting 1000. But the difference between winning and losing is the difference between batting 330 and batting 275. It doesn't seem that big but it is. Or in draft terms... the difference between teams who regularly hit on three guys in the draft and teams who hit on two guys is huge.
May 4, 2019 at 3:15 AM
- English
- Moderator
- Posts: 40,210
Originally posted by TheFunkyChicken:I remember really hoping we'd draft Keyarris Garrett. Then he went undrafted, got picked up by the WR needy Panthers and I never heard about him again.
Starting to view the draft like baseball. Everyone fails more than they succeed. No one is batting 1000. But the difference between winning and losing is the difference between batting 330 and batting 275. It doesn't seem that big but it is. Or in draft terms... the difference between teams who regularly hit on three guys in the draft and teams who hit on two guys is huge.
That being said, picking a Buckner in a draft pretty much nails it for me. Anything else like Blair is just bonus.
[ Edited by English on May 4, 2019 at 3:16 AM ]
May 4, 2019 at 7:05 AM
- TheXFactor
- Veteran
- Posts: 25,566
Good breakdown, but it should really be 4 years later to fairly analyse a draft. Redmond is still in the NFL btw, he's on Green Bay.
May 4, 2019 at 7:18 AM
- miked1978
- Veteran
- Posts: 11,056
Originally posted by Heroism:This guy is a total stud. He's not a household name, but people who follow LB play know what's up with Elandon Roberts.
Thanks i didnt know that. It just amazes me how great NE is while not having great drafts.
May 4, 2019 at 10:32 AM
- blizzuntz
- Veteran
- Posts: 48,025
Top 5 GM
May 4, 2019 at 10:53 AM
- MadDog49er
- Hall of Fame
- Posts: 19,368
Originally posted by TheFunkyChicken:
Originally posted by MadDog49er:
Here was my review from this draft:
1. DeForest Buckner- A+ grade- The board knows my affinity for Buckner, who I ranked as the 3rd best player in the draft. Equally adept at getting after the passer and playing run support, he is an all-around stud 34 DE. Lining up as a RDE at Oregon, he went through a Murderer's Row of tough competition, with the likes of Stanford's Garnett, Michigan St LT Jack Conklin, ASU's Christian Westerman, Colorado's Nembot, Oregon State's Seumalo, and many other superb college OL. He held up well, posted unreal numbers for a 34 DE, and scored extremely well with Pro Football Focus. An absolute steal at 7.
MadDog pick- DE Buckner
1. Joshua Garnett- B- grade- The Garnett pick nets a decent grade because the kid is a very good football player. A very strong run blocker and adequate pass protector, he played a huge role in Christian McCaffrey having a monster season in 2015. Garnett was my number one pure offensive guard (non-transition) in the draft. The only downgrade is the moving up of 9 slots to gain the pick, and the transition he will supposedly be making to RG because of Z. Beadles. The Niners did not do much in free agency, but one action they did take was securing a RG. How that impacts Garnett's development by playing in a new position for him (he was a RT and LG in college) waits to be seen.
MadDog pick- WR Sterling Shepard
3. Will Redmond- C+ grade- The first of the defensive backs the Niners picked up, Redmond was a good college football player. Plays taller than he is, has good read and react skills, seems to have enough football smarts to get on the field. Slightly thinner than what you want at 182, and coming off an ACL, and with only 7 college starts to his credit, there are a lot of question marks about him, especially since he was unable to work out. To me, there were simply better corners out there, and better players with less question marks on the board.
MadDog pick- CB KeiVarae Russell
4. Rashard Robinson- D grade- Back-to-back secondary players for Baalke, Robinson fits the length that the Niners have drafted recently. Tall with long arms, Robinson is razor thin at 171 pounds. This showed when he was only able to bench 5 times at his Pro Day, so strength is an issue he will have to address. Has been out of playing for nearly a year and a half, and showed little athleticism in his testing, ranking in the 3rd percentile. I just don't see much commitment to football, and that spells trouble in the hyper competitive NFL.
MadDog pick- RB Kenneth Dixon
5. Ronald Blair- A- grade- Blair was a superb small school DL for Appalachian St. My second to last player to complete an evaluation before the draft, Blair is a high motor, hard working, quick defensive lineman that can play across the line. Super low pad level, so he is a challenge to block. Very strong spin move. At 6'2", 284, with 34 " arms, and strong, he seems destined to be a rotational 34 DE, rushing the passer inside on passing downs. I believe he was ill at the combine and did not post good numbers, but rebounded very well at his Pro Day. His SPARQ numbers were outstanding, in the 89th percentile. He will make an impact on this league, and just needs to fit a creative coordinator to put him in the right spot.
MadDog pick- TE Jerell Adams
5. John Theus- C+ grade- I like that Theus is experienced, and has played multiple positions across the OL. He was an award winning SEC lineman. And, yet, at the Senior Bowl week, he was thrashed pretty badly, exposing some severe athletic limitations. His SPARQ score ranked him in the 23rd percentile. So, he is limited to the right tackle position and maybe have to kick inside to guard. Some players have maxed out their abilities in college. I think that matches Theus. I just don't see much upside.
MadDog pick- G/C Christian Westerman
5. Fahn Cooper- B- grade- In my opinion, this was the better of the two picks of the 5th round OL. Cooper played well in relief of Laremy Tunsil at LT in the beginning of 2015, and then slide over effectively as a RT after. Very solid East-West week where he really stood out. Smooth player with pretty good footwork. A swing tackle who is best at RT. I think will be a solid backup in the NFL, but he tested very poorly, ranking 8th percentile in SPARQ, which concerns me at the next level. His All-Star week work against better competition is encouraging.
MadDog pick- ILB/OLB Jatavis Brown
6. Jeff Driskel- A grade- Count me in on Driskell as an excellent value pick here. I believe I graded him as the 5th or 6th best QB in this draft, and see plenty of upside. Very athletic, with a solid arm, and rebounded well at Louisiana Tech after playing at Florida. One of few QBs in this draft I believe have a shot to be an NFL starter. I thought he had a really solid Senior Bowl week, and has regained some momentum. Very good selection in the 6th round.
MadDog pick- WR Keyarris Garrett
6. Kelvin Taylor- D grade- Count me out on Taylor. Great bloodlines, played in the SEC, and scores a lot of TDs (13 in 2015). However, somebody has to explain why he entered the draft. Maybe it is the mileage of three years of running the ball, maybe he is sick of Florida, or maybe he is flunking out. I don't know the reason, but is 4.0 yards per carry should be a big concern for fans. Tested poorly for a 207 pound back- SPARQ 4th percentile, short arms, and small hands. If his name was not Taylor, I doubt he would be drafted. Special teamer
MadDog pick- CB Jonathan Jones
6. Aaron Burbridge- C grade- I have mixed feeling on Burbridge. He played pretty well this year against Big Ten corners, especially making big catches against Eli Apple of OSU and drawing flags. Good football intelligence. Hard-working. No problems motivating to block. Like many of the other draftees of the Niners, scored very low in SPARQ, with a 9th percentile. Add in tiny hands, and a few dropsies along the way, I see a try-hard kid who has wringed out about every ounce of ceiling in his game, but simply can't compete at the next level. Special teamer for sure.
MadDog pick- S Jalen Mills
7. Prince Charles Iworah- B- grade- Straight-line burner who will be a slot corner at the next level. Strong, fiesty, and will compete. Fast riser toward the end of the evaluation process as he had a terrific Pro-Day. Will be a gunner on special teams, and a player to stash on the practice squad. Very good SPARQ score of 70th percentile. Just needs to some time to develop.
MadDog pick- C Jack Allen
In the end, the Niners picked up 6 offensive players: 1 QB, 2 OT's, 1 G, 1 RB, 1 WR; and 5 defensive players: 2 DEs, 3 CBs. While I love the Buckner, Blair and Driskell selection, and am happy to pick up Garnett, I feel that the team lost some real opportunities to pick up some better pieces to improve their roster. This team needs talent, and I just don't think they hit enough to satisfy fans down the road.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looking back, I think I hit a homer early with Buckner and Sterling, missed on Russell, saw Dixon destroy his chances to be really good because of PEDs, but hit pretty well with 5th and 6th rounders in Jatavis Brown, Jonathan Jones and Jalen Mills.
I remember really hoping we'd draft Keyarris Garrett. Then he went undrafted, got picked up by the WR needy Panthers and I never heard about him again.
Starting to view the draft like baseball. Everyone fails more than they succeed. No one is batting 1000. But the difference between winning and losing is the difference between batting 330 and batting 275. It doesn't seem that big but it is. Or in draft terms... the difference between teams who regularly hit on three guys in the draft and teams who hit on two guys is huge.
Every year there is a guy who becomes a head scratcher for me.Really surprised Garrett did nothing. Then, I hit gold with Jones and Mills in back-to-back picks. Jones and Mills bother played major roles in helping their teams win Super Bowls.
Still haven't figured out what is going on with Solomon Thomas. Makes no sense to me. Hard worker, good kid, fantastic productivity, solid measurables and testing. That is why the draft is witchcraft.
May 4, 2019 at 2:36 PM
- TheFunkyChicken
- Veteran
- Posts: 4,206
Originally posted by English:
Originally posted by TheFunkyChicken:
I remember really hoping we'd draft Keyarris Garrett. Then he went undrafted, got picked up by the WR needy Panthers and I never heard about him again.
Starting to view the draft like baseball. Everyone fails more than they succeed. No one is batting 1000. But the difference between winning and losing is the difference between batting 330 and batting 275. It doesn't seem that big but it is. Or in draft terms... the difference between teams who regularly hit on three guys in the draft and teams who hit on two guys is huge.
That being said, picking a Buckner in a draft pretty much nails it for me. Anything else like Blair is just bonus.
My current take is that what you're really looking for from each draft is 3 players. Something like this:
1 grade A player - a stud, or at least a guy who can definitively own a starting role and consistently play it at a high level
2 grade B players - guys who are clearly worth keeping and can play at a starter level
I will admit, that I am kind of making this up as I go. So please, take this as a thought exercise about what successful drafting means, not as me trying to state fact. But it seems to me that this kind of your bar for maintaining a good, winning roster. Get less than 3 once and you'll probably be fine, but if you get less than that year after year the team will be lacking in talent.
On the other hand, if you get that kind of return regularly and then have a year when you get more than that, that's the kind of thing that springboards championship teams.
Looking back for the 9ers I would assess their yearly draft hauls like this:
2010 - 2 As (Iupati, Bowman), 2 Bs (Davis, Dixon)
2011 - 2 As (Aldon, Kap), 2 Bs (Kilgore, Miller) (this draft is super awkward to judge because Aldon and Kap were clear As for a bit but didn't last)
2012 - zero
2013 - 2 Bs (Reid and McDonald)
2014 - 1 B (Hyde)
2015 - zero (I'm not counting Brown because the team did not think he was worth keeping, and Amstead and Tartt as also not definite keepers)
2016 - 1 A (Buckner)
2017 - 1 A (Kittle), 1 B (DJ Jones)
2018 - 1 A (McGlinchy), 2 Bs (Warner and Pettis) (this one could still change, obviously, but right now this is how I would grade it)
I went all the way back to 2010 to illustrate how significant the impact is when you get more than 3 vs getting less than 3 guys. We got 4 A or B players in back to back years and then went to the superbowl! Then we had 5 years in a row of fewer than 3 and we turned into one of worst teams in the league. Obviously coaching, FA signings and key positions have a big impact as well. But I think the connection between draft success and team success is clear.
So the good news is that they are clearly trending in the right direction! Here's to hoping this year yields us 3 players
* Note to English: You'll notice that I did not include Blair. While I agree, getting a decent rotation player is a bonus, and those bonuses add up, guys like that are not the difference makers you're looking for. Maybe for thoroughness I should have made a distinction between C players (what I call back up/rotation players that aren't terrible but are always on the bubble) and F players (all those guys that can't even make the team after a year). But I really think the real difference to a team is with the A and B players.
May 5, 2019 at 3:05 PM
- LifelongNiner
- Veteran
- Posts: 22,326
Originally posted by TheFunkyChicken:
Originally posted by English:
Originally posted by TheFunkyChicken:
I remember really hoping we'd draft Keyarris Garrett. Then he went undrafted, got picked up by the WR needy Panthers and I never heard about him again.
Starting to view the draft like baseball. Everyone fails more than they succeed. No one is batting 1000. But the difference between winning and losing is the difference between batting 330 and batting 275. It doesn't seem that big but it is. Or in draft terms... the difference between teams who regularly hit on three guys in the draft and teams who hit on two guys is huge.
That being said, picking a Buckner in a draft pretty much nails it for me. Anything else like Blair is just bonus.
My current take is that what you're really looking for from each draft is 3 players. Something like this:
1 grade A player - a stud, or at least a guy who can definitively own a starting role and consistently play it at a high level
2 grade B players - guys who are clearly worth keeping and can play at a starter level
I will admit, that I am kind of making this up as I go. So please, take this as a thought exercise about what successful drafting means, not as me trying to state fact. But it seems to me that this kind of your bar for maintaining a good, winning roster. Get less than 3 once and you'll probably be fine, but if you get less than that year after year the team will be lacking in talent.
On the other hand, if you get that kind of return regularly and then have a year when you get more than that, that's the kind of thing that springboards championship teams.
Looking back for the 9ers I would assess their yearly draft hauls like this:
2010 - 2 As (Iupati, Bowman), 2 Bs (Davis, Dixon)
2011 - 2 As (Aldon, Kap), 2 Bs (Kilgore, Miller) (this draft is super awkward to judge because Aldon and Kap were clear As for a bit but didn't last)
2012 - zero
2013 - 2 Bs (Reid and McDonald)
2014 - 1 B (Hyde)
2015 - zero (I'm not counting Brown because the team did not think he was worth keeping, and Amstead and Tartt as also not definite keepers)
2016 - 1 A (Buckner)
2017 - 1 A (Kittle), 1 B (DJ Jones)
2018 - 1 A (McGlinchy), 2 Bs (Warner and Pettis) (this one could still change, obviously, but right now this is how I would grade it)
I went all the way back to 2010 to illustrate how significant the impact is when you get more than 3 vs getting less than 3 guys. We got 4 A or B players in back to back years and then went to the superbowl! Then we had 5 years in a row of fewer than 3 and we turned into one of worst teams in the league. Obviously coaching, FA signings and key positions have a big impact as well. But I think the connection between draft success and team success is clear.
So the good news is that they are clearly trending in the right direction! Here's to hoping this year yields us 3 players
* Note to English: You'll notice that I did not include Blair. While I agree, getting a decent rotation player is a bonus, and those bonuses add up, guys like that are not the difference makers you're looking for. Maybe for thoroughness I should have made a distinction between C players (what I call back up/rotation players that aren't terrible but are always on the bubble) and F players (all those guys that can't even make the team after a year). But I really think the real difference to a team is with the A and B players.
On a good team, players like Ronald Blair are HUGE. When they are surrounded by good players, these are the type of guys that can take advantage of 1-on-1 matchups and have huge games. Remember how some of our lesser known players would make huge plays or have huge games during our 80s and 90s run? We should see that from Blair this year if he gets regular playing time.
May 6, 2019 at 6:47 PM
- Oakland-Niner
- Member
- Posts: 24,062
Originally posted by Alfienator:Originally posted by SanDiego49er:I can't believe we picked Joshua Garnett. And that high no less......
Baalke was GM why is it hard to believe?
Most people had him as one of the best lineman in the draft at guard. It wasn't a big reach.
May 7, 2019 at 6:28 AM
- IrishCrnjo
- Veteran
- Posts: 2,953
Any draft where you get a pro-bowl quality player deserves a C minimum. Almost every pick after round 4 is garbage for any team. But yeah, that draft is Buckner plus a lot of crap.
May 7, 2019 at 10:19 PM
- Giedi
- Veteran
- Posts: 32,246
Originally posted by Aj_hwd954:
Baalke went out with a bang with this one. LMAO
I'm just so glad he's out. The guy wrecked a great team.
May 8, 2019 at 11:22 AM
- lamontb
- Veteran
- Posts: 30,011
pretty s**tty draft outside of Buck I remember so many ppl defending Remond and Baalke injury projects.
May 8, 2019 at 2:43 PM
- Waterbear
- Veteran
- Posts: 18,080
Originally posted by lamontb:
pretty s**tty draft outside of Buck I remember so many ppl defending Remond and Baalke injury projects.
I about had an aneurysm trying to argue with people that he was, in fact, the worst tackling corner prospect I have ever seen.