MadDog's Thoughts on this Draft

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
With the blink of an eye, the draft has come and gone. It was certainly a different one, since our first pick came late in the second round. It makes it very difficult to find top-end talent that can step in and immediately help the team.

When I review the Niners' draft, i think the Niners hit in some picks, reached on others and completely missed golden opportunities to improve their roster.
Count me bullish on Drake Jackson (a very nice player with upside), Kalia Davis, Tariq Castro-Fields and Brock Purdy as good value selections in their slot. At the same time, I thought the team was overly ambitious with their selections of Tyrion Davis-Price, Danny Gray, Spencer Burford, Samuel Womack, and Nick Zakelj. In my opinion, Gray (who I like as a player) will be the only player in this group who makes it to a second contract with the team, and I believe that Gray was selected a round early.

It is hard to hit on picks after the fourth round, so I can't be too tough on the Niners on their Saturday selections. Teams are grasping at straws with Day Three picks.
I am most critical of the Davis-Price pick. That was a huge error, especially with a top 100 selection.

I am a huge believer at making value picks with guys who have a perceived medical issue that may or may not be a problem down the road. Last year, in my shadow draft, I picked Azzez Ojulari for the Niners in second round. The reason for the drop, after a huge junior year at Georgia, was because of a heart issue that didn't seem to impact him last year. The Giants grabbed Ojulari two picks after the Niners picked Aaron Banks at 48, and he went on to become a stud DE, setting a franchise record for sacks as a rookie.

With that idea in mind, I didn't mind going for the fences with a late second rounder in Nakobe Dean, who says he is fine, and ready to play. I liked Cross in the third round as a safety with great range, and outstanding tackling skills, especially in the open field. I love this kid and his makeup. Winfrey was a monster at the Senior Bowl, which is a barometer I often use to gauge the ability for these college kids to transition to the NFL. When a player stands out in this All-Star game, it is worth a serious consideration. The same goes for Austin, who was simply uncoverable during Senior Bowl week. He is tiny, and if you blow on him, he falls down, but is open all the time. Deep, deep speed!

As stated earlier this week, I think the draft really falls off by the end of Day Two. In most years, I see draft gems sitting on the board in the fifth, sixth and sometimes even seventh rounds. I just didn't see much talent in this draft. So, my 5-7th rounders are backup material (all of these players were UFA). I do think all have a legit shot at making the roster, or at the least spending time on the practice squad. Domann has had two ACL surgeries, which certainly killed his draft grade, but this kid is a rocket on special teams. If his knees hold up, I like his chances of being a special teams anchor for years to come. Strong also has concerns over his knees. We will see if that kills his chances of playing in the NFL. But, he's got a live arm. Garrett was shot in the face this year, but recovered and had a solid year here in Columbus. As stated earlier with Dean, I'll take some chances with productive, hard-working, good-character kids. But, this is my own draft strategy.

Here was my on-the-clock shadow draft:
2. Nakobe Dean- LB, Georgia (drafted 22 picks after the Niners selected Jackson)
3. Nick Cross- S, Maryland (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Davis-Price)
3. Perrion Winfrey- DT, Oklahoma (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Gray)
4. Calvin Austin- WR, Memphis (drafted 4 picks after the Niners selected Burford)
5. Kellen Diesch- OT. Arizona State (UFA)
6. Dohnovan West- G, Arizona State (UFA)
6. Carson Strong- QB, Nevada (UFA)
6. Jojo Domann- S/ST- Nebraska (UFA)
7. Haskell Garrett- DT, Ohio State (UFA)

Cheers to all of you! And, good luck to all our 49ers draftees. I hope they all go to multiple Pro Bowls.

-MD

Glad to read your work again. Agree with your thoughts on most of these guys. A lot of value picks based on what I've been mocking in most of the mock draft simulator games. Was surprised Strong and West went undrafted.

How I wish it would have went
2.) Edge Nik Bonnito
3.) S Nick Cross or LB Leo Chenal
3.) WR Danny Gray
4.) CB Tariq Woolen or RB Ty Chandler
5.) OL Jamaree Salyer
6.) QB Carson Strong
6.) WR Bo Melton
6.) Tariq Castro-Fields
7.) C/G Donovan West

Spot on evaluation.

Not sure where to put this but here is are my picks from the live draft. I wasn't too pleased with how the draft board fell in general. Other than passing on Nick Cross I'm quite happy with who the 49ers picked and I'd probably take their draft over mine. It'll be cool to revisit this in 3 years.

Pick and where they went

• Bernhard Raimann (OT) – 64
• Nick Cross (S) – 96
• Demeon Pierce (S) – 107
• Tariq Woolen (CB) – 153
• Kingsley Enagbare (DE) – 179
• Dohnovan West (C) – UDFA
• Samori Toure (WR) – 258
• Tariq Castro-Fields (CB) - 221
• Carson Strong (QB) - UDFA
  
  

Originally posted by Zachary:

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
With the blink of an eye, the draft has come and gone. It was certainly a different one, since our first pick came late in the second round. It makes it very difficult to find top-end talent that can step in and immediately help the team.

When I review the Niners' draft, i think the Niners hit in some picks, reached on others and completely missed golden opportunities to improve their roster.
Count me bullish on Drake Jackson (a very nice player with upside), Kalia Davis, Tariq Castro-Fields and Brock Purdy as good value selections in their slot. At the same time, I thought the team was overly ambitious with their selections of Tyrion Davis-Price, Danny Gray, Spencer Burford, Samuel Womack, and Nick Zakelj. In my opinion, Gray (who I like as a player) will be the only player in this group who makes it to a second contract with the team, and I believe that Gray was selected a round early.

It is hard to hit on picks after the fourth round, so I can't be too tough on the Niners on their Saturday selections. Teams are grasping at straws with Day Three picks.
I am most critical of the Davis-Price pick. That was a huge error, especially with a top 100 selection.

I am a huge believer at making value picks with guys who have a perceived medical issue that may or may not be a problem down the road. Last year, in my shadow draft, I picked Azzez Ojulari for the Niners in second round. The reason for the drop, after a huge junior year at Georgia, was because of a heart issue that didn't seem to impact him last year. The Giants grabbed Ojulari two picks after the Niners picked Aaron Banks at 48, and he went on to become a stud DE, setting a franchise record for sacks as a rookie.

With that idea in mind, I didn't mind going for the fences with a late second rounder in Nakobe Dean, who says he is fine, and ready to play. I liked Cross in the third round as a safety with great range, and outstanding tackling skills, especially in the open field. I love this kid and his makeup. Winfrey was a monster at the Senior Bowl, which is a barometer I often use to gauge the ability for these college kids to transition to the NFL. When a player stands out in this All-Star game, it is worth a serious consideration. The same goes for Austin, who was simply uncoverable during Senior Bowl week. He is tiny, and if you blow on him, he falls down, but is open all the time. Deep, deep speed!

As stated earlier this week, I think the draft really falls off by the end of Day Two. In most years, I see draft gems sitting on the board in the fifth, sixth and sometimes even seventh rounds. I just didn't see much talent in this draft. So, my 5-7th rounders are backup material (all of these players were UFA). I do think all have a legit shot at making the roster, or at the least spending time on the practice squad. Domann has had two ACL surgeries, which certainly killed his draft grade, but this kid is a rocket on special teams. If his knees hold up, I like his chances of being a special teams anchor for years to come. Strong also has concerns over his knees. We will see if that kills his chances of playing in the NFL. But, he's got a live arm. Garrett was shot in the face this year, but recovered and had a solid year here in Columbus. As stated earlier with Dean, I'll take some chances with productive, hard-working, good-character kids. But, this is my own draft strategy.

Here was my on-the-clock shadow draft:
2. Nakobe Dean- LB, Georgia (drafted 22 picks after the Niners selected Jackson)
3. Nick Cross- S, Maryland (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Davis-Price)
3. Perrion Winfrey- DT, Oklahoma (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Gray)
4. Calvin Austin- WR, Memphis (drafted 4 picks after the Niners selected Burford)
5. Kellen Diesch- OT. Arizona State (UFA)
6. Dohnovan West- G, Arizona State (UFA)
6. Carson Strong- QB, Nevada (UFA)
6. Jojo Domann- S/ST- Nebraska (UFA)
7. Haskell Garrett- DT, Ohio State (UFA)

Cheers to all of you! And, good luck to all our 49ers draftees. I hope they all go to multiple Pro Bowls.

-MD

I think it shows how legitimate you are to say who you would've taken with those last picks, even though they went undrafted.

Also Carson Strong is from my city and went to my school's rival lol it's pretty cool to see his name there. He went UDFA to the eagles

I have to be honest and draft on the clock, not afterwards. If the guys get picked, great. If they don't, great. Those last three rounds are a crapshoot. Teams are selecting guys that fit their program, and their specific needs. From 172 to 262, everyone is a roll of the dice.

Originally posted by NTeply49:

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
With the blink of an eye, the draft has come and gone. It was certainly a different one, since our first pick came late in the second round. It makes it very difficult to find top-end talent that can step in and immediately help the team.

When I review the Niners' draft, i think the Niners hit in some picks, reached on others and completely missed golden opportunities to improve their roster.
Count me bullish on Drake Jackson (a very nice player with upside), Kalia Davis, Tariq Castro-Fields and Brock Purdy as good value selections in their slot. At the same time, I thought the team was overly ambitious with their selections of Tyrion Davis-Price, Danny Gray, Spencer Burford, Samuel Womack, and Nick Zakelj. In my opinion, Gray (who I like as a player) will be the only player in this group who makes it to a second contract with the team, and I believe that Gray was selected a round early.

It is hard to hit on picks after the fourth round, so I can't be too tough on the Niners on their Saturday selections. Teams are grasping at straws with Day Three picks.
I am most critical of the Davis-Price pick. That was a huge error, especially with a top 100 selection.

I am a huge believer at making value picks with guys who have a perceived medical issue that may or may not be a problem down the road. Last year, in my shadow draft, I picked Azzez Ojulari for the Niners in second round. The reason for the drop, after a huge junior year at Georgia, was because of a heart issue that didn't seem to impact him last year. The Giants grabbed Ojulari two picks after the Niners picked Aaron Banks at 48, and he went on to become a stud DE, setting a franchise record for sacks as a rookie.

With that idea in mind, I didn't mind going for the fences with a late second rounder in Nakobe Dean, who says he is fine, and ready to play. I liked Cross in the third round as a safety with great range, and outstanding tackling skills, especially in the open field. I love this kid and his makeup. Winfrey was a monster at the Senior Bowl, which is a barometer I often use to gauge the ability for these college kids to transition to the NFL. When a player stands out in this All-Star game, it is worth a serious consideration. The same goes for Austin, who was simply uncoverable during Senior Bowl week. He is tiny, and if you blow on him, he falls down, but is open all the time. Deep, deep speed!

As stated earlier this week, I think the draft really falls off by the end of Day Two. In most years, I see draft gems sitting on the board in the fifth, sixth and sometimes even seventh rounds. I just didn't see much talent in this draft. So, my 5-7th rounders are backup material (all of these players were UFA). I do think all have a legit shot at making the roster, or at the least spending time on the practice squad. Domann has had two ACL surgeries, which certainly killed his draft grade, but this kid is a rocket on special teams. If his knees hold up, I like his chances of being a special teams anchor for years to come. Strong also has concerns over his knees. We will see if that kills his chances of playing in the NFL. But, he's got a live arm. Garrett was shot in the face this year, but recovered and had a solid year here in Columbus. As stated earlier with Dean, I'll take some chances with productive, hard-working, good-character kids. But, this is my own draft strategy.

Here was my on-the-clock shadow draft:
2. Nakobe Dean- LB, Georgia (drafted 22 picks after the Niners selected Jackson)
3. Nick Cross- S, Maryland (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Davis-Price)
3. Perrion Winfrey- DT, Oklahoma (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Gray)
4. Calvin Austin- WR, Memphis (drafted 4 picks after the Niners selected Burford)
5. Kellen Diesch- OT. Arizona State (UFA)
6. Dohnovan West- G, Arizona State (UFA)
6. Carson Strong- QB, Nevada (UFA)
6. Jojo Domann- S/ST- Nebraska (UFA)
7. Haskell Garrett- DT, Ohio State (UFA)

Cheers to all of you! And, good luck to all our 49ers draftees. I hope they all go to multiple Pro Bowls.

-MD

Glad to read your work again. Agree with your thoughts on most of these guys. A lot of value picks based on what I've been mocking in most of the mock draft simulator games. Was surprised Strong and West went undrafted.

How I wish it would have went
2.) Edge Nik Bonnito
3.) S Nick Cross or LB Leo Chenal
3.) WR Danny Gray
4.) CB Tariq Woolen or RB Ty Chandler
5.) OL Jamaree Salyer
6.) QB Carson Strong
6.) WR Bo Melton
6.) Tariq Castro-Fields
7.) C/G Donovan West

Good draft. Nik Bonitto is a blast to watch. His bend around the corner is awesome!

Originally posted by miked1978:
Not sure where to put this but here is are my picks from the live draft. I wasn't too pleased with how the draft board fell in general. Other than passing on Nick Cross I'm quite happy with who the 49ers picked and I'd probably take their draft over mine. It'll be cool to revisit this in 3 years.

Pick and where they went

• Bernhard Raimann (OT) – 64
• Nick Cross (S) – 96
• Demeon Pierce (S) – 107
• Tariq Woolen (CB) – 153
• Kingsley Enagbare (DE) – 179
• Dohnovan West (C) – UDFA
• Samori Toure (WR) – 258
• Tariq Castro-Fields (CB) - 221
• Carson Strong (QB) - UDFA
  
  

I think your draft is very strong. I like Woolen and Enagbare. Good value picks.

I'll be honest. The Niners' were stuck in a very difficult position to get quality players in their slots. Picking at 61, 93, and 105 makes you do your homework. Picking for a team like the Jets this year is easy.

Originally posted by MadDog49er:

Originally posted by NTeply49:

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
With the blink of an eye, the draft has come and gone. It was certainly a different one, since our first pick came late in the second round. It makes it very difficult to find top-end talent that can step in and immediately help the team.

When I review the Niners' draft, i think the Niners hit in some picks, reached on others and completely missed golden opportunities to improve their roster.
Count me bullish on Drake Jackson (a very nice player with upside), Kalia Davis, Tariq Castro-Fields and Brock Purdy as good value selections in their slot. At the same time, I thought the team was overly ambitious with their selections of Tyrion Davis-Price, Danny Gray, Spencer Burford, Samuel Womack, and Nick Zakelj. In my opinion, Gray (who I like as a player) will be the only player in this group who makes it to a second contract with the team, and I believe that Gray was selected a round early.

It is hard to hit on picks after the fourth round, so I can't be too tough on the Niners on their Saturday selections. Teams are grasping at straws with Day Three picks.
I am most critical of the Davis-Price pick. That was a huge error, especially with a top 100 selection.

I am a huge believer at making value picks with guys who have a perceived medical issue that may or may not be a problem down the road. Last year, in my shadow draft, I picked Azzez Ojulari for the Niners in second round. The reason for the drop, after a huge junior year at Georgia, was because of a heart issue that didn't seem to impact him last year. The Giants grabbed Ojulari two picks after the Niners picked Aaron Banks at 48, and he went on to become a stud DE, setting a franchise record for sacks as a rookie.

With that idea in mind, I didn't mind going for the fences with a late second rounder in Nakobe Dean, who says he is fine, and ready to play. I liked Cross in the third round as a safety with great range, and outstanding tackling skills, especially in the open field. I love this kid and his makeup. Winfrey was a monster at the Senior Bowl, which is a barometer I often use to gauge the ability for these college kids to transition to the NFL. When a player stands out in this All-Star game, it is worth a serious consideration. The same goes for Austin, who was simply uncoverable during Senior Bowl week. He is tiny, and if you blow on him, he falls down, but is open all the time. Deep, deep speed!

As stated earlier this week, I think the draft really falls off by the end of Day Two. In most years, I see draft gems sitting on the board in the fifth, sixth and sometimes even seventh rounds. I just didn't see much talent in this draft. So, my 5-7th rounders are backup material (all of these players were UFA). I do think all have a legit shot at making the roster, or at the least spending time on the practice squad. Domann has had two ACL surgeries, which certainly killed his draft grade, but this kid is a rocket on special teams. If his knees hold up, I like his chances of being a special teams anchor for years to come. Strong also has concerns over his knees. We will see if that kills his chances of playing in the NFL. But, he's got a live arm. Garrett was shot in the face this year, but recovered and had a solid year here in Columbus. As stated earlier with Dean, I'll take some chances with productive, hard-working, good-character kids. But, this is my own draft strategy.

Here was my on-the-clock shadow draft:
2. Nakobe Dean- LB, Georgia (drafted 22 picks after the Niners selected Jackson)
3. Nick Cross- S, Maryland (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Davis-Price)
3. Perrion Winfrey- DT, Oklahoma (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Gray)
4. Calvin Austin- WR, Memphis (drafted 4 picks after the Niners selected Burford)
5. Kellen Diesch- OT. Arizona State (UFA)
6. Dohnovan West- G, Arizona State (UFA)
6. Carson Strong- QB, Nevada (UFA)
6. Jojo Domann- S/ST- Nebraska (UFA)
7. Haskell Garrett- DT, Ohio State (UFA)

Cheers to all of you! And, good luck to all our 49ers draftees. I hope they all go to multiple Pro Bowls.

-MD

Glad to read your work again. Agree with your thoughts on most of these guys. A lot of value picks based on what I've been mocking in most of the mock draft simulator games. Was surprised Strong and West went undrafted.

How I wish it would have went
2.) Edge Nik Bonnito
3.) S Nick Cross or LB Leo Chenal
3.) WR Danny Gray
4.) CB Tariq Woolen or RB Ty Chandler
5.) OL Jamaree Salyer
6.) QB Carson Strong
6.) WR Bo Melton
6.) Tariq Castro-Fields
7.) C/G Donovan West

Good draft. Nik Bonitto is a blast to watch. His bend around the corner is awesome!

Thank you. I thought Bonnito would have been perfect as a situational pass rusher, a perfect compliment to Bosa, and in base defense, let him rest while Armstead plays the edge in base. I was surprised Chenal didn't go sooner. The undrafted players surprised me though. I might have taken Strong earlier had I not known he was an UDFA.

Out of all of the teams, who do you think had the best draft? I really like what the Lions and Jets did, as well as the Falcons.

I was very surprised Haskell Garrett didn't get drafted, thought he was better than Tommy Togiai who went in the 4th round last year from OSU.

Nik Bonitto was my draft crush this year, Ojulari was last year. I believe Bonitto will have an amazing career in Denver if they develop him well, he's a lot similar to Haason Reddick than anyone else imo.

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
With the blink of an eye, the draft has come and gone. It was certainly a different one, since our first pick came late in the second round. It makes it very difficult to find top-end talent that can step in and immediately help the team.

When I review the Niners' draft, i think the Niners hit in some picks, reached on others and completely missed golden opportunities to improve their roster.
Count me bullish on Drake Jackson (a very nice player with upside), Kalia Davis, Tariq Castro-Fields and Brock Purdy as good value selections in their slot. At the same time, I thought the team was overly ambitious with their selections of Tyrion Davis-Price, Danny Gray, Spencer Burford, Samuel Womack, and Nick Zakelj. In my opinion, Gray (who I like as a player) will be the only player in this group who makes it to a second contract with the team, and I believe that Gray was selected a round early.

It is hard to hit on picks after the fourth round, so I can't be too tough on the Niners on their Saturday selections. Teams are grasping at straws with Day Three picks.
I am most critical of the Davis-Price pick. That was a huge error, especially with a top 100 selection.

I am a huge believer at making value picks with guys who have a perceived medical issue that may or may not be a problem down the road. Last year, in my shadow draft, I picked Azzez Ojulari for the Niners in second round. The reason for the drop, after a huge junior year at Georgia, was because of a heart issue that didn't seem to impact him last year. The Giants grabbed Ojulari two picks after the Niners picked Aaron Banks at 48, and he went on to become a stud DE, setting a franchise record for sacks as a rookie.

With that idea in mind, I didn't mind going for the fences with a late second rounder in Nakobe Dean, who says he is fine, and ready to play. I liked Cross in the third round as a safety with great range, and outstanding tackling skills, especially in the open field. I love this kid and his makeup. Winfrey was a monster at the Senior Bowl, which is a barometer I often use to gauge the ability for these college kids to transition to the NFL. When a player stands out in this All-Star game, it is worth a serious consideration. The same goes for Austin, who was simply uncoverable during Senior Bowl week. He is tiny, and if you blow on him, he falls down, but is open all the time. Deep, deep speed!

As stated earlier this week, I think the draft really falls off by the end of Day Two. In most years, I see draft gems sitting on the board in the fifth, sixth and sometimes even seventh rounds. I just didn't see much talent in this draft. So, my 5-7th rounders are backup material (all of these players were UFA). I do think all have a legit shot at making the roster, or at the least spending time on the practice squad. Domann has had two ACL surgeries, which certainly killed his draft grade, but this kid is a rocket on special teams. If his knees hold up, I like his chances of being a special teams anchor for years to come. Strong also has concerns over his knees. We will see if that kills his chances of playing in the NFL. But, he's got a live arm. Garrett was shot in the face this year, but recovered and had a solid year here in Columbus. As stated earlier with Dean, I'll take some chances with productive, hard-working, good-character kids. But, this is my own draft strategy.

Here was my on-the-clock shadow draft:
2. Nakobe Dean- LB, Georgia (drafted 22 picks after the Niners selected Jackson)
3. Nick Cross- S, Maryland (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Davis-Price)
3. Perrion Winfrey- DT, Oklahoma (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Gray)
4. Calvin Austin- WR, Memphis (drafted 4 picks after the Niners selected Burford)
5. Kellen Diesch- OT. Arizona State (UFA)
6. Dohnovan West- G, Arizona State (UFA)
6. Carson Strong- QB, Nevada (UFA)
6. Jojo Domann- S/ST- Nebraska (UFA)
7. Haskell Garrett- DT, Ohio State (UFA)

Cheers to all of you! And, good luck to all our 49ers draftees. I hope they all go to multiple Pro Bowls.

-MD

I love the work that you do Maddog and am always looking forward to hear your thoughts and while I don't necessarily agree with all the picks I understand the thought process behind most of them. The only one I have any real sort of disagreement would be regarding Nakobe Dean. You can't have too many good players at one position but I feel like the relative value of picking up a Dean just isn't worth a second round pick due to the positional group already having Warner, Greenlaw and Al shaair. Plus it feels like the modern nfl is going away from A guy like Deans skill set. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but with the increased focus on passing the ideal linebacker now a days are guys like Warner who can cover well Dean from what I parsed from scouting reports had questions about his ability in coverage and also with most teams running nickle defense linebackers value becomes less important. I think Dean is a good player and he can have success however I don't think that picking him would be maximized value for the 49ers

Here is MadDog's 2023 picks:
87. Darius Rush-CB
99. Nick Herbig-OLB
101. A. Adebawore-DE/DT
155. Payne Durham-TE
173. Jaelyn Duncan-OT
216. Andrew Vorhees-G
247. Caleb Murphy- OLB
253 Trey Dean- S
255. Xazavian Valladay-RB

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
With the blink of an eye, the draft has come and gone. It was certainly a different one, since our first pick came late in the second round. It makes it very difficult to find top-end talent that can step in and immediately help the team.

When I review the Niners' draft, i think the Niners hit in some picks, reached on others and completely missed golden opportunities to improve their roster.
Count me bullish on Drake Jackson (a very nice player with upside), Kalia Davis, Tariq Castro-Fields and Brock Purdy as good value selections in their slot. At the same time, I thought the team was overly ambitious with their selections of Tyrion Davis-Price, Danny Gray, Spencer Burford, Samuel Womack, and Nick Zakelj. In my opinion, Gray (who I like as a player) will be the only player in this group who makes it to a second contract with the team, and I believe that Gray was selected a round early.

It is hard to hit on picks after the fourth round, so I can't be too tough on the Niners on their Saturday selections. Teams are grasping at straws with Day Three picks.
I am most critical of the Davis-Price pick. That was a huge error, especially with a top 100 selection.

I am a huge believer at making value picks with guys who have a perceived medical issue that may or may not be a problem down the road. Last year, in my shadow draft, I picked Azzez Ojulari for the Niners in second round. The reason for the drop, after a huge junior year at Georgia, was because of a heart issue that didn't seem to impact him last year. The Giants grabbed Ojulari two picks after the Niners picked Aaron Banks at 48, and he went on to become a stud DE, setting a franchise record for sacks as a rookie.

With that idea in mind, I didn't mind going for the fences with a late second rounder in Nakobe Dean, who says he is fine, and ready to play. I liked Cross in the third round as a safety with great range, and outstanding tackling skills, especially in the open field. I love this kid and his makeup. Winfrey was a monster at the Senior Bowl, which is a barometer I often use to gauge the ability for these college kids to transition to the NFL. When a player stands out in this All-Star game, it is worth a serious consideration. The same goes for Austin, who was simply uncoverable during Senior Bowl week. He is tiny, and if you blow on him, he falls down, but is open all the time. Deep, deep speed!

As stated earlier this week, I think the draft really falls off by the end of Day Two. In most years, I see draft gems sitting on the board in the fifth, sixth and sometimes even seventh rounds. I just didn't see much talent in this draft. So, my 5-7th rounders are backup material (all of these players were UFA). I do think all have a legit shot at making the roster, or at the least spending time on the practice squad. Domann has had two ACL surgeries, which certainly killed his draft grade, but this kid is a rocket on special teams. If his knees hold up, I like his chances of being a special teams anchor for years to come. Strong also has concerns over his knees. We will see if that kills his chances of playing in the NFL. But, he's got a live arm. Garrett was shot in the face this year, but recovered and had a solid year here in Columbus. As stated earlier with Dean, I'll take some chances with productive, hard-working, good-character kids. But, this is my own draft strategy.

Here was my on-the-clock shadow draft:
2. Nakobe Dean- LB, Georgia (drafted 22 picks after the Niners selected Jackson)
3. Nick Cross- S, Maryland (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Davis-Price)
3. Perrion Winfrey- DT, Oklahoma (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Gray)
4. Calvin Austin- WR, Memphis (drafted 4 picks after the Niners selected Burford)
5. Kellen Diesch- OT. Arizona State (UFA)
6. Dohnovan West- G, Arizona State (UFA)
6. Carson Strong- QB, Nevada (UFA)
6. Jojo Domann- S/ST- Nebraska (UFA)
7. Haskell Garrett- DT, Ohio State (UFA)

Cheers to all of you! And, good luck to all our 49ers draftees. I hope they all go to multiple Pro Bowls.

-MD

A year later, you were right that Brock Purdy was a good value pick (I would call it the best pick in multiple year drafts). I think Gray and Drake have underperformed so far based on your praise. Burford and Womack have overperformed based on your expectations.

Originally posted by fryet:

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
With the blink of an eye, the draft has come and gone. It was certainly a different one, since our first pick came late in the second round. It makes it very difficult to find top-end talent that can step in and immediately help the team.

When I review the Niners' draft, i think the Niners hit in some picks, reached on others and completely missed golden opportunities to improve their roster.
Count me bullish on Drake Jackson (a very nice player with upside), Kalia Davis, Tariq Castro-Fields and Brock Purdy as good value selections in their slot. At the same time, I thought the team was overly ambitious with their selections of Tyrion Davis-Price, Danny Gray, Spencer Burford, Samuel Womack, and Nick Zakelj. In my opinion, Gray (who I like as a player) will be the only player in this group who makes it to a second contract with the team, and I believe that Gray was selected a round early.

It is hard to hit on picks after the fourth round, so I can't be too tough on the Niners on their Saturday selections. Teams are grasping at straws with Day Three picks.
I am most critical of the Davis-Price pick. That was a huge error, especially with a top 100 selection.

I am a huge believer at making value picks with guys who have a perceived medical issue that may or may not be a problem down the road. Last year, in my shadow draft, I picked Azzez Ojulari for the Niners in second round. The reason for the drop, after a huge junior year at Georgia, was because of a heart issue that didn't seem to impact him last year. The Giants grabbed Ojulari two picks after the Niners picked Aaron Banks at 48, and he went on to become a stud DE, setting a franchise record for sacks as a rookie.

With that idea in mind, I didn't mind going for the fences with a late second rounder in Nakobe Dean, who says he is fine, and ready to play. I liked Cross in the third round as a safety with great range, and outstanding tackling skills, especially in the open field. I love this kid and his makeup. Winfrey was a monster at the Senior Bowl, which is a barometer I often use to gauge the ability for these college kids to transition to the NFL. When a player stands out in this All-Star game, it is worth a serious consideration. The same goes for Austin, who was simply uncoverable during Senior Bowl week. He is tiny, and if you blow on him, he falls down, but is open all the time. Deep, deep speed!

As stated earlier this week, I think the draft really falls off by the end of Day Two. In most years, I see draft gems sitting on the board in the fifth, sixth and sometimes even seventh rounds. I just didn't see much talent in this draft. So, my 5-7th rounders are backup material (all of these players were UFA). I do think all have a legit shot at making the roster, or at the least spending time on the practice squad. Domann has had two ACL surgeries, which certainly killed his draft grade, but this kid is a rocket on special teams. If his knees hold up, I like his chances of being a special teams anchor for years to come. Strong also has concerns over his knees. We will see if that kills his chances of playing in the NFL. But, he's got a live arm. Garrett was shot in the face this year, but recovered and had a solid year here in Columbus. As stated earlier with Dean, I'll take some chances with productive, hard-working, good-character kids. But, this is my own draft strategy.

Here was my on-the-clock shadow draft:
2. Nakobe Dean- LB, Georgia (drafted 22 picks after the Niners selected Jackson)
3. Nick Cross- S, Maryland (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Davis-Price)
3. Perrion Winfrey- DT, Oklahoma (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Gray)
4. Calvin Austin- WR, Memphis (drafted 4 picks after the Niners selected Burford)
5. Kellen Diesch- OT. Arizona State (UFA)
6. Dohnovan West- G, Arizona State (UFA)
6. Carson Strong- QB, Nevada (UFA)
6. Jojo Domann- S/ST- Nebraska (UFA)
7. Haskell Garrett- DT, Ohio State (UFA)

Cheers to all of you! And, good luck to all our 49ers draftees. I hope they all go to multiple Pro Bowls.

-MD

A year later, you were right that Brock Purdy was a good value pick (I would call it the best pick in multiple year drafts). I think Gray and Drake have underperformed so far based on your praise. Burford and Womack have overperformed based on your expectations.

The Niners draft was far better than MadDogs. 4 of his last 5 picks didnt even get drafted and he took Carson Strong ahead of Brock Purdy. After a year I would have to give his draft a D at best. While none of his picks were starters, the Niners had Purdy and Burford both starting.

Originally posted by Ninerjohn:

Originally posted by fryet:

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
With the blink of an eye, the draft has come and gone. It was certainly a different one, since our first pick came late in the second round. It makes it very difficult to find top-end talent that can step in and immediately help the team.

When I review the Niners' draft, i think the Niners hit in some picks, reached on others and completely missed golden opportunities to improve their roster.
Count me bullish on Drake Jackson (a very nice player with upside), Kalia Davis, Tariq Castro-Fields and Brock Purdy as good value selections in their slot. At the same time, I thought the team was overly ambitious with their selections of Tyrion Davis-Price, Danny Gray, Spencer Burford, Samuel Womack, and Nick Zakelj. In my opinion, Gray (who I like as a player) will be the only player in this group who makes it to a second contract with the team, and I believe that Gray was selected a round early.

It is hard to hit on picks after the fourth round, so I can't be too tough on the Niners on their Saturday selections. Teams are grasping at straws with Day Three picks.
I am most critical of the Davis-Price pick. That was a huge error, especially with a top 100 selection.

I am a huge believer at making value picks with guys who have a perceived medical issue that may or may not be a problem down the road. Last year, in my shadow draft, I picked Azzez Ojulari for the Niners in second round. The reason for the drop, after a huge junior year at Georgia, was because of a heart issue that didn't seem to impact him last year. The Giants grabbed Ojulari two picks after the Niners picked Aaron Banks at 48, and he went on to become a stud DE, setting a franchise record for sacks as a rookie.

With that idea in mind, I didn't mind going for the fences with a late second rounder in Nakobe Dean, who says he is fine, and ready to play. I liked Cross in the third round as a safety with great range, and outstanding tackling skills, especially in the open field. I love this kid and his makeup. Winfrey was a monster at the Senior Bowl, which is a barometer I often use to gauge the ability for these college kids to transition to the NFL. When a player stands out in this All-Star game, it is worth a serious consideration. The same goes for Austin, who was simply uncoverable during Senior Bowl week. He is tiny, and if you blow on him, he falls down, but is open all the time. Deep, deep speed!

As stated earlier this week, I think the draft really falls off by the end of Day Two. In most years, I see draft gems sitting on the board in the fifth, sixth and sometimes even seventh rounds. I just didn't see much talent in this draft. So, my 5-7th rounders are backup material (all of these players were UFA). I do think all have a legit shot at making the roster, or at the least spending time on the practice squad. Domann has had two ACL surgeries, which certainly killed his draft grade, but this kid is a rocket on special teams. If his knees hold up, I like his chances of being a special teams anchor for years to come. Strong also has concerns over his knees. We will see if that kills his chances of playing in the NFL. But, he's got a live arm. Garrett was shot in the face this year, but recovered and had a solid year here in Columbus. As stated earlier with Dean, I'll take some chances with productive, hard-working, good-character kids. But, this is my own draft strategy.

Here was my on-the-clock shadow draft:
2. Nakobe Dean- LB, Georgia (drafted 22 picks after the Niners selected Jackson)
3. Nick Cross- S, Maryland (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Davis-Price)
3. Perrion Winfrey- DT, Oklahoma (drafted 3 picks after the Niners selected Gray)
4. Calvin Austin- WR, Memphis (drafted 4 picks after the Niners selected Burford)
5. Kellen Diesch- OT. Arizona State (UFA)
6. Dohnovan West- G, Arizona State (UFA)
6. Carson Strong- QB, Nevada (UFA)
6. Jojo Domann- S/ST- Nebraska (UFA)
7. Haskell Garrett- DT, Ohio State (UFA)

Cheers to all of you! And, good luck to all our 49ers draftees. I hope they all go to multiple Pro Bowls.

-MD

A year later, you were right that Brock Purdy was a good value pick (I would call it the best pick in multiple year drafts). I think Gray and Drake have underperformed so far based on your praise. Burford and Womack have overperformed based on your expectations.

The Niners draft was far better than MadDogs. 4 of his last 5 picks didnt even get drafted and he took Carson Strong ahead of Brock Purdy. After a year I would have to give his draft a D at best. While none of his picks were starters, the Niners had Purdy and Burford both starting.

Was surprised at just how little, if at all, those top 4 even played when I went back to look.

Originally posted by Hoovtrain:
Was surprised at just how little, if at all, those top 4 even played when I went back to look.

Draft is a legit crapshoot. Even smart draftniks get em wrong.

Originally posted by 9ers4eva:
Draft is a legit crapshoot. Even smart draftniks get em wrong.

This just can't be repeated often enough. Everyone, GM's, talking heads, draftniks, everyone. And then of course there are the numerous picks that were entirely justified but thanks to injury or a failure of coaching never get developed optimally. And the other guys who are drafted into a crap team or a team which, one year later, changes its coach and scheme and no longer needs that particular player.