Round 7, #211, the San Francisco 49ers selects Bruce Miller (DL) Central Florida

People are overreacting here. He'll get a shot at fullback, that doesn't mean we're tabbing him as our next fullback. We can still bring someone in and have a competition.

We know he'll have a solid role in the Special teams so it's not like this is a wasted pick and even if it was it's the 7th round.

I think occasionly he'll go on defense, if one of LB goes down. His primary position will be FB.

[ Edited by mayo49 on May 1, 2011 at 08:53:59 ]

I'm starting to really like this pick. He plays nasty... a big hitter. He's also much more athletic than traditional fullbacks, particularly Moran Norris.

Originally posted by strickac:
I'm starting to really like this pick. He plays nasty... a big hitter. He's also much more athletic than traditional fullbacks, particularly Moran Norris.

Watching videos of him, I can see why the Niners would want to try him out at FB. He likes contact. He isn't very fast or quick so he isn't athletic enough to play LB, but is to play FB. He will be a bubble player on defense, but this conversion gives him a better shot at not only making the roster but getting playing time at something other than special teams. And at the combine, it looks like he has decent hands.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
That's the dumbest thing I ever heard in my life. To take a guy who was one of the best sack artists in his league and try to force him into becomming a FB. A position he never played before at any level. The guy got so many sacks for a reason... And there are OLB pass rushers his size. At least try him there first for goodness sake...

This is the type of guy the WZ faithful will gleefully call "bust" or "wasted pick" in a year or a few years. But you see we busted him! We are asking him to play something he never played before and is not comfortable with. Rather than the super productive defensive player he was. OLB pass rusher would be perfect for him. He can rush the passer and was productive at it. Try him there!

Like the pick and trying to convert the player idea .Free up more players on other roster spot ..He is a 7th rd. pick. If he was any good he would have gone a lot higher in the draft.At least he is on a team roster so he can prove his worth .

Originally posted by buhda:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
That's the dumbest thing I ever heard in my life. To take a guy who was one of the best sack artists in his league and try to force him into becomming a FB. A position he never played before at any level. The guy got so many sacks for a reason... And there are OLB pass rushers his size. At least try him there first for goodness sake...

This is the type of guy the WZ faithful will gleefully call "bust" or "wasted pick" in a year or a few years. But you see we busted him! We are asking him to play something he never played before and is not comfortable with. Rather than the super productive defensive player he was. OLB pass rusher would be perfect for him. He can rush the passer and was productive at it. Try him there!

Like the pick and trying to convert the player idea .Free up more players on other roster spot ..He is a 7th rd. pick. If he was any good he would have gone a lot higher in the draft.At least he is on a team roster so he can prove his worth .

If Tom Brady was any good he would have gone higher than the 6th round...

You have no clue what the guy is until he plays. He was hugely productive in college. Let the guy do what he does. If they wanted Owen Marecic they should have picked Owen Marecic. Let this guy do what he does. He went later because he is small for his position. Not becuase of production. He had tons of production.

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by buhda:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:
That's the dumbest thing I ever heard in my life. To take a guy who was one of the best sack artists in his league and try to force him into becomming a FB. A position he never played before at any level. The guy got so many sacks for a reason... And there are OLB pass rushers his size. At least try him there first for goodness sake...

This is the type of guy the WZ faithful will gleefully call "bust" or "wasted pick" in a year or a few years. But you see we busted him! We are asking him to play something he never played before and is not comfortable with. Rather than the super productive defensive player he was. OLB pass rusher would be perfect for him. He can rush the passer and was productive at it. Try him there!

Like the pick and trying to convert the player idea .Free up more players on other roster spot ..He is a 7th rd. pick. If he was any good he would have gone a lot higher in the draft.At least he is on a team roster so he can prove his worth .

If Tom Brady was any good he would have gone higher than the 6th round...

You have no clue what the guy is until he plays. He was hugely productive in college. Let the guy do what he does. If they wanted Owen Marecic they should have picked Owen Marecic. Let this guy do what he does. He went later because he is small for his position. Not becuase of production. He had tons of production.

I'm glad they're at least not ruling out using him on defense.

http://www.csnbayarea.com/05/01/11/Maiocco-49ers-assign-themselves-gold-sta/landing.html?full_args=05/01/11/Maiocco-49ers-assign-themselves-gold-sta/landing&blockID=514445&feedID=5936

Quote:
FB Bruce Miller Central Florida (6-1 5/8, 248)
Seventh round, No. 211 overall
This was the most curious pick of the 49ers' draft. At the combine, Miller was talking to 49ers linebackers coach Jim Leavitt. But in the days leading up to the draft, running backs coach Tom Rathman received the handoff. Miller was the Conference-USA defensive player of the year while recording 8.5 sacks as a defensive end. (That's three more sacks than Aldon Smith recorded during his injury-plagued final season.) The 49ers have Miller slated to be a fullback. But he's a guy Harbaugh said he just wanted on his team, period. "It's like a blinking light, 'I'm a football player, I'm a football player.'" Harbaugh said. "He may also be a pass rusher too. So, we're not closing the door on any options with that youngster. I think he is a football player."

Read more: Maiocco: 49ers assign themselves gold star for draft
Tune to SportsNet Central at 6, 10:30 and midnight on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area for more on this story

Originally posted by 49ersRednGold:

Originally posted by strickac:
I'm starting to really like this pick. He plays nasty... a big hitter. He's also much more athletic than traditional fullbacks, particularly Moran Norris.

Watching videos of him, I can see why the Niners would want to try him out at FB. He likes contact. He isn't very fast or quick so he isn't athletic enough to play LB, but is to play FB. He will be a bubble player on defense, but this conversion gives him a better shot at not only making the roster but getting playing time at something other than special teams. And at the combine, it looks like he has decent hands.

Yes, he was one of the best 'value' picks in the draft. He's a 7th rounder! He is athletic enough to have had over 35.5 sacks. He is 255 lbs, had a 33 1/2" vertical and ran a 4.65 40. That's faster than Aldon Smith drafted #7 overall! (and same vertical). Miller is very athletic.

Two-time Conference-USA POY. He dominated against Miami U and Georgia. Plus great intangibles, work ethic, etc. He could be a very athletic FB (much more athletic than Marecic). But could also play OLB (35.5 sacks) or perhaps even ILB (they will find his best spot).

People b***hing about this pick or possible conversion is stupid. Open your minds to better possibilities!

[ Edited by maxsmart on May 1, 2011 at 17:30:03 ]

This was a great pick. I know people are disappointed that he will be moved to FB, but if you read what Harbaugh and Baalke had to say after the draft, they said he will be tried out at FB but if he can prove he is capable of keeping a roster spot for the defensive side of the ball, then he will be allowed to play there.

basically, it saves us a roster spot. He can be used as our FB hopefully, and at the same time, be used as a depth OLB and possibly a nickel/dime DE. I love this pick. I saw videos on this guy and he is a monster coming of the edge. Nice steal.

i miss Britt Miller

yea. this sounds like a nolan move right here. if you wanted a fullback then draft a fullback.

Fullback is probably the easiest position in football to transition to. I like this pick. At the very least, he will be a beast on ST's, the most underestimated avenue of football.

I'm so torn on this pick! When they started talking about his beastly stats on defense I was very happy and thought wow good 7th round value. Then when I found out they wanted him as a FB WTF?

I would love a young, athletic, hard-hitting FB to replace Norris. I would also like this FB to be able to pick up 4th and 1 and catch the ball when he has to. Stanley Havili was there, if we were drafting only for the FB position he was the better pick IMO.

If Harbaugh wants to play him on both sides of the ball like he did the Owen kid at Stanford that would be very cool though. You don't see many 2 way players.

All in all it's a 7th round pick, 1 of a NFL high 10 picks. I know it seems like we took alot of flyers on guys in this draft but I think it's exageratted.

Originally posted by maxsmart:

Originally posted by 49ersRednGold:

Originally posted by strickac:
I'm starting to really like this pick. He plays nasty... a big hitter. He's also much more athletic than traditional fullbacks, particularly Moran Norris.

Watching videos of him, I can see why the Niners would want to try him out at FB. He likes contact. He isn't very fast or quick so he isn't athletic enough to play LB, but is to play FB. He will be a bubble player on defense, but this conversion gives him a better shot at not only making the roster but getting playing time at something other than special teams. And at the combine, it looks like he has decent hands.

Yes, he was one of the best 'value' picks in the draft. He's a 7th rounder! He is athletic enough to have had over 35.5 sacks. He is 255 lbs, had a 33 1/2" vertical and ran a 4.65 40. That's faster than Aldon Smith drafted #7 overall! (and same vertical). Miller is very athletic.

Two-time Conference-USA POY. He dominated against Miami U and Georgia. Plus great intangibles, work ethic, etc. He could be a very athletic FB (much more athletic than Marecic). But could also play OLB (35.5 sacks) or perhaps even ILB (they will find his best spot).

People b***hing about this pick or possible conversion is stupid. Open your minds to better possibilities!

First off, I like this pick. I agree with everything you said about how athletic he is and great intangibles. It's good value for a 7th rounder. But I was surprised when you said his 40 time based on what I saw so I looked it up and you're cherry picking his low end 40 time. That's fine but I'm just not seeing him as strong/fast enough to crack our starting lineup. Our run defense is one of the best in the league though so maybe on another team..

I agree with the other posters that his best shot of starting is probably at FB. I just don't see him cracking the starting lineup on defense. Who would he replace? We just got a rookie #1 at OLB. We have Bowman at MLB trying to beat out Spikes.

We already have a FB, his name is Nate Byham!