Parys Haralson did a good job last season, recording a team-leading eight sacks. However, he is entering the final year of his contract. On the other side, the 49ers want to see if Manny Lawson can do the job. He has 5.5 sacks in 34 career games, and has been standing on the sideline in pass-rush situations.
Although the 49ers need to draft an outside linebacker, it doesn't necessarily mean they will address that position with the No. 10 overall pick. This is a deep draft at that position, and it's not as if the guys at the top of the class are flawless.
As reported yesterday,
(
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Maybin (6-4, 249) played just two seasons at
None of these guys is considered a "can't-miss" prospect.
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Now, we turn to draft expert Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com to break down these players:
"I don't like Maybin. He scares the hell out of me. He's got some burst to him. The kid gained 30 pounds between the end of the bowl game and the combine. When I look at him, he looks like a physically young kid that has a lot of growing. He had just one big year and came out.
"Orakpo is almost like a finished product already. He's so bulked up . . . I don't know what he can do to become much better. He's not really explosive off the snap as a defensive end. And in linebacker drills I've heard he was OK, but not great. If you liked him before, you still like him. He's big, strong guy. When he closes, he closes with a thump. You have to use him strictly as a pass-rusher. If you drop him into coverage, he's going to get beat because he's just not quick enough.
"Everette Brown is the one I'm the highest on. When I watch Everette Brown, he's the most explosive off the snap and he uses his hands better than anybody else in the draft. He's quicker. He slaps hands away and uses swim moves and rip moves and the whole thing. For being a kid as young as he is, he's pretty refined that way. But he's also a little under 6-2, and that's significant as well. When I watch him I think he has the most talent of the bunch, but there's no denying he's short."
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Q: What about from the second round on, who might the 49ers consider?
Rang: "This is one of the strengths of this draft. There are a lot of guys there. That's why I don't think a team like the 49ers have to reach in that top 10 for a guy. There are a lot of guys there for them.
"Cody Brown of
"Zack Follett from
Q: But is Follett is pass-rusher?
Rang: "He's not bad. He's not as big as some of the other guys. I think you can get him at a point where the value is good enough in the fourth or fifth round. He is pretty good off the edge. He's not an elite athlete like some of the other guys, but he knows how to use his hands and he can adjust in space a little bit. He's going to be more of a guy who can come in and compete early on and max out and you're not going to get a lot out of him long term. Whereas if you have a guy like Cody Brown, he's more of a defensive end. He's a better athlete. Two years down the road, he'll pass Follett. But the first two years, Follett will probably be a better player."
Q: Which other guys do you like?
Rang: "Larry English from
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From piecing together information from various sources, here is a list of the players who visited, or is scheduled to visit, the 49ers (day is when the player was scheduled to leave, as best as I could figure):
Monday: WR Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech), LB Rey Maualuga (USC), RB Arian Foster (Tennessee).
Tuesday: DL B.J. Raji (Boston College), QB Josh Freeman (Purdue).
Wednesday: RB Kory Sheets (Purdue),
Thursday: QB Mark Sanchez (USC), OT Andre Smith (Alabama), QB Nate Davis (Ball State).
Friday: OT Michael Oher (Mississippi), LB Aaron Maybin (Penn State), RB Mike Goodson (Texas A&M).
Those are the only known visits at this time. In addition, all the local players with local ties will have a chance to work out for the 49ers at the team's Santa Clara complex on Friday, April 17.
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The NFL will announce the 2009 regular-season schedule on Tuesday at 4 p.m. (PT). We'll bring you all the information at that time. Just a reminder, the 49ers already know their opponents, they just don't know the dates and times:
Home: Falcons, Lions, Bears, Jaguars, Titans, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks.
Away: Vikings, Packers, Eagles, Colts, Texans, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks.
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I would take Ayers over any of the aforementioned pass rushers.
By far, the 49ers' biggest single need -- and the spot where an upgrade will have the biggest impact on the W-L record -- is a pass rushing OLB.
And Rang is correct: the best of the bunch is Everette Brown (who also is supurb in pursuit).
ORT is no longer a desperate need, so the 49ers should draft the guy who, both long term and short term, will have the biggest impact: Everette Brown.
looking at next yr's opponents - we could go 5-3 at home, and 4-4 on the road . ...its very possible our record could be 9-7......
I know "A LOT" can change between now and the season but that home schedule is one of the easier ones the 49ers have had in a while, anything less than 6-2 would be disappointing. The 49ers 1st step is to start dominating the NFC West again, say at 5-1. Then everything falls into place.
Ayers is good against the run, and may be a bona fide prospect as a 4-3 DE, but I question whether he can handle the OLB position in a 3-4 defense.
He is awfully big (272 pounds, compared to Brown's 256), significantly slow (4.77/40, compared to Brown's 4.66), and not very strong (only 18 reps, compared to Brown's 26).
Last season, Ayers had only 3 sacks, compared to Brown's 13.5.
If you're looking for a pass rusher at OLB, Ayers is not your guy.
The 49ers have "leaked" that they might be interested in Ayers, but I think that is just smoke.
All's I know, is that if you are playing "When Mel Kiper is Wrong you gotta take a shot draft day game" they're gong to be a lot of drunk people.
From oneniner...
"looking at next yr's opponents - we could go 5-3 at home, and 4-4 on the road . ...its very possible our record could be 9-7......"
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I think this might be the first time I have ever agreed with you on anything.
Anything better than 9-7 will be a great coaching job ! even 8-8 would be pretty darn good with that schedule.
9-7 will probably win the division,so we just need to win the games with the Cards and we should be in the playoffs.
Don Banks is Sniffing Glue. I don't wanna take anything away from Mitty Matt and the Instant 49er Blogsphere but just take a look at this crap'ola
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/don_banks/04/09/mock1/index.html?eref=T1
Here is the lastest scouting report on Ayers from Mayok:
"There was a little buzz late in the year at Tennessee, At the Senior Bowl nobody could block him. His explosion and quickness blew me away so I went back and watched some more college tape of him. If you put the Alabama game on it might be one of the best tapes I saw all year of an individual player, I thought he handled
Ayers is a clear 4-3 DE.
I would draft Everette Brown at 10.
Everette Brown please! The next DeMarcus Ware.
Andre Smith. They kicked him inside and guards could'nt block him.
No mention of Barwin...I think Rang has him as his highest rated 3-4 olb candidate. I guess he figures there's no chance we'd take him at ten and that he'll be gone by our pick in the second.
Although, unfortunately, the 49ers have lots of needs, the "braintrust" (under pressure to show something) will want to grab a player that will make a difference asap. There's probably little chance of Raji falling to #10, but if he does there's no single player in the top 10 that can impact the 49ers, this year, more than he can all by himself. His addition would immediately shore up the run defense and he will require a double team to keep him from penetrating, and that would create lot's of opportunities for the current players to make more sacks.
Orakpo is the only pass-rusher who is worthy of a top ten pick. Brown and Maybin are good, but they are kind of a reach at ten. I wouldn't mind either of those guys, but I wouldn't be too thrilled if the 49ers drafted one at ten.
I think Clint Sintim, Connor Barwin, and Larry English are second round guys who would be great to have. If Raji went at ten and one of those guys at 43 I would be extatic.
Reading Rang's analysis and taking into account that the Niners are no longer desperate at ROT, the argument for trading down and picking up one more pick this year makes sense. Also maybe use some of the cap $$ and nail down Haralson for a few more years.
louie,
You're preaching to the choir on Raji unfortunatley I don't think he's going to be there when the 49ers pick. If he is gone I wouldn't mind the 49ers picking up Everette Brown. The 49ers need a true "pass rusher"
As Rang noted I'm just not big on Maybin. There's just not alot of body of work from his college career & the 49ers can't afford to whif on him at #10. It's better to get more of a sure thing.
Haralson even admitted himself that a lot of his sacks last year were coverage sacks. Haralson is an average player, and he needs to have a couple more 8 or 9 sack season before they think about signing him long term. If anyone one the team has potential to rush the passer it is Manny Lawson. He was a DE in college and in the NFL he has turned into more of a coverage guy.
This year the 49ers will use him to rush the passer and drop back on coverage. Lawson ws still recovering from an ACL tear last year and I think he was still trying to get his speed back. That's why he wasn't in on a lot of third downs, because he just wasn't at full strength most of the year. This year he will be healthy, and he put on some good size. Expect Man-Law to have a pro-bowl season if used properly.
IS THIS THE NEW JERSEY???
I work right by Santana Row and saw Lewis and Young yesterday after having lunch. Michael was wearing this jersey which is similar to the 94 throwbacks. Hmmm????
http://www.49ers.com/pressbox/news_detail.php?PRKey=5229§ion=PR%20News
We need a high impact pass rusher, not another later round project or hopeful. We are severely lacking at pass rush. It's gotta be right up there as the position of most need. Everette Brown seems like a very good, skilled pass rusher. He has multiple moves and has a great burst off of the edge. He'd make an impact immediately in the nickel package. Maybin is a project and risky. Orakpo isn't a great pass rusher, per nlfdraftscout.
sf,
Nolan had alot to do with Lawson not doing what he was suppose to do when the 49ers drafted him. Because of Nolan's ineptness Lawson has gone backwards in his developement despite the knee injury. I'll be rooting for him this year to finally do what he was meant to do. Frickin' Nolan!
Pat,
I couldn't agree more with your analysis. If the 49ers are going for a pass rusher then it's gotta be Brown.
Hey Matt- Do you know about what percentage of snaps Haralson played last year? My recollection is that he was subbed in and out a lot and wasn't even always in on passing downs but I'm not sure. 8 sacks for 17th in the league is not bad at all, but depending on how much he was in, it might actually be really good.
No reason to be so passive in this draft. If B.J. Raji slips past Cincinnati at #6, I would much rather see SF move in to get him. It beats sitting still and taking a questionable OLB or QB at #10. If we do sit still and Raji, Orakpo, and Crabtree are gone? Trade back if possible. I see a half-dozen studs that are worthy of our pick. If they are gone(and likely they will be), let us not "settle".
^ to add to a question from Erik, I'd be very interested to know just how many of Haralson's sacks were with him playing DE, and also how many were due to coverage sacks. I would guess that at least half were when his hand was in the dirt, and 3-4 were coverage sacks. (not to say we don't appreciate you, Parys... but...)
Hey Benny Blanco from the Bronx, That's not the new jersey he's wearing. Their practice jersey's look an awful lot like that, otherwise I'd say it's an replica throwback from 94.
John from HB Cali, you weren't joking about him sniffing glue! LOL. I'd say if he's lucky he'll get one of his top ten picks right (at most)! Only 2 position players taken ahead of the Niner's pick and Crabtree falling to #11? Not gonna happen!
i don't agree with Rang on Aaron Maybin. What he fails to mention is he's got the quickest burst out of any of the pass rushers. I really like Ayers as well, and would def take Brown. The draft is for building for the future, but i still like Raji to plug that middle in the 3-4. He can come in right away and help. I still believe we have failed Lawson by not allowing him to develop as a pass rusher. We need a nose to run Singletarys 3-4.
Everett Brown is not even in Mayoks' top 20. Do you all remember a guy by the name of Todd Kelly? That's who Brown reminds me of.
Since Banks has us taking Stafford...i also noticed another story on SI about the 49ers stance on Stafford's interview with the team psychologist..pretty interesting.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/austin_murphy/04/09/stafford/index.html?eref=T1
Matt,
Who funds all of the traveling that potential draft picks do? Do they get advances from their agents or do the perspective host teams pay for it?
Thanks,
Ender
Razor,
C'mon! How can you possibly compare a 49er player from 16 years ago to Brown? Why don't you just compare Brown to Todd "Crystal" Shell? They're not even the same athlete or body shape. You just want the 49ers to draft Ayers who is a 4-3 DE when you know full well the 49ers will be a 3-4 defense. It makes no sense.
I find it intriguing just how eerily similar Aaron Maybin and DeMarcus Ware are at this same portion of their careers. Both were considered reaches in the top 10. Ware was drafted #11 overall. Both were considered undersized and relying only on speed. Both gained 20lbs between their final game and the Combine. Both measured 6'4" 250lbs before the draft. Both ran ~4.6, both jumped ~40". People can continue their Maybin hate all they want but at only 20 years of age, this guy's ceiling as a pass-rush terror in a 3-4 is ridiculous.
Crabtree falling to us is realistic. Not probable, but realistic. What we need is for the Jags to sign Torry Holt. Oakland SHOULD take him, but Al's unhealthy obsession with 40 times may prevent it from happening. Green Bay, with Jennings and Driver, won't. Cincinnati may if they trade Ocho Cinco, but if not they just signed Laverneus Coles as well. Like Cin, Cleveland may take him if they trade Edwards. That leaves Seattle, who just signed Housh.
This is a VERY layered what-if scenario, I realize, but it's a possibility. IMO, it all comes down to Oakland and Jacksonville.
I'm not hating on the Maybin but unlike DeMarcus Ware who was a 3 year starter in college there's just not enough body of work from Maybin to evaluate him properly. He could be risky based on that.
Hawg-Connor Barwin is THE BOMB and I would be very pleased with a trade down (as I've noted here before) which involved him and another second round pick(my choice with extra second -J.Gilbert...then watchout!).One thing that Rang intimates is the second round is strong this year and I wholeheartedly agree-extra picks and keep building the culture ...
The concern I have with "waiting" until the 2nd to get a pass rusher is the increasing possibility that there will be a run made on them in the late part of the 1st. There are so few rush ends available in this year's draft that even the 4-3 teams will be selecting the "tweeners". It would be terrible if the 49ers elect to pass on a top 3-4 OLB prospect at #10 only to find that Brian Orakpo, Everette Brown, Aaron Maybin, Robert Ayers, Larry English, Connor Barwin, Michael Johnson, and Lawrence Sidbury have all been drafted by pick #43.
I never thought we would have a chance to snag . Crabtree.If a team wants someone similar to Crabtree,Raji,or Harvin,it is out of luck,because these are incomparable talents destined for greatness.If we don't have a receiver that must be double teamed,then we have an incomplete offense.Raji demands double coverage as well.
Alot of whispers recently about Michael Crabtree being a serious character concern for NFL execs.
I know there's a lot of directions Singletary could go in the draft...but I don't see any combo of 1-2 picks that could have the same impact as Everette Brown in the 1st, and Ron Brace in the 2nd. Brown would give us the pass rusher we've lacked...and Brace would give us the big body NT. While Franklin improved in the 2nd half of last season, I don't think he's the answer at NT. Ditto Sopoaga. Brace could be the answer. I'd love to see Raji fall to us...but, that's not very likely, so I see Brown & Brace as the guys to get.
Those predictions, made by a couple people way above in the blog about the wins/loses and the 9-7 record, made me mildly sick.
Definetly wouldn't wait for second round -the trade scenario which I refer to would involve trading 10th pick for a lower round 1st and a 2nd rounder and would probably involve someone who wanted a QB at 10th(which may not happen at this point however if it did C Barwin would be a great lower 1st round choice!).
highttop,
That's what I've been saying as a good possibility for awhile now because of who the teams are behind the 49ers who need a QB. I would give it a 50-50 chance that it will happen.
All of those guys you mention will be gone by the 43rd pick, with maybe the only exception being Sidbury. Proven pass rushers are a hot commodity and the best go fast.
BTW Matt I enjoy your Twitter Posts!
https://twitter.com/MattMaiocco
Check it out!
Ron Brace is far from an ideal 1-gap NT. He has very little ability penetrating the pocket. He could excel as a 2-gapper but Manusky isn't running a 2-Gap front 3
Ron Brace is far from an ideal 1-gap NT. He has very little ability penetrating the pocket. He could excel as a 2-gapper but Manusky isn't running a 2-Gap front 3
Forget the QB...here's why; If you look at last year you have to figure Hill will get better because the O-line is likely to improve with Marvel a big upgrade over Sims and Snyder, Chilo coming into his own in 2nd year, Heitman solid vet, Bass starting the year healthy and Staley getting better in year 3, and an offseasong to gel as a unit. Hill gets sacked much less that JTO so I think we will be pleasantly suprised with our O-line. If that pans out then VD will be freed up to have a breakout year. We have a couple of up and coming WR's and a few vets so I see our biggest gap being a Stud RB to go with Gore which can be had in the 2-3 rounds. I like the idea of trading down for an extra pick unless some sure fire prospect falls to us at 10. Go for best available player on D with the 1st 2 picks we get. Could be a NT, OLB, CB, Safety...we can use upgrades all around except for Willis.
No, I want BPA. To me Brown would only make sense if we got him somewhere where we procured Balmer.