The 49ers selected a big free safety, Curtis Taylor of LSU, with their first of two seventh-round picks.And with their final pick, No. 244 overall, the 49ers selected LSU defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois.
Taylor (6-2, 210) had an interception in the BCS championship against OhioState as a junior. His best games in 2008 came against Ole Miss (six tackles and a fumble recovery) and against South Carolina (seven tackles, a sack and an interception).
Mel Kiper says Taylor has "a ton of athletic ability" but he is "just an average prospect." Kiper said Taylor has excellent special-teams skills but figures as more of a backup. In other words, Taylor appears to be a replacement for Keith Lewis, who was released and later signed with the Cardinals.
* * *
Jean-Francois (6-2, 295) is seen as a good value at this pick because of his athleticism. He had problems with consistency at LSU. But Mel Kiper said there were games in which he looked like a first-round pick. As a sophomore, he nine tackles, 1.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and a half-sack in the BCS title game against Ohio State.
Razor check-off my radar pretty much remember FF toolbox mentioned something about him and just went back to read -before he entered they projected him as a possible first round-interesting!
Apparently we have an uber strong and deep OL. Who knew? I thought this was a good draft for OL. Control the OL and you can be a good team. If you don't, you won't. How they could not draft an OL is beyond me. I hope I am wrong, but I think our OL is super thin and we could have some problems. I hope Shaun Hill has been practicing his sack avoidance dance this off season.
Matt, What I am wondering is OT depth, are we going to hope for signing a FA for back up? Does this mean that McC has faith in who we have now as a back up for OT?
I guess I am just wondering where do we go from here as far as improving OT?
Still a few big-school OTs out there who didn't get the call - Alex Boone (Ohio St.), Andy Kemp (Wisconsin), Augustus Parrish (Kent St.), Phil Trautwein (Fla.), Jose Valdez (Arkansas) and Jason Watkins (Fla.), among others. One or two of them may warrant undrafted FA consideration.
I imagine the brain trust is hoping for a repeat of Spikes '08 - someone who gets kicked to the curb but still has tread on the tires. (Let's hope it's not a repeat of Sims '08 instead.) I'll be interested to see the undrafted guys they bring in, although I can't remember the last time an undrafted player has made it onto our final roster and stuck there all season.
HI MATT! What do you think? Worst draft for McCloughan given the team's philosophy and needs?
One lineman and with their final pick. That is a joke. They had 9 picks going in and got zero starters and only one future starter, Crabtree (who will no doubt demand a trade after two years). The best news out of this draft is that McCloughan will not be running the draft in 2010.
Remember de la puente (i think that was his name, de la something) last year? Played well on the O-line for us in camp and preseason ended up getting cut then went to KC and was on the roster all year...only one i can think of recently, basically yeah we're screwed on o-line if anyone gets hurt
All in all I think we did a decent job in a weak draft. McC showed discipline by sticking to his board, not reaching and getting the BPA that fit the scheme. We got 1 star and a bunch of guys that will upgrade the talent. Most importantly, he got us a couple of first rounders for next years deeper draft. Crabtree is a baller, Coffee at worst gives us a fresher, more productive Gore at best he gives us a physical back for a 2 headed monster. Davis will give us a good third stringer who can learn at a low cost to develop. Spikes and Ulbrich aren't gonna last forever so we got a tackling machine TED who will improve ST. Bear is a low cost blocker that can catch a bit. Then 2 fliers in the seventh that have physical skills but lacked motivation. If Sing gets thru to them...steals. If not, less money wasted on them than Jay Moore. Let's get aggressive on UDFA OL.
Outstanding, Outstanding, Outstanding Draft by the 49ers! Matt in SR you are a little off on this one buddy. Getting the extra #1 next season, plus Crabtree, plus the 2nd punch at RB, a good QB prospect in Davis, the Safety, and some more depth on defense this was BETTER THAN EXPECTED if not Exceptional! They didn't address the O-line but then again the O-line wasn't that bad once JT was done at QB last season. There was no Tackle worthy of drafting after Oher was gone and Snyder backing up Marvel Smith on the right side isn't the worst thing in the world. Offensive Tackle can be addressed next draft in that 1st round. Throw in the New Uni's and this was a great weekend for the 49ers!!
"I guess I am just wondering where do we go from here as far as improving OT?"
The only option the Niners had for improving the OT position was if they'd either taken Oher instead of Crabtree (ummm...probably not a good idea), or had traded up with a slew of picks to grab him later in the first (arguable, but I think the picks they parlayed into a second 1st round pick next year was a better move).
Sure, it would be nice having more depth. But quite possibly next year they'll be able to pick up a better OT than Oher as well as another prime player in the first (e.g., CB, LB, or even QB).
The homer whitewash begins.
This is the worst draft day I've ever seen from any niner team. Other than staying put and letting the first round pick fall in their laps, they did nothing to improve the team, except hope for some depth from some very ordinary draft picks. I'm surprised they didn't trade their #1 pick to slide down for a few more irrelevant low round picks. On a team with this many needs, how is it possible that they couldn't find good use for the two picks they traded away. Although to be fair, Singletary did say referring to next year's#1 they picked up, "#1's are huge". Maybe with the late round #1 they got from Carolina they can find another Kentwan Balmer.
Of course New England thought this draft (especially the second round, which the niners got rid of) was good enough for 10 picks.
But what do they know---they don't even know how to spell "fysical".
We got depth, not starters - but how many starters really needed to be replaced?
Honestly, I don't know what you were expecting. It's like the people who complained about Crabtree (just like they complained about Morgan, Gore, Staley, Haralson, etc.). Was there another player who made MORE sense at #10 that you feel the Niners passed on (Orakpo? Maybin? Moreno?), or did you just need to complain?
I'm guessing the lineup pre-draft looked something like:
QB: Hill
RB: Gore
FB: Norris
WR: Morgan
WR: Bruce
TE: Davis
LT: Staley
LG: Baas
C: Heitmann
RG: Rachal
RT: Smith
LDE: Evans/Balmer (can't tell yet)
NT: Franklin/Sopoaga (can't tell yet)
RDE: Smith
LOLB: Haralson
MIKE: Willis
TED: Spikes
ROLB: Lawson
CB: Clements
CB: Harris
FS: Goldson
SS: Lewis
Look at that lineup. Think about the way it's constructed, the culture Singletary's building, the style of play this team wants to follow, and the mixture between young players and veterans.
Then ask yourself: How many of these players should have been replaced - in Week One - by rookies who were available in the slots where we picked?
See, you're following a bizarre argument. You're complaining about a lack of new starters from this class - NOT the long-term potential of these players.
Will some of the players from this draft that the Niners DIDN'T take end up being better than SOME of the people in the lineup? Undoubtedly. But you can say that about every team!
Look again at that lineup. Who realistically deserves to lose his spot to a draftee? (Those players are, of course, the ones you insist you could have found because McCloughan should have found them.)
Could Josh Freeman have digested a pro playbook and adjust to the speed of the pro game quickly enough to won a competition against Hill/Smith?
Could Michael Oher have digested a pro playbook and adjust to the speed of the pro game in time to beat out Marvel Smith, a former Pro Bowler we just signed to start?
Could Brian Orakpo, Aaron Maybin, or Everette Brown have digested a pro playbook and adjust to the speed of the pro game in time to have beaten out former first-rounder Manny Lawson? (How many of them were drafted by 3-4 teams?)
Honestly, the only guy who could start from Day 1 on this team - as it's currently constructed - was Crabtree.
They drafted him.
So why complain about a draft where we addressed depth issues - which were critical needs - from a class that didn't have a lot to offer in terms of short-term starting potential?
Our offensive line got much better after Singletary took over, and Baas and Rachal were named starters. Sacks went way down after Martz had his ass handed to him by Sing. As far as the pass rush, there were no great pass rushers available at 10, and that includes Maclin and Orakpo. This was a weak overall draft by NFL standards.
I think the Niners did a nice job. They stuck to their board, they didn't draft for "need" (which is a kiss of death), and they picked up a second first round pick for next year. They got the best WR prospect in the draft, they got a hard running HB to help out Gore, and we picked up some depth along the D line, linebacker, and the secondary.
Louie - New England stockpiled picks for next year and got out of this year's first round entirely. How are repeated trade-downs supposed to attest to Belicheck's faith in the draft?
Also, look at the Panthers' roster - specifically, their depth at several key positions - and at their schedule next year. Do you seriously expect that pick to be in the low 20s? Carolina teams are notoriously inconsistent from year to year, and that schedule doesn't look easy for them even at a time when all of their starters are healthy.
But I don't think you were looking at that. Congratulations on your ability to be willfully unhappy.
Does anyone know what the Patriots got for the 2 trades that took them out of the first round? I couldn't find that info quick anywhere. I want to see if the 49ers have enough to trade into that pick and take a top 10 talent in Michael Oher.
And Patriots fans - even Belicheck doesn't overvalue his draft classes. FYI:
"Only nine of the 16 draft choices from 2007 and 2008 remain on the team, and the Patriots have produced only two starters from those drafts." - John Clayton, ESPN.com
During camps, at least one pass-rusher and offensive lineman will fall off the trees. (It's already happened with Jason Taylor, who remains unsigned.) We got solid, low-cost depth who will hopefully respond well to coaching and veteran influence. I hope that our positional coaches do their jobs - I feel like we need a coupe of upgrades staffwise - and that the mini-camps give us some valuable information. (Oh, and I hope we avoid a ride on the 3QB carousel again - let Hill or Smith prove himself early and get that guy enough reps to succeed this offseason.)
For the nimrods that thought the Pats did better because of all the seconds. They picked all that talent BEFORE our pick. So we would have not had Crabtree to trade back. McC thought about getting back into the 2nd, but it would have taken the rest of our picks. There wasn't much there, so it was good to trade back or out to 2010. Smart move.
Singletary and McCloughan got their tough guys. Hard-nosed, blue collar, passionate football players. This draft could even look better depending on who we pick next year with the Panthers' 1st round pick. Good job McSing.
Love the "new" uni's and stoked about the season!!
I don't know if you read "The Blind Side." I'll be very interested to see how Oher adjusts to the NFL - its locker-room culture, the speed of the game, the complexity of the playbook. The kid went through so much at a critical period of time for mental development; MM raised concerns about his higher-learning ability and how easily Oher could digest pro schemes.
I honestly hope it works out for him, but I was really nervous about the Niners taking a player who's about to face a LOT of challenges, and who may not have the skills to cope with them. I'm glad the Ravens get to be the ones to find out.
I'm not as up on team rosters (other than the Niners) as you are, but guessing now where next year's Carolina #1 pick will be is futile. The point I was trying to make was that New England which has today's highest respect in the NFL ( like the Niners used to) "stockpiled", to use your word a bunch of picks THIS year, in round 2, which is where McCloghan drafted out of. I think new England has four 2's, or 2 2's and 2 3's or whatever. They drafted 10 guys THIS year. You get my point.
And as far as my opinion about the 49er management is concerned, they've earned it. I was hoping to feel good after this draft, but the group of players they drafted (other than Crabtree who was there for the taking) don't give me much hope as far as any "diamonds in the rough", like Josh Morgan, or Goldson, or Zeigler. or even Clayton (who never gets the chance many of us think he deserves). The guys they picked don't seem to have the upside potential as impact players that other low round picks have in the past.
So, my opinion is it was a a flat, disappointing draft, from a GM Iwish they had fired and hired Scott Pioli, when they had the chance. I could go on........
Historypeats:
Of course your point of view on our draft is the proper one and the one of most clear thinking non haters ! Good job !!!
And my grade of a b+ for the draft comes from a fan who has been crying for more pass rush for several years now. I understand why we did not accomplish that goal and I understand that Scotty did the right thing at just about every turn in this draft. Those who don't understand are mostly those who don't want to understand but want to whine and complain and hate on our new team leaders.
Give the 3 new guys a chance and wait to see what product they put on the field in the next two years or so and then if they flop,I will complain along with you. I hope if they do well on the field that you will be happy along with me ! ( probably most of the whiners and haters will say they knew all along that Jed and Scott and Sing would turn it all around ,LOL ! ).
And Louie:...Didn't you read this earlier (from Historypeats)...?
Belicheck's Pats..."Only nine of the 16 draft choices from 2007 and 2008 remain on the team, and the Patriots have produced only two starters from those drafts." - John Clayton, ESPN.com"
Yeah boy,he really knows how to draft ,LOL !!! 2 starters from 16 picks ,LOL.
And if you want to talk about what Belichick actually said about this draft,well,he said it was a weak draft this year and that next year will be much better (in other words he probably admires Scotty for trading out of this years horrible draft in the 2nd and 4th rounds and getting an additional 1st rounder in the strong draft next year !).
Good job Scotty !
Keep up the good clear consistency and the steady climb towards a common goal you share with Jed and Sing !
Matt Maiocco replied to comment from historypeats | April 26, 2009 6:39 PM | Reply
Comment: MM raised concerns about his higher-learning ability and how easily Oher could digest pro schemes.
My response: I have never raised such concerns. That must have been somebody else. --Matt M.
-----------------------------------
I read about those concerns as well Matt. Maybe it was from the other Matt( the 2nd string,lol) ? Historypeats probably read it where I did ,and probably in more than one story,like I did.
Even before the story about the kids problems,I already did not want the Niners to draft the kid.
I believe our O line we have right now is the best one we have had (by far) in many ,many years. We have one very good backup at both tackle spots ( Snyder)and one very good backup at Center and Guard (Wragge). The starter are excellent ( I actually think that the media favorite Heitmann is the weakest link). We do need a prospect or two for the future and to add depth now,but all in all the line we have on the roster right now is very good !
I actually thought both were good picks.
Both Rachal and Morgan had very good reviews. Morgan was a #6 because of non-football?skill reasons ( I don't remember what the reason was, but it was not a specific to his talent ).
Whoops - my apologies. I swore I read that here. And you're dead-on with the Leroy Hill assessment; he'll be a good player in someone else's system (the Broncos, for example, have been linebacker-starved), but he doesn't have a spot in our lineup.
I've said the evidence so far is that McC has done an average job. But there are many guys on the roster that we don't enough about. The 2007 draft (Willis, Staley) could still turn out to be incredibly successful, if Hill, McDonald, Goldson, Brown and Clayton step up. But I won't blame McC when he sticks to his guns and says there's no one there. The Pats jumped in front of our #43 with 3 picks, 34,40,41! They took the cream off the top. You can't blame McC for that. So, he traded for a #1 next year. Good move.
Seahawks think differently because they're trying to resign him even after drafting Curry. I'm with Sing, linebackers are linebackers. They may have different roles but a good one is a good one. This guy has been a stud (not last year tho'). And his price just came down so go get him. Niners got the money, so go spend it already.
I think the 49ers did well in a draft that didn't contain much, and also contained more than the usual question marks.
Crabtree has all the great skills of a big time receiver. I really hope his foot is healed and doesn't become an issue that he and the team have to deal with! I'm hoping the team doctors along with Crabtree's own doctor did their work well. With a foot injury, for any position on a team, especially running back and receiver, a player's whole career could end up a pipe dream.
I still believe Crabtree was too good to pass up. He has Bruce to learn from, and a young Morgan to grow with. Who knows? Maybe that tandem can come close to Taylor and Rice. I'm looking forward to seeing these guys in the same uniform for years, I hope.
I also think the kid from Pitt is a steal and will show the team what a hard hitting, physical player he'll be! He's right up MS's alley!
What is with all of these "great supporters" for the Patriots. Last time I checked, they haven't won a Super Bowl in a while and didn't even make the postseason last year. They haven't drafted well in YEARS! They are a "HAS BEEN" at this point. San Diego has been the STELLAR organization when it comes to the draft. The only reason the Patriots were even viable is because of free agency, Moss, Harrison, Welker, Seau, etc. Not exactly the organization to model your draft after!
Peats, I appreciate your detail. I am going to summarize my opinion. The NFL is more than ever a big man's game. I think the team is undersized and understrengthed at every OL spot and that spells doom for the offense. I believe they could have moved up to get Monroe. If they wanted to stay at 10 that is fine, but the pick should have been Orakpo, not Crabtree. This team has been weak on the lines for six straight years and 09 will make the seventh. They will be under .500 again. Good teams draft big, strong men early and skill positions late. Crabtree is worthless because the offense won't have the ball enough and when they do have it they won't be able to get it to him. Especially with the run first philosophy.
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Who is Matt?
Matt Maiocco is in his 14th year covering the 49ers. He has reported for The Press Democrat since 2000. He is a three-time winner of Pro Football Writers of America awards. Rotoworld.com ranked "Instant 49ers" as the No. 2 NFL team blog in the country in 2007. Maiocco has written two books, "Roger Craig's Tales from the 49ers Sideline" and "San Francisco 49ers: Where Have You Gone?" Matt can also be heard regularly on KNBR (680-AM) during the season. He is also been added this season as a regular guest on ESPN's "First Take."
Taylor is a tuff kid which follows the character thread here!
Ba Bye Roman
If GM Scott McC. didn't draft a pass rusher after five rounds, people would be screaming for Nolan's head...and insulting his IQ.
I think it's a sign of collective wishful thinking/faith that the 49ers aren't hearing more complaints about not addressing the pass rush situation.
I hope it works out. I really do. But win or lose, I'm a diehard fan and the 49ers will always be my team.
Ricky Jean-Francois DL LSU
Looks like a 3-4 DE.
Ricky Jean-F could be a steal. http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/558589
Mr. Francois needs a good DL coach as he plays a little upright. With the right coaching he could indeed be a theft in progress.
Razor check-off my radar pretty much remember FF toolbox mentioned something about him and just went back to read -before he entered they projected him as a possible first round-interesting!
Ricky Jean-Francois. May Coach be on your ass the minute you arrive. It time to live up to your abilities.
Apparently we have an uber strong and deep OL. Who knew? I thought this was a good draft for OL. Control the OL and you can be a good team. If you don't, you won't. How they could not draft an OL is beyond me. I hope I am wrong, but I think our OL is super thin and we could have some problems. I hope Shaun Hill has been practicing his sack avoidance dance this off season.
Matt, What I am wondering is OT depth, are we going to hope for signing a FA for back up? Does this mean that McC has faith in who we have now as a back up for OT?
I guess I am just wondering where do we go from here as far as improving OT?
What options are out there for improvement at OT?
Still a few big-school OTs out there who didn't get the call - Alex Boone (Ohio St.), Andy Kemp (Wisconsin), Augustus Parrish (Kent St.), Phil Trautwein (Fla.), Jose Valdez (Arkansas) and Jason Watkins (Fla.), among others. One or two of them may warrant undrafted FA consideration.
I imagine the brain trust is hoping for a repeat of Spikes '08 - someone who gets kicked to the curb but still has tread on the tires. (Let's hope it's not a repeat of Sims '08 instead.) I'll be interested to see the undrafted guys they bring in, although I can't remember the last time an undrafted player has made it onto our final roster and stuck there all season.
HI MATT! What do you think? Worst draft for McCloughan given the team's philosophy and needs?
One lineman and with their final pick. That is a joke. They had 9 picks going in and got zero starters and only one future starter, Crabtree (who will no doubt demand a trade after two years). The best news out of this draft is that McCloughan will not be running the draft in 2010.
Remember de la puente (i think that was his name, de la something) last year? Played well on the O-line for us in camp and preseason ended up getting cut then went to KC and was on the roster all year...only one i can think of recently, basically yeah we're screwed on o-line if anyone gets hurt
Jean-Francois is credited with his speed in all his critiques. Can the team use him at the end or elephant?
All in all I think we did a decent job in a weak draft. McC showed discipline by sticking to his board, not reaching and getting the BPA that fit the scheme. We got 1 star and a bunch of guys that will upgrade the talent. Most importantly, he got us a couple of first rounders for next years deeper draft. Crabtree is a baller, Coffee at worst gives us a fresher, more productive Gore at best he gives us a physical back for a 2 headed monster. Davis will give us a good third stringer who can learn at a low cost to develop. Spikes and Ulbrich aren't gonna last forever so we got a tackling machine TED who will improve ST. Bear is a low cost blocker that can catch a bit. Then 2 fliers in the seventh that have physical skills but lacked motivation. If Sing gets thru to them...steals. If not, less money wasted on them than Jay Moore. Let's get aggressive on UDFA OL.
Outstanding, Outstanding, Outstanding Draft by the 49ers! Matt in SR you are a little off on this one buddy. Getting the extra #1 next season, plus Crabtree, plus the 2nd punch at RB, a good QB prospect in Davis, the Safety, and some more depth on defense this was BETTER THAN EXPECTED if not Exceptional! They didn't address the O-line but then again the O-line wasn't that bad once JT was done at QB last season. There was no Tackle worthy of drafting after Oher was gone and Snyder backing up Marvel Smith on the right side isn't the worst thing in the world. Offensive Tackle can be addressed next draft in that 1st round. Throw in the New Uni's and this was a great weekend for the 49ers!!
"I guess I am just wondering where do we go from here as far as improving OT?"
The only option the Niners had for improving the OT position was if they'd either taken Oher instead of Crabtree (ummm...probably not a good idea), or had traded up with a slew of picks to grab him later in the first (arguable, but I think the picks they parlayed into a second 1st round pick next year was a better move).
Sure, it would be nice having more depth. But quite possibly next year they'll be able to pick up a better OT than Oher as well as another prime player in the first (e.g., CB, LB, or even QB).
The homer whitewash begins.
This is the worst draft day I've ever seen from any niner team. Other than staying put and letting the first round pick fall in their laps, they did nothing to improve the team, except hope for some depth from some very ordinary draft picks. I'm surprised they didn't trade their #1 pick to slide down for a few more irrelevant low round picks. On a team with this many needs, how is it possible that they couldn't find good use for the two picks they traded away. Although to be fair, Singletary did say referring to next year's#1 they picked up, "#1's are huge". Maybe with the late round #1 they got from Carolina they can find another Kentwan Balmer.
Of course New England thought this draft (especially the second round, which the niners got rid of) was good enough for 10 picks.
But what do they know---they don't even know how to spell "fysical".
We got depth, not starters - but how many starters really needed to be replaced?
Honestly, I don't know what you were expecting. It's like the people who complained about Crabtree (just like they complained about Morgan, Gore, Staley, Haralson, etc.). Was there another player who made MORE sense at #10 that you feel the Niners passed on (Orakpo? Maybin? Moreno?), or did you just need to complain?
I'm guessing the lineup pre-draft looked something like:
QB: Hill
RB: Gore
FB: Norris
WR: Morgan
WR: Bruce
TE: Davis
LT: Staley
LG: Baas
C: Heitmann
RG: Rachal
RT: Smith
LDE: Evans/Balmer (can't tell yet)
NT: Franklin/Sopoaga (can't tell yet)
RDE: Smith
LOLB: Haralson
MIKE: Willis
TED: Spikes
ROLB: Lawson
CB: Clements
CB: Harris
FS: Goldson
SS: Lewis
Look at that lineup. Think about the way it's constructed, the culture Singletary's building, the style of play this team wants to follow, and the mixture between young players and veterans.
Then ask yourself: How many of these players should have been replaced - in Week One - by rookies who were available in the slots where we picked?
See, you're following a bizarre argument. You're complaining about a lack of new starters from this class - NOT the long-term potential of these players.
Will some of the players from this draft that the Niners DIDN'T take end up being better than SOME of the people in the lineup? Undoubtedly. But you can say that about every team!
Look again at that lineup. Who realistically deserves to lose his spot to a draftee? (Those players are, of course, the ones you insist you could have found because McCloughan should have found them.)
Could Josh Freeman have digested a pro playbook and adjust to the speed of the pro game quickly enough to won a competition against Hill/Smith?
Could Michael Oher have digested a pro playbook and adjust to the speed of the pro game in time to beat out Marvel Smith, a former Pro Bowler we just signed to start?
Could Brian Orakpo, Aaron Maybin, or Everette Brown have digested a pro playbook and adjust to the speed of the pro game in time to have beaten out former first-rounder Manny Lawson? (How many of them were drafted by 3-4 teams?)
Honestly, the only guy who could start from Day 1 on this team - as it's currently constructed - was Crabtree.
They drafted him.
So why complain about a draft where we addressed depth issues - which were critical needs - from a class that didn't have a lot to offer in terms of short-term starting potential?
Our offensive line got much better after Singletary took over, and Baas and Rachal were named starters. Sacks went way down after Martz had his ass handed to him by Sing. As far as the pass rush, there were no great pass rushers available at 10, and that includes Maclin and Orakpo. This was a weak overall draft by NFL standards.
I think the Niners did a nice job. They stuck to their board, they didn't draft for "need" (which is a kiss of death), and they picked up a second first round pick for next year. They got the best WR prospect in the draft, they got a hard running HB to help out Gore, and we picked up some depth along the D line, linebacker, and the secondary.
All the naysayers need to calm donw.
Louie - New England stockpiled picks for next year and got out of this year's first round entirely. How are repeated trade-downs supposed to attest to Belicheck's faith in the draft?
Also, look at the Panthers' roster - specifically, their depth at several key positions - and at their schedule next year. Do you seriously expect that pick to be in the low 20s? Carolina teams are notoriously inconsistent from year to year, and that schedule doesn't look easy for them even at a time when all of their starters are healthy.
But I don't think you were looking at that. Congratulations on your ability to be willfully unhappy.
Does anyone know what the Patriots got for the 2 trades that took them out of the first round? I couldn't find that info quick anywhere. I want to see if the 49ers have enough to trade into that pick and take a top 10 talent in Michael Oher.
And Patriots fans - even Belicheck doesn't overvalue his draft classes. FYI:
"Only nine of the 16 draft choices from 2007 and 2008 remain on the team, and the Patriots have produced only two starters from those drafts." - John Clayton, ESPN.com
During camps, at least one pass-rusher and offensive lineman will fall off the trees. (It's already happened with Jason Taylor, who remains unsigned.) We got solid, low-cost depth who will hopefully respond well to coaching and veteran influence. I hope that our positional coaches do their jobs - I feel like we need a coupe of upgrades staffwise - and that the mini-camps give us some valuable information. (Oh, and I hope we avoid a ride on the 3QB carousel again - let Hill or Smith prove himself early and get that guy enough reps to succeed this offseason.)
For the nimrods that thought the Pats did better because of all the seconds. They picked all that talent BEFORE our pick. So we would have not had Crabtree to trade back. McC thought about getting back into the 2nd, but it would have taken the rest of our picks. There wasn't much there, so it was good to trade back or out to 2010. Smart move.
Solid draft!
Singletary and McCloughan got their tough guys. Hard-nosed, blue collar, passionate football players. This draft could even look better depending on who we pick next year with the Panthers' 1st round pick. Good job McSing.
Love the "new" uni's and stoked about the season!!
I don't know if you read "The Blind Side." I'll be very interested to see how Oher adjusts to the NFL - its locker-room culture, the speed of the game, the complexity of the playbook. The kid went through so much at a critical period of time for mental development; MM raised concerns about his higher-learning ability and how easily Oher could digest pro schemes.
I honestly hope it works out for him, but I was really nervous about the Niners taking a player who's about to face a LOT of challenges, and who may not have the skills to cope with them. I'm glad the Ravens get to be the ones to find out.
Scott needs to go sign that Seahawks LB Hill. Like NOW.
I'm not as up on team rosters (other than the Niners) as you are, but guessing now where next year's Carolina #1 pick will be is futile. The point I was trying to make was that New England which has today's highest respect in the NFL ( like the Niners used to) "stockpiled", to use your word a bunch of picks THIS year, in round 2, which is where McCloghan drafted out of. I think new England has four 2's, or 2 2's and 2 3's or whatever. They drafted 10 guys THIS year. You get my point.
And as far as my opinion about the 49er management is concerned, they've earned it. I was hoping to feel good after this draft, but the group of players they drafted (other than Crabtree who was there for the taking) don't give me much hope as far as any "diamonds in the rough", like Josh Morgan, or Goldson, or Zeigler. or even Clayton (who never gets the chance many of us think he deserves). The guys they picked don't seem to have the upside potential as impact players that other low round picks have in the past.
So, my opinion is it was a a flat, disappointing draft, from a GM Iwish they had fired and hired Scott Pioli, when they had the chance. I could go on........
Don't know if anyone can say if it's a good or bad draft for a couple of years at least....HOw many of us have seen these guys play?
Be nice if there were more report cards of team's previous drafts. Not just the 49ers, but all the teams.
I'd love to read who, besides the Patriots, knows what they are doing.
Historypeats:
Of course your point of view on our draft is the proper one and the one of most clear thinking non haters ! Good job !!!
And my grade of a b+ for the draft comes from a fan who has been crying for more pass rush for several years now. I understand why we did not accomplish that goal and I understand that Scotty did the right thing at just about every turn in this draft. Those who don't understand are mostly those who don't want to understand but want to whine and complain and hate on our new team leaders.
Give the 3 new guys a chance and wait to see what product they put on the field in the next two years or so and then if they flop,I will complain along with you. I hope if they do well on the field that you will be happy along with me ! ( probably most of the whiners and haters will say they knew all along that Jed and Scott and Sing would turn it all around ,LOL ! ).
I wonder what Louie thought of the Rachal and Morgan picks last year. Actually, I don't have to wonder. I'm sure he panned them both.
Comment: MM raised concerns about his higher-learning ability and how easily Oher could digest pro schemes.
My response: I have never raised such concerns. That must have been somebody else. --Matt M.
And Louie:...Didn't you read this earlier (from Historypeats)...?
Belicheck's Pats..."Only nine of the 16 draft choices from 2007 and 2008 remain on the team, and the Patriots have produced only two starters from those drafts." - John Clayton, ESPN.com"
Yeah boy,he really knows how to draft ,LOL !!! 2 starters from 16 picks ,LOL.
And if you want to talk about what Belichick actually said about this draft,well,he said it was a weak draft this year and that next year will be much better (in other words he probably admires Scotty for trading out of this years horrible draft in the 2nd and 4th rounds and getting an additional 1st rounder in the strong draft next year !).
Good job Scotty !
Keep up the good clear consistency and the steady climb towards a common goal you share with Jed and Sing !
Comment: Scott needs to go sign that Seahawks LB Hill. Like NOW.
My response: Leroy Hill would be a mike linebacker in the 49ers' scheme, and that's a spot the 49ers do not need. --Matt M.
Matt Maiocco replied to comment from historypeats | April 26, 2009 6:39 PM | Reply
Comment: MM raised concerns about his higher-learning ability and how easily Oher could digest pro schemes.
My response: I have never raised such concerns. That must have been somebody else. --Matt M.
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I read about those concerns as well Matt. Maybe it was from the other Matt( the 2nd string,lol) ? Historypeats probably read it where I did ,and probably in more than one story,like I did.
Even before the story about the kids problems,I already did not want the Niners to draft the kid.
I believe our O line we have right now is the best one we have had (by far) in many ,many years. We have one very good backup at both tackle spots ( Snyder)and one very good backup at Center and Guard (Wragge). The starter are excellent ( I actually think that the media favorite Heitmann is the weakest link). We do need a prospect or two for the future and to add depth now,but all in all the line we have on the roster right now is very good !
I actually thought both were good picks.
Both Rachal and Morgan had very good reviews. Morgan was a #6 because of non-football?skill reasons ( I don't remember what the reason was, but it was not a specific to his talent ).
Whoops - my apologies. I swore I read that here. And you're dead-on with the Leroy Hill assessment; he'll be a good player in someone else's system (the Broncos, for example, have been linebacker-starved), but he doesn't have a spot in our lineup.
I've said the evidence so far is that McC has done an average job. But there are many guys on the roster that we don't enough about. The 2007 draft (Willis, Staley) could still turn out to be incredibly successful, if Hill, McDonald, Goldson, Brown and Clayton step up. But I won't blame McC when he sticks to his guns and says there's no one there. The Pats jumped in front of our #43 with 3 picks, 34,40,41! They took the cream off the top. You can't blame McC for that. So, he traded for a #1 next year. Good move.
Seahawks think differently because they're trying to resign him even after drafting Curry. I'm with Sing, linebackers are linebackers. They may have different roles but a good one is a good one. This guy has been a stud (not last year tho'). And his price just came down so go get him. Niners got the money, so go spend it already.
I think the 49ers did well in a draft that didn't contain much, and also contained more than the usual question marks.
Crabtree has all the great skills of a big time receiver. I really hope his foot is healed and doesn't become an issue that he and the team have to deal with! I'm hoping the team doctors along with Crabtree's own doctor did their work well. With a foot injury, for any position on a team, especially running back and receiver, a player's whole career could end up a pipe dream.
I still believe Crabtree was too good to pass up. He has Bruce to learn from, and a young Morgan to grow with. Who knows? Maybe that tandem can come close to Taylor and Rice. I'm looking forward to seeing these guys in the same uniform for years, I hope.
I also think the kid from Pitt is a steal and will show the team what a hard hitting, physical player he'll be! He's right up MS's alley!
What is with all of these "great supporters" for the Patriots. Last time I checked, they haven't won a Super Bowl in a while and didn't even make the postseason last year. They haven't drafted well in YEARS! They are a "HAS BEEN" at this point. San Diego has been the STELLAR organization when it comes to the draft. The only reason the Patriots were even viable is because of free agency, Moss, Harrison, Welker, Seau, etc. Not exactly the organization to model your draft after!
Peats, I appreciate your detail. I am going to summarize my opinion. The NFL is more than ever a big man's game. I think the team is undersized and understrengthed at every OL spot and that spells doom for the offense. I believe they could have moved up to get Monroe. If they wanted to stay at 10 that is fine, but the pick should have been Orakpo, not Crabtree. This team has been weak on the lines for six straight years and 09 will make the seventh. They will be under .500 again. Good teams draft big, strong men early and skill positions late. Crabtree is worthless because the offense won't have the ball enough and when they do have it they won't be able to get it to him. Especially with the run first philosophy.