The season of pre-draft visits began today with several prospects visiting the 49ers' new-and-improved facility.
Maualuga was my "sleeper pick" for the 49ers on Feb. 22, before veteran Takeo Spikes was re-signed. I know the club really likes Maualuga, but is No. 10 too high? After all, they already have a No. 11 overall pick (Patrick Willis) playing inside linebacker.
Foster (6-1, 226) would be a mid-round pick, as the 49ers are looking for a bigger back to help share the load with Frank Gore. It's a pretty good bet the 49ers will select a running back at some point. Is No. 10 too high to select Knowshon Moreno or "Beanie" Wells?
Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree and
Crabtree is coming off surgery for a stress fracture in his left foot. The 49ers likely want to check to see how everything is coming along. Crabtree is an option at No. 10, but he is expected to be chosen before then. He is probably the only receiver the 49ers would take in the first round.
Likewise, Raji might also be gone by the time the 49ers select (though I just saw where NFLdraftscout's Rob Rang, in his most recent mock draft, has the 49ers selecting him with the 10th pick). There was a recent Sports Illustrated report that Raji tested positive for an unspecified drug at the NFL scouting combine, so I'm sure the 49ers will have a question or two on that topic.
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Keena Turner, the 49ers' vice president of football affairs, just led me on a tour of the remodeled interior of the building at 4949 Centennial Boulevard in Santa Clara. The 49ers have remodeled the weight room and expanded meeting rooms for the offensive and defensive lines. The club has additional plans to knock down a wall to expand the locker room. Also, the players' lounge will be expanded, and a new kitchen area will be installed. I'll write more about this later in the week.
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Sign BJ at 10 and a RB in 2nd!!!
USC linebacker Rey Maualuga. I want O Line/D Line, but this is another special player. Unbelievable talent and I wouldn't be disappointed.
Maualuga is a bit high at 10 and I don't think the 49ers consider him to be near the top of their board. I wouldn't read too much into visits because a lot of these players end up on teams that didn't even meet with them.
" Is No. 10 too high to select Knowshon Moreno or "Beanie" Wells?"
Yes. The RB market simply isn't there and it would be a bad value pick that high. I think these 2 are battling for a first round spot to be honest. I'd give the edge to Wells right now. Moreno didn't seem to perform as well at the combine with the added 10-15 pounds.
Moreno may not have performed well at the combine, but for the past 3 years at Georgia he sure looked like a special player.
Although I think #10 would be a bit high to take a RB, it wouldn't be the worst thing they could do. Look what a great RB combo did for Tennessee and Carolina last year. I don't think you can underestimate the value of fresh RBs throughout a game or throughout the year.
And I'd pass on Maualuga. Watching him for a week at the Senior Bowl pointed out his flaws, and those are, if the play calls for him to do anything but run straight ahead and hit someone he can't do it, and he'd be a liability in pass coverage over the middle.
Be smart, take Raji...trade up if you have to.
Hopefully the alleged failed drug test will turn off Green Bay, otherwise I agree, he will be gone by 10.
What is the chicagoesque lettering on the new jerseys? Is it a walsh tribute?
I don't see Maualuga at all in this picture simply because he's not rated in the top 10 prospects of most Pro Scouts & secondly the 49ers have more pressing needs elsewhere. If Raji is there at #10 then I would be happy with that selection.
Where'd you see the new jersey's? I didn't think they were revealing them till the draft
NFL Shop had it up for a day. There was a patch also...Matt, do you know anything about this?
Matt - With the updates to the facility, the new conditioning hill outside near the practices fields, is this Singletary putting his stamp on the team, or is it Jed? Just interested in who's making the calls on all these changes.
BJ Raji would be my first choice,if not him Andre Smith or E.Brown, Round 2-Clint Simtin, Round 3 Herman Johnson
I think "Pain" is all Singletary but i'm not sure about the rest of the changes.
BJ Raji would be my first choice,if not him Andre Smith or E.Brown, Round 2-Clint Simtin, Round 3 Herman Johnson
Did you see that on the WebZone? I think some dude just drew those himself. They're not official, and I don't think they ever went up on NFL Shop (but they do have some Chi-esque lettering).
Walters has a revised mock that has us taking Maybin OLB with #10 and Jamon Merideth OT in the second round. He had the fastest 40 time 5.02 of any of the top tackles and second most reps in the BP at 31 and has long arms. Sounds like that woulds fill 2 big holes with a pass rusher and OT of the future/backup if M Smith gets hurt. I could live with that. Gotta be tough in the trenches. RB's WR's QB's can be had in the mid rounds.
I'd be happy with the Niners selecting Rey Maualuga since he went to my high school (Eureka High), and I think Matt's history covering sports in Humboldt County could have something to do with his fondness for him as well.
Maualuga does seem like a Mike Singletary type player however, and if there aren't any premium pass rushers available it's possible the 49ers would draft Maualuga and rotate him with Spikes to keep Spikes fresh. I'd rather the team draft someone sure to be an impact starter so high in the draft, but I can imagine Singletary figures he can't have too many LB's.
I wish Rey's teammate Taylor Mays would have declared. He's the safety this team needs, and he's freakishly athletic. However, since Cushing and Matthews just tested positive for steroids maybe that's why Mays looks the way he does as well. Hopefully Rey won't test positive for anything.
As long as the 49ers don't draft that other USC guy (Mark Sanchez), I'll probably be happy with whomever the 49ers pick at No. 10.
I love Knowshon Moreno but I think they need OL/DL at 10. If Sanchez is there I'd take him. Sanchez won't drop past 8, though. If Raji is there I'd take him. Green bay at 9 wants him, though. Aaron Maybin would be a great pick up and he'll be there. Also, 10 is a good spot to trade with some team. Adding a first day pick would be good.
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So at 10 I'd take Sanchez, Raji or Maybin. If all three are off the board, trade the pick.
Moreno is worthy of a #10 pick. Andre Smith is worthy as well. Maybin I don't believe is worthy. If Raji is there vs Moreno I would take Moreno.
What if rey isn't being scouted for the 10 slot, but for something more 12-20. It is still possible that SF trades down. Especially if sanchez or stafford falls to us. At this point the 10 spot is a pretty solid place to be. Aside from Andre Smith I like what I have seen from the players expected in that range. There is reason to be excited about being a 49ers fan.
Razoreater, I'm gonna agree with you on Moreno. If we take Moreno at 10 we would have a heck of a running tandem. The 49ers are an up and coming team, one to be watched. One to watch out for if you like some other team. Are there other people who like other teams?
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Nah.
I'm 99% sure those are fake. If Jed York really has a Photobucket account, I'm sure he's not handing out the link to the unveiled uni's ;)
http://i721.photobucket.com/albums/ww219/Jed_York/New49ersUni_09d.png
Is Maybin supposed to replace Lawson? If so,what can he do that Manny can't? Maybiin is skinny and can't shed blockers.Sounds like son of Manny to me.This is the 1st year that Lawson has bulk,healh and experience,so let's see what we have before throwing him under the bus for some groundhog day nightmare where we waste one,maybe two,1st round picks.
on another note, welcome back to the bay jeff garcia! hopefully we'll see you at the stick in week 2 of preseason.
If Raji falls to us...I will be ecstatic. Ever since Nolan tried to install a 3-4, we've never had a true NT who was stout enough to make it work the way it's supposed to. Raji could change all that. Singletary can still get his pass rusher in the 2nd...maybe Barwin or Sintim. Upgrading the front 7 is the best thing he can do for his team. He can still get an OT and RB in succeeding picks. He won't find a stud NT or top pass rusher. If Raji's gone, then Coach gets his pass rusher in the 1st, then can take Brace in the 2nd. Virtually the same overall result...a dramatically improved front 7.
Those steroid reports were false. Several media outlets have already reported on it.
"I wish Rey's teammate Taylor Mays would have declared. He's the safety this team needs"
He plays way too deep. The problem I have with Mays is that he's a bit too much athlete and not enough football player. If he can improve as a football player, he'll be a lock first round pick next year. The reason he went back was because he was not a guaranteed first rounder.
I agree with that comp.
They both relied heavily on their athleticism in college and are/were raw NFL prospects coming out.