Raji (6-2, 337) is considered the highest-rated defensive lineman in the draft and a top-10 prospect. The 49ers own the No. 10 overall pick in the draft. Obviously, Raji is a serious option for the 49ers if he is still available after the first nine selections.
His reputation appears to be on the mend after reports surfaced last week on SI.com and NFLDraftbible.com that he tested positive for drugs at the combine in February. Raji told me this evening the reports are inaccurate. His agents provided evidence in a statement earlier today and declared the "reports are untrue."
"The biggest thing is trying to figure out how this started," Raji said. "I couldn't understand how this rumor became such a big splash in the media when there was no evidence - there was no substance to believe it. The last couple days, I was just trying to figure out: Who? What? Basically, why?"
"Now, I'm happy the truth is out. Obviously, it's not going to be as big of a splash as the negative part. But as long as the coaches and the decision-makers know what is true, then I don't need to be concerned with everybody else."
Raji said he only had to discuss the issue in-depth with the Buccaneers because the online reports came out the day before he visited.
"With
Raji has also taken visits to
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UPDATE: NFL teams are expected to receive the official report of which players tested positive around April 20.
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(Arguably) the Bay Area's top college prospect,
Gilbert has a full schedule of visits. He has already traveled to
Gilbert could be draft as early as the late first round. The 49ers' second-round pick is No. 43 overall.
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I don't think Raji lasts until #10.
Gilbert is a perfect fit for a 3-4 base defense. Some teams may prefer bigger DE's but I think Gilbert can add weight and still be a force. I think he goes in that 25-35 range.
Just a thought...
Could we even get a late 2nd round pick in exchange for Balmer?
Either one of these guys would be a great addition -However B J will most likely be gone...still would love to trade down maybe grab Connor Barwin High 1st round and if Jarron is there in second -particularly if we got another 2nd in a trade-don't waste a second and grab J Gilbert!
BallGameIAN:
"Could we even get a late 2nd round pick in exchange for Balmer?"
Depends on your trade partner. New England would maybe give up one of their seconds and a fourth for Balmer, and then turn him into an All-Pro in two years. And then everyone here and at the Zone would complain that Scot McLoughan was an idiot for making that trade.
With the truth coming out, Raji's stock will rise again. Chances of him falling to us are slim. But, Singletary's other good option is to take the best pass rusher, hopefully Everette Brown, then grab Brace in the 2nd. I'm convinced building up his front 7 is the best thing he can do early in this draft. It's not taking Sanchez, or Maclin or an OT...those positions he can draft later, but the best NT's and pass rushers won't be around after day one.
Matt,
Do you know who will be coming to the local combine? I am hoping that Ramsay Barden from Cal Poly will be there.
"Could we even get a late 2nd round pick in exchange for Balmer?" Both of you guys are really off base on this one. First of all even if you wanted to trade Balmer there's NO WAY the 49ers would get a 2nd round pick at this point in time. It's like you guys no nothing about the process when drafting college players. Did you guys watch 49er football last year at all? Balmer only started to get REAL playing time at the end of the season. He's hasn't shown anything yet & you guys want to trade him. The kid is only going to get better this year & the jury clearly is out on what Blamer's potential can be. If you know anything about 1st round draft picks in the NFL there's only a handfull of rookies that actually contribute their rookie season. HELLO!
Now that the truth is out on Raji the 49ers definetly need to snatch him if he's there at #10. It makes you wonder how these rumors get started, if I'm Raji I'm pissed! It could have cost him several million dollars.
Matt, I thought that Alex Mack was the top prospect coming out of the local schools. I understood, he was a near guaranteed first rounder, even if toward the lower end of the round. Clearly, they are closely rated, it is just not common for you to be so definitive about something like this without a good reason. Has Mack started to drop? I'm a Stanford guy so this is not about school spirit.
I think you misread JGBs comment, or misunderstood it. Sounds to me like he thinks trying to trade Balmer would be stupid because the kids got talent and on a very good team would develop into an all pro caliber player on said team. A little comprehension goes a long way on sites like these.
I stand corrected FightinIri,
I was reading BallGame IAN's post so I apologize JBG.
Comment: I thought that Alex Mack was the top prospect coming out of the local schools. . . . Clearly, they (Mack and Gilbert) are closely rated, it is just not common for you to be so definitive about something like this without a good reason.
My response: You're correct. There should've been more of a hedge in there . . . "arguably" or "perhaps" or "one of the." But I could've gotten away with "the most intriguing." My apologies to Mack and his family. --Matt M.
Boy, that's messed up that you have the media saying he tested positive for drugs when the fact is he did not. Matt, can BJ take legal action against these two media outlets for these false accusations?
Too bad he didn't fail one. Now he won't make it past Green Bay.
Trade up, Sing! Raji would instantly make us a top 10 defense.
My Brush With Fame:
I bumped into B.J. Raji this morning in the Santa Clara Marriott with his 9er escorts. The 9er escort was asking him how more visits he had planned. BJ answered two more. I said you don't need to do any more visits. Your home is here. He looked at me with a big smile. I mentioned later to the 9er escort that the talk of Blamer as an end or a nose in the 3-4 surprised me as I thought that a nose was a nose. i.e Casey Hampton of the Steelers is my idea of a great nose but I can't see him playing end. He agreed that Balmer is an end and he said " BJ is a nose". I said I'd be happy if BJ fell to us at 10 and he said "so would I".
I think that we'll get a good player at 10 but I fear
that BJ will be gone by then.
Question: can BJ take legal action against these two media outlets for these false accusations?
My response: I'm sure his agency will decide if any action is warranted after all the information comes out. --Matt M.
Deliberately writing false statements about someone is called LIBEL, and it is a serious crime. Raji should hire a shark and sue these people's *ss off.
what I find interesting is that when the usc guys got allegations that they tested positive for drug use, carroll came out and said no way in hell, and all the networks weere saying nonono none of the teams know about this either. But for raji they were reporting it like the godsend truth. where was his coach? how come none of the teams stepped up for raji and said we don't know a thing?
Raji's coach probably thought it was true.
Kevin lynch at sfgate had an interesting article on player eval philosophy. McC likes specimens versus production. I would hope for both
I love this blog.
F49er I heard McC was looking for a right hand man. We could really use your expertise in the front office.
I was hoping there was some truth to the positive test... that is the only way we could get him.
So I thought I would throw my 2 cent in for the trade back senarios. Here's a couple of assumptions: Sanchez is availible at 10 and the Broncs don't jump ahead of us to draft him (there is no way we trade with the Broncs for them to jump ahead of the Bills, they have Edwards and are more likely to wait than trade 2 slots up). That also means Jacksonville and Seattle don't draft Sanchez and the Lions draft Stafford or Sanchez. Like I said, a a lot of ifs. If that senario plays out, a more likely trading partner is the Jets. The #10 is worth 1300pts, the Jets #17 is worth 950 and the #20 in the second (#52 overall is worth 380 for a total of 1330. Plus the Jets need a QB. So we trade back to 17 and pick up another second round pick. That way we could pick up Brace with #17, Loadhodlt with our #2 and Barwin with the second #2. That still leaves us an early second day pick to get a bigger running back like Arian or some other. Just some thoughts
Hah, exactly. Nothing would burn me more than the Pats trading us some day 2 pick and turning our guy into a pro bowler.
I would like to see this point system in full.
I think the value in us trading the ten back to Denver is in place only if they trust that WE are taking Sanchez at ten.
I'm probably being real negative here. So if I hurt anyone's feelings just ignore my comment.
I'm getting real tired of waking up in the morning and checking the 49er news and the comments given and seeing that 99% of the comments are about the draft. Everything that is commented over and over again are speculations with a capital S.
I know that a lot of the commentors love to speculate and I respect that. And others just like the bantering back and forth. That's great for them too.
But as for me, I can't wait for the draft to be over so we can get the news about who we really drafted. And also hear more again about what's really going on within the team.
But that's just me.
BallGame,
You have to admit that your comment about "attemting" to trade Balmer after his rookie season would be... shall we say in a nice way "pre-mature". I mean that's like saying"If a rookie doesn't produce his 1st year then trade him!" It's ridiculus.
Spot on my man. I think what happened here is I threw out a thought, and you took it was me saying 'trade balmer'
Okay,
Got ya.
Terry old sod, I couldn't agree more. As a fan, this is the worst month of the year to endure (other than a four game losing streak in the fall). I never watch college ball and just trust that McC and Sing will choose an appropriate player at each pick. McC may not be daring, but he is solid and he does not waste picks. The vastness of the Mel-Kiper's-Disease gene pool always amazes me. You'd think 99% of all fans study college tape with every free hour of their time for the passion displayed in lusting for this player or that. But the belief that a player will somehow make a huge impact on the fortune's of this year's team makes me shake my head in wonder. The draft is almost completely about stocking your team with good players who will EVENTUALLY add up to a great team stocked with good players from many drafts. It's more about NEXT year, than this year. This year is the year we begin to see what LAST year's draft can do. Which is great, because four years ago virtually everybody we drafted became an instant starter! I'll be surprised if anybody we draft will crack the starting lineup this year.
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That said, hey guys, have fun with it. I'm not pooping on the parade. Just waiting for it to pass, so we can get back to reality and this year's team and its prospects. Me and Terry will just duck into the bar and wait it out and talk about significant things like coffee and the taste of a home grown tomato.
I think draft talk gets more hits and excitement when there is a sense of optimism in the air for the coming season. Or in my case had a couple hours to burn Let it burn.
Have fun at the bar.
Matt...I have a question about the type of 3-4 defense that we're running that I'm hoping you can clear up for me. I know that once Manusky started calling plays Franklin started one-gapping. What about the other two lineman? Are we running a classic Phillips 3-4 where all three down linemen one-gap or are we running some sort of a hybrid? If we aren't running a classic Phillips 3-4 then can you explain what the differences are? If you don't know maybe you can pass the question along to someone in the org. who would. Thanks a lot...I really enjoy your blog!
Terry | April 7, 2009 11:36 AM | Reply
I'm probably being real negative here. So if I hurt anyone's feelings just ignore my comment
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LOL, You certainly did not need to preceed your comment by saying you are negative !!! ,LOL We all knew that already.
And I usually ignore all the illogically negative stuff around here,hurt feelings has nothing to do with it. LOL
That was funny Skeebers! I like any kind of Italian coffee! How about you? Great response!
Italian is also my favorite. Not just in coffee, though. Women, too. Well, one anyway. My wife.
I agree with you Terry