49ers Notes: Final Draft Thoughts

There's been a ton of talk surrounding the 49ers of late, with the loss of Michael Crabtree for possibly all of 2013, to the new rookies in town and even the signing of consultant Eric Mangini.

Two 49ers draft picks who I've yet to get into deeper analysis of yet, and the two biggest additions to this teams offense via the draft, are RB Marcus Lattimore and TE Vance McDonald. We'll start with McDonald, cause he was selected before Lattimore in the 2nd round, and was ranked by many draft experts as a top-2 tight end in this class. NFP had McDonald as it's 37th most valuable player in the 2013 draft, so for the 49ers to get him at 55 may end up being a steal. The 6'5" 260 pound had some very nice years at Rice, where he caught 15 TD passes and over 1500 yards in his career (only two of which where full seasons as a starter). He's adept in the blocking game, and has the size to take on bigger, stronger defenders, but he's also got speed to be able to beat the average linebacker in passing routes. He should come in and immediately become the team's #2 tight end and has a chance to  be used even more prominently now with Crabtree shelved. As intigral as Delany Walker was in this offense, I see McDonald with the ability to be even more. I'm not ready to say that Vernon Davis and Vance McDonald are the next Gronkowski-Hernandez tandem, but they certainly have the ability to be.

Then of course, there's Marcus Lattimore, who I for one was thrilled about landing in the 5th round. This guy has Frank Gore written all over him, as he had that explosive freshman year for South Carolina, and unfortunately suffered that gruesome injury the following year and was never able to stay on the field. Obviously, that raises a red flag for the 49ers, but the main point here is that Lattimore will not be asked to be the bell cow in San Francisco, he won't even be 2nd on the depth chart his first year, so there will be plenty of time to get this kid recovered and back to his normal self. I know Gore is still running effectively and isn't yet 30, but he's got a lot of mileage on him and I was thinking it was time to start looking at guys who may be the future for this team at running back a few years down the line. Lattimore certainly has that potential. Kendal Hunter is that perfect change of pace back, but Lattimore has that everydown ability and can even create in the passing game. Had he been coming off a year like his freshman year, he'd have probably been a top-10 pick. On that ability alone, and getting him in the 5ht round, are two reasons why this was my favorite pick of the 2013 draft for the 49ers.

49ers Draft Review: Eric Ried, Tank Carradine

As the dust has settled on the NFL draft, we wanted to go back and take a look at some of the 49ers top draft choices and examine what they could bring to the table for the 2013 season.

We'll go ahead and start out with the top two picks, starting with first rounder Eric Reid. Obviously, if you followed the draft at all, you know the 49ers moved up 12 spots in round one in order to ensure they got the man they hope to be their replacement for DaShon Goldson. Reid is a big-hitting free safety, who excels at coming up and helping in the run game but can also drop back and do a good job in pass-coverage. He was projected to go towards the end of the first round, which makes me wonder whether the 49ers traded up with the idea of using pick 18 on Reid, or if they had someone else in their sights. Nonetheless, Reid was the choice, and I like it. I saw him play extensively in LSU's game vs. Alabama last season, and he certainly stuck out as one of the top defenders on the field. I think the best way to describe him would be "ball hawk". He's always around the ball ready to make a play, as evident by his 91 tackles in 2012. He's good in space and has good instincts. If there's an area that is a bit of a question mark with him is his speed and whether he'll be able to keep up with some of the faster receivers at the next level. Overall, I have to give them a B for this pick, as it does meet a need and Reid should be a fine NFL safety, but I do believe they could have gotten him at 30.

Eric Reid highlight video here.

With their second pick, the 49ers grabbed impressive Florida State defensive end, Cornellius "Tank" Carradine. They definitely needed to add some depth to that defensive front, and Carradine was a sound choice at the end of round two. The 6'4", 275 pound end can supply the pass rush (11 sacks in 2012) and knows how to penetrate the O-line and get in the backfield to make plays (13 TFL). I expect Reid to be starting in week one, but it also wouldn't surprise me if Carradine works his way into the lineup as well. The question for him will be his health. He's coming off a torn ACL and was limited in his draft workouts, but is expected to be ready for full participation by July. Scouts have drawn comparisons between he and Justin Tuck, so that should give you an idea of what kind of strength and power this kid plays with. If he can stay on the field and keep getting better, I think the 49ers will wind up extremely pleased with this selection down the road. Outside of the Marcus Lattimore pick, which we'll discuss later, this was my favorite pick of this draft for the 49ers.

Conellius Carradine highlight video here.

49ers Notes: Draft Day

For a team who came just short of a Super Bowl victory just over 2 months ago, the 49ers' brass still sees a lot of areas that this team can improve upon. They've been pretty aggressive in free agency, and today, weeks of waiting will come to an end as we'll finally find out exactly what they do with that 30th pick in round one.

So far leading up to this 2013 draft, the 49ers have done a pretty good job of identifying their needs and bolstering their roster in any way they can. They started out by signing of Nnamdi Asomugha, which could end being one of the steals of the offseason if he can take advantage of his fresh start in San Francisco, which I think he will absolutely do. He's expected to be the 49ers 3rd corner coming into camp, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him take a starting gig if he gets back into his Oakland form, which playing press coverage should allow him to do. The 49ers also added Craig Dahl as a backup option at free safety should they not find a more suitable replacement for Dashon Goldson by the time training camp starts. That's the one area they could go after with their first round pick, but outside of Texas' Kenny Vaccaro, who will likely be gone by the middle of round one. Dahl has started the last few seasons for St. Louis and is a solid player, but isn't quite the play-maker that Goldson was and not as good in coverage. The 49ers also added DE Glen Dorsey, a former first rounder from the Chiefs, to add some much needed depth to their defensive line, another area I wouldn't be surprised to see addressed with one of their top few picks.

Offensively, the 49ers have been aggressive as well. The biggest move perhaps made by them all offseason was trading for Anquan Boldin, who I think will be a tremendous add to the offense. Boldin never quite fit in with Baltimore like the Ravens hoped, but he still was a consistent target for Joe Flacco, and I expect him to be even better with Colin Kaepernick. I mean, before heading to Baltimore, this guy was a shoe in for 1,000 yards and 10+ TD's each season, and he's still got plenty of good football left in him. The Niners also signed Phil Dawson, who expects to take over for David Akers after the horrible season Akers had in 2012. Dawson isn't the most flashy kicker in the game, but he does get the job done and has the leg to kick the 55-yarder through the gusty winds at Candlestick.  The 49es also had to fill Alex Smith's backup QB role after dealing him to KC last month, and did so by acquiring Colt McCoy from the Browns. McCoy has the ability to move around a bit and is smart with the ball, drawing a lot of similarities to Smith in many aspects, so he should be just fine as QB 2. Of course, hopefully he won't really be needed, but if he has to come in and finish a game or fill in with a spot start, I think he's more than capable of leading this team on the short term.

With the draft getting ready to start here in an hour, I'll be back with an updated post with both the 49ers and Raiders first round picks. For the 49ers, again, defensive line, or secondary would be my guesses for their first pick. Many expect them to try and move up to make a play on Vaccaro or someone like DT Sheldon Richardson from Missouri. The Raiders are much less of a mystery, as they have the 3 pick and likely will take the best OT available, either Luke Joeckel  or Eric Fisher... Stay tuned!

Alex Smith Trade and the Ripple Effect

On Wednesday, business opens for the 2013 NFL season, and the 49ers figure to be one of the most active teams right off the bat. As I'm sure you've heard by now, they've already agreed to send Alex Smith to Kansas City, but it will finally become official after this weekend.

The Smith trade has been something that was in the works for apparently a few weeks before both teams agreed to the deal last week. Now, if you just scroll down to our previous post, when we talked a lot about the prospects of Smith being traded and what I was hoping to see in return if he was indeed dealt, you'll see that I'm completely satisfied with this deal. Alex Smith has started to show he can win in this league, and he's put up some decent numbers in the process the last few seasons. What he did with virtually no receiving help in 2011 was pretty impressive. While he's not an elite, top-10 QB, he's got a solid skill-set and has really developed into a smart player. He's going to finally give the Chiefs a QB that will not only help them compete, but one they may be able to build around a bit as he's just 28 years old and entering his prime. Had Smith left after the 2010 season as many expected he would, he would have gone down as one of the biggest blunders in not only 49ers draft history, but NFL draft history, as another top picked QB with huge expectations that never amounted to much. But instead, he helped lead the 49ers back to the place they're at and finally adapted to this level.

For all those qualities, the 49ers had to get something at least halfway decent in return, and they were able to do just that in landing the Chiefs 2nd rounder (pick 34 overall in next month's draft) as well as a conditional mid-round pick for the 2014 draft. I was hoping for at least a 3rd rounder, maybe high-end 4th or a serviceable defensive back in return, so seeing the pick they're getting is really what made this deal a big win for the 49ers. Would I have liked to see Brandon Flowers come over? Absolutely, Now they enter the draft with 15 picks and are in terrific position to move up at various points to grab a particular player they like should the situation present itself. Five of those fifteen are within the top 90 picks of the draft and that's ammo enough to be able to move up significantly in round one. The only question really at this point is what they'll use their first pick on and which player may have their eye as a possible option to move up for. Depending on what happens with DaShon Goldson, the 49ers could have a huge hole in center field that would become priority number one. They also really could use a young shut-down corner too, and then there's the D-line that needs to be addressed as well.

Finally, besides putting the 49ers in a much more optimal draft position, the Alex Smith trade frees up $8.5 million that would have went towards their 2013 cap. I mean, that's a legit amount of money and it's a reason why the 49ers will be able to enter Darrelle Revis talks should they so choose. So, for a player the 49ers would have probably been forced to cut anyway this spring, they free up that large chunk of cap space to be able to put towards a potential top of the line free agents, and get themselves a draft pick that just barely missed the first round. Now, it remains to be seen what the 49ers turn that $8.5M and high-end 2nd rounder, but at this point, I trust Harbough and Co. have a good idea of what they want to do. I have to give the Niners an A for this deal. At the same time, it's a nice deal for KC as well, who get themselves a proven QB who's shown he can win and help lead a team from the outhouse to the penthouse. Starting QB's don't just grow on trees these days in the NFL, and the Chiefs managed to get themselves a pretty good one for a pick that may never end up amounting to anything. Really a win-win for both teams.

We'll talk more about how the 49ers replace Smith and some of the potential options they could see come draft day in April, but we also have March Madness kicking off and that will be heating up in the coming weeks. Needless to say, between Madness, the Draft, NBA playoffs (which the Warriors are in the picture for) and the start of the MLB season around the corner, it's really a sports fan's paradise this time of year. In order to keep a pulse on all of it, we'll probably be doing a lot of mixed posts over the next few weeks were we dabble into a few different topics. Get ready for a wild next few weeks, sports fans!

2012 NFL Drafts Biggest Winners, Losers

Well, I don't fell like going through every single team's draft and grading out how I felt they did in the recent draft. We won't know how any of these players fair until they start playing anyway, so obviously, my winners and losers are the teams who I felt either picked the best prospects, or missed the best prospects, and unfortunately for the Silver and Black fans, they fall into the bad category in this one. This doesn't account for any un-drafted signings, just what each team did with it's draft selections.

Biggest Winners:

Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals, In my opinion, dominated this draft by nabbing some of the best prospects at each position. They ended up getting 5 guys who projected into the first round in various mock drafts, from their first pick, Dre Kirkpatrick through guys like DT Devon Still, WR Mohammed Sanu, G Kevin Zietler and DT Brandon Washington. They also added a sound run blocking tight end in Orson Charles, who was a top-5 tight end on most boards. Just an all around good draft when you get a potential shut-down corner, starting wideout, guard and two stud DT's. They did well with their other selections as well.

Luck Goes #1 to Indy

Indianapolis Colts: They got their franchise QB, and got him two good tight-ends, as he's shown a knack for using them quite often. They even were able to get his buddy in from Stanford, Coby Fleener, with whom he connected for 10 TD's last season with. He'll take Dallas Clark's old spot, but provide more athleticism and speed to beat LB's and Safeties in coverage. They also got a good blocking TE in Dwayne Allen, a guy who can also catch the ball but makes it a priority to knock defenders down. For these picks alone, they have to be considered one of the top-5 winners of this years draft. They have a whole new makeup on offense now.

New Enlgand Patriots: Now, this hurts to admit cause this is not a team that needed to improve like they did in this draft. They took an ordinary, beatable defense and have really made it over. They took two front-7 players in Dont'a Hightower and Chandler Jones, that have the chance to wreck havoc on opposing QB's. They also helped out their thin secondary by adding a solid CB in the later rounds in Alfonzo Dennard, a guy I was hoping the Raiders or 49ers would select. It wouldn't surprise me if all three of these guys are starting for them come September and not only that, but producing!


St. Louis Rams: They didn't need RGIII, and it paid off dearly because of it. Instead, they turned that #2 into a whole bunch of picks, with which they landed a ton of value and potential. Michael Brockers should start immediately at DT for them, and could contribute 8-10 sacks as early as his rookie season, that's how good he is at penetrating the line from the DT spot. Then they got the uber-talented, built and fast Brian Quick, who has been gaining favorable comparisons to Terrell Owens. The pick that really sealed it though was grabbing Janoris Jenkins with one of those picks they got from Washington. They ended up with 3 first round talents with those guys. Isaih Pead is also highly thought of, so much so that some NFL people believe he'll start to take over RB duties for STL. and take time away from Stephen Jackson starting now. I don't know about all that talk, but at least he'll give them a nice C.O.P. back that will take the load of Jack and give the Rams a Ben Tate-type back to rotate with their pro-bowler. All around good draft for St. Louis as they seemed to get everything, they even got good value at corner (Trumaine Robinson) and LB (Aaron Brown) late in the draft.

Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles are another team that had some gaping holes on their D that they addressed. They added the best pure D-lineman in the draft in Fletcher Cox, and then got stout ILB Michael Kyndricks and another D-lineman in end and pass-rush specialist Vinny Curry who was 6th in the nation in sacks last season. They also added a corner that's no slouch in Brandon Boykin and finally, they added potential heir apparent to Mike Vick in Arizona's Nick Foles. I almost forgot, they also got Miami G Brandon Washington, a big-time talent who just needs the right coaching to keep his motor running at all times. I think the Bengals were far and away the best in the AFC in terms of draft choices, and the Eagles have to get the NFC's honor.

Honorable Mention: Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers

Biggest Losers:

Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks had a top-10 pick, and surprised the whole nation by selecting LB Bruce Irvin, a D-2 Linebacker who, granted dominated for his respective school, was a projected mid-round choice. They passed up more sure bets at spots they could have used help (O-line especially) than any other team. There other picks were even worse, as they took ILB Bobby Wagner and QB Russell Wilson way higher than they were thought to be going. Wilson really boggles my mind because the Seahawks need a QB of the future, and there were some nice ones out there when they chose the 5'11" Wilson in round 3! As solid and as good of value Cinci and Philly's drafts were, Seattle's was the complete opposite.

New Orleans Saints: Seattle's draft was bad, but nobody has been struggling like the New Orleans Saints of late, and it carried over into their drafting. They didn't have a first rounder, trading it last year to ensure they got the so far un-productive Mark Ingram, so they were behind the 8-ball to start with, sorta like the Raiders. I think the best player NO drafted was WR Nick Toon, who they got in the 3rd round, but their first pick of the draft was a reach in DT Akeim Hicks. He could end up being a hog, or he could end up being cut bu opening week, that's how up uncertain their 2nd rounder is. Toon, I expect, will thrive with Drew Brees throwing to him and should make in impact right off the bat, the only pick they can say that about.

6'8" Brock Osweiler

Denver Broncos: The Broncos didn't get one single player I think will ever be a good starter at the NFL level. Their draft is average at best, and that has them as a clear loser. Brock Osweiler is the only bright prospect that could turn into something special, because of his size and rocket right-arm, but Derek Wolfe is not a star player, he was good in college, but is too slow and small to dominate the NFL, and they passed up a lot of talent at pick 36 in order to pick him. I also think the QB would have been there for them just 10 picks later in the next round, and they could have gotten two studs in the 2nd like, for instance, Janoris Jenkins and WR Rueben Randle, a stud Corner and a stud WR that Peyton Manning could have turned into a pro-bowler. Had they gone that route, then gotten their QB in round 3, they would have gotten some real value in round 2. Instead, they have an average D-End and a project QB.

Oakland Raiders: Last But not least in our list of the Draft's losers is are our very own Oakland Raiders. Yes, it sucks to admit if your a Raider fan, but face it, they weren't in any great shape for this draft after the Carson Palmer deal. That was their draft, and unfortunately, much of next years as well. They ended up with a very ordinary lineman in Tony Bergstrom with the last pick in the third round, but I think they could have gotten more talent with that pick. I did like the Juron Criner selection, but the Raiders are already stock-piled with upside wideouts that just need work and Criner will be just another face in the crowd. Weak draft for them, you'd think they would have taken a chance on a QB or something and hoped to hit gold late in the draft, but they just went mostly with lineman and linebackers. Needless to say, they won't be getting much help from this years draft class.

That's really it as far as losers in my mind. Every other team got at least one player that I think can turn into an NFL superstar, or at least has to tools to do so. The Falcons were almost on the list, as they to were without a first rounder, but they came up with one a guy many thought to be a top-10 pick in Peter Konz in round 2, so you have to give them that.

49ers Sign Intriguing Undrafted Free Agent

Every single college player that declares for the NFL draft hopes that they hear their name called at some point during the 3-day extravaganza, but those that don't are left scrambling to find jobs in free agency, just as any other player would, and the 49ers got themselves one potentially diamond in the rough.

Chris Owusu's 4.3 Speed

The 49ers wasted no time in assessing which un-drafted players they wanted, as they composed a name of about 13-15 players they tendered contracts to, but not every player signed with them. The one player that did except their offer to be re-united with his former College coach at Stanford was star wideout Chris Owusu. This guy has been by far the best collegiate receiver in the Bay Area over the last few years, but has been limited due to the fact he suffered 3 severe concussions within 13 months. It made teams shy away from using a pick on him, though plenty of teams inquired about signing him, he thought it best to reunite with coach Harbough. I think really has a chance to make some noise, and that is Stanford's fast, 6'2" 200 pound WR, Chris Owusu. The talented Owusu was QB Andrew Luck's prime target when he was on the field, but the problem for Owusu has been multiple concussions which wilted his draft status and kept him on the sidelines for just about as much time as he was on the field. The big sign to me that his upside is unlimited, is the fact he had 692 yards and 5 TD's as a Sophomore, the year in which Andrew Luck really broke out. That was also the only season in which he played in every game for the Cardinal, as the concussions begin to hamper him at the start of his Junior year. He played just 6 games that year (2010), but did manage to put up a huge 9-catch, 165 yard performance vs. AZ. He showed 4.3 speed at the combine and is medically cleared for full contact. The risk with him, and the reason he went un-drafted, is that he's another head-shot or bad concussion away from being knocked out of football for good. His big play ability, and size, could spell end of the road to Kyle Williams. Owusu, if healthy and not held back by concussion symptoms, he's got the upside to be as good as other 49ers first round receivers, Michael Crabtree and A.J. Jenkins.


Speaking of Crabtree and the 49ers receiving corps, the Niners held a mini-camp workout Monday, and got the pleasure of seeing Randy Moss dawn his #84 in the 49ers colors for the first time. I just saw photos from the workout, but from what I saw and am hearing, Moss looks to be in tremendous shape and appears quite motivated to be that big play wideout the 49ers lacked last season. What a difference Alex Smith will now have heading into 2012, with the assortment of weapons at his disposal. Along with Moss, free agent signee Mario Manningham is also set to take on a large role in this teams passing attack, then there's Crabtree

Moss Looks Strong

and Ginn as holdovers. However, A.J. Jenkins, as Harbough eluded to in his press conference, will be thrown right into the fire to compete for a starting job himself. The 49ers should have a good healthy competition going at WR now, especially with Owusu in the mix as they have 7-8 realistic options for only 5-6 spaces. The 49ers also added Stanford UDFA's, D-End Matt Masifulu and strong safety Michael Taylor. The 49ers are still in the midst of finalizing a lot of their undrafted FA's, so they haven't released the official list yet, but unfortunately it won't contain the names of guys I was hoping like LB Vontaze Burfict, CB's Chase Minnfield or Coryell Judie, G Lucas Nix and perhaps best of all, UNC WR Dwight Jones. The 6'4", 225 pound Jones almost mirrored A.J. Jenkins' numbers last year (85/1,196/11) but did not have the best of combine workouts or 40-times. Still, he's exactly what the 49ers don't have, unless Mr. Moss reverts back to his 10+ TD per season ways, which is a wideout that can go up and grab the jump ball in the end-zone or rune the fade route. As much as I like Owusu, I would have taken Jones if given a choice, but see no reason they couldn't get both, considering they signed a few other no-name wideouts.

Anyway, what a weekend, starting with a surprise first round choice of A.J. Jenkins, then culminating with the mini-camp workout Monday in which most of the team's newly acquire talent showed up for. All in all, I'd have loved to have seen Chase Minnifield, Lucas Nix, Dwight Jones and Owusu all sign with San Francisco, but obviously Trent Baalke and Jim Harbough have a much different idea as to this teams needs than us bloggers and fans and after the success they had with a similar formula last season, who am I to question their choices at this point!

2012 49ers Draft Review

I hope you guys are ready for heaping amounts of football talk, cause that's what we're going to be doing here over the next week or so, with the dust settling on the draft, UDFA's finding homes and mini-camps starting up around the league. Even with the NBA Playoffs underway, the NFL is still dominating sports airways and message boards right now, and likely will all week long. We'll start with a double-post reviewing and grading the 49ers draft, but we do intend on grading the Raiders draft, and UDFA's, even if there wasn't much to go off of.

A.J. Jenkins: Speed w/great Hands

On day one, a lot of 49ers were taken aback by their selection, with a plethora of offensive lineman still on the board and uber-talented CB Janoris Jenkins (who had he avoided off-field problems, would have easily been a top-10 pick). The 49ers, however, went with the fastest, most accomplished wideout in the draft, nabbing A.J. Jenkins in a similar move to last years pick of Aldon Smith. The similarities are that both players projected to be 2nd or 3rd round choices, and in Aldon's case, maybe a late-draft choice, but the 49ers obviously saw a similar trait in both players that made these guys more appealing to them than to most so called "draft experts". Stephen Hill was the one guy I thought may get his name called there if they were going to go receiver, but I see the logic in going with Jenkins over Hill. Jenkins was a 3-year starter at Illinois, and last season had one of the best receiving seasons in the NCAA, hauling in 90 catches for 1,200 yards and 9 TD's. The part that doesn't get noted in his stats, is that he had a very un-predictable QB situation at Illinois and never really had a top QB throwing to him, and he was still able to put up those gaudy numbers. The only knock on Jenkins really, is his slight frame and the fact that he's just 6-feet tall, not exactly the big red-zone target the 49ers were seeking. That said, he plays similarly to Greg Jennings and Mike Wallace, who are both successful 6-foot receivers, cut from exactly the same mold as Jenkins. I think that's the upside the 49ers saw in this choice, and although it stunned me at first, I've come around and I've grown fond of this choice. Of course, we'll have to wait and see how he does in pre-season and training camp, but I think Jenkins has a real shot at entering the year no lower than 3rd on the WR depth chart.



The 49ers continued their seeking of home-run threats on offense in round 2 and took LaMichael James, another guy that some scouts believe may have lasted until the mid-rounds, and looking back at the lack of RB's drafted, the 49ers may have done this one over if given the chance. That said, I loved James at Oregon, he's a small back, no question about it, but as I eluded to after the selection, so were guys like Brian Westbrook, Chris Johnson and Jamaal Charles coming into the league, and all have turned into/were premiere runners. I just think that even with the 5'9", 195 pound frame, he's tough enough to go between

L. James had 300 carries in '10

the tackles (dude toted the rock over 300 times last season) and take that pounding inside. He also, obviously, has immense speed to the corners as well. The only part of his game which is a bit questionable, is his pass-catching abilities, as he's a guy the 49ers would like to get the ball in the hands of, whether it's on screens, kick returns or what not, he hasn't shown those good hands that normally come with small-speedy backs. Still, it's not a big issue, and an area that should be able to be improved upon, especially considering the 49ers will be designing plays specifically to get the ball in his hands... To complement the James pick, with their third selection and 5th round choice, they finally went O-line, grabbing  Wake Forest's Joe Looney. I liked the pick, as it fits a need, and after learning more about Looney, he seems like a 49ers O-lineman indeed. He's got the Mike Iuipati style long hair going, and plays similarly to the 49ers 2011 first rounder. He's tough, an experienced starter and is a load at 315, but an agile 315 that can break up-field on sweeps and screens. Here's his Scouting video, as you see, a potential 3rd rounder before getting injured in the senior bowl. He's likely not going to do much to start the year off, but could be a 2nd half contributor and end up being a steal if he heals up fully and regains form.

Robinson's a big play FS

The 49ers, with their final four selections, made more depth picks, adding to their defensive backfield by drafting one of the drafts top-5 safety's in Michigan State's Trenton Robinson. Here's his highlight video. He's a tad small at 5'10, 195, but he's a true all-around safety, with the ability to help with the run, play center field or come up and cover in man. Had he been 6'2", he probably goes in round 2-3. The 49ers only have 3 safeties on their roster right now, and Robinson will be on the roster as that 4th safety and the 49ers will be confident in using him. Now, I don't know much about C Joe Slowey who they drafted in the fifth but I really liked the pick of Notre Dame's OLB Darius Flemming, another value pick. He's another pass-rush specialist who looks like he can be a special teams monster. Cam Johnson, their last pick of the draft, is another guy like Flemming, who  many  projected to be a mid-round guy, but the 49ers got another potential steal in the 7th with this guy. Johnson was a guy I had listed as guys I'd target in round 3&4 in this post here, so getting him in the 7th is a huge coupe... In the next post above, we have the list of the un-drafted free agents the 49ers added, and brief notes about each player that I'm aware of and know anything about. However, it's grading time, and after the dust has settled, I've re-searched the 49ers draft picks, and look at some of the talent they by-passed in the mid-rounds, I have trouble grading them any higher than the C+/B- area. I mean, I like the Jenkins pick, loved the James pick and believe they got some value at the end of the draft, but they also passed up guys with huge upside like Jared Crick, Brandon Washington, Chase Minnifield and Vontaze Burfict. Of course though, as with any draft, we won't really know anything until these guys start playing as the 49ers Mini-Camp opened up today. More on that in the post above.

NFL Draft Day 3, 49ers Trade Down Again

Well, the 49ers were apparently so enamored with their first two selections, that they felt as if they didn't need a third rounder in this year's draft. After taking A.J. Jenkins in the first round, and LaMichael James in the 2nd, the 49ers traded down into the 4th round to finally choose their first offensive guard, Joe Looney out of Wake Forest.

A.J. Jenkins Introduced

It was obvious heading into this offseason, when your fastest offensive player is your Tight End, you have to improve team speed. With their first two picks, the 49ers tackled that problem, and some. They added arguably the most explosive, quick backs in the draft, albeit an undersized commodity, and a WR that after doing my homework on, almost reminds me of a young Jerry Rice. Jenkins is a super smooth route-runner and has big-time speed. One draft site had him as his NFL upside being Greg Jennings, and that shows you exactly what type of player he should develop into. I've watched plenty of video on him and have been nothing but impressed with the game film. The dude always seems to get open, finds soft-spots in zone coverage and has no trouble beating DB's off the line with his 4.3 speed. And while watching some of that film, especially the dominant game vs. Northwestern, and watching this kid run routes and catch the ball and go, he really reminds me a lot of Jerry Rice. He's got a similar build, though a tad smaller than Rice, he is faster. He's got incredible hands that catch everything they touch and revealed his nickname of E.T. because of his long alien like fingers and huge paws. After being somewhat dumbfound after hearing his name called at 30 while guys like Stephon Hill, Ruben Randle and Janoris Jenkins were sitting there, I'm starting to really come around on this pick, and I've made no bones about my liking the choice of LaMichael James in round 2. I mean, even if James doesn't quite pan out, the 49ers are taking chances on guys that could be explosive football players. James' downside is that he becomes another Kendal Hunter-type C.O.P. back, but his upside is so much more than that, and I'm glad the 49ers saw that.

Raiders Pick Miles Burris in 4th

Across the Bay, the Raiders didn't get the luxury of having a top-2 round pick, as we all know where those went, but they did get a few nice pieces in round 3 and 4 that have some upside. We talked about Bergstrom yesterday, as he's a big tough, versatile O-lineman that does not shy away from any defender. With their 2nd pick of the draft, the Raiders went linebacker Miles Burris out of San Diego St. Burris is strong pass-rusher who collected 9.5 sacks last season, and is adept at bringing heat from the outside. He's also got flexibility to drop back into coverage and has a thick lower-body, which allows him to really drive into his tackles. I'm not sure he'll come right in and play a bunch on defense right off the bat, but he could provide some competition in camp and will surely be a contributor on special teams. The Raiders and the 49ers each still have a 5th round choice remaining, and we'll keep you posted with notes below as the picks come in throughout the day, with brief comments on each player. Of course, we'll review both teams drafts after the thing finishes up, but for know, I still see some quality prospects on the board, including CB Chase Minnifield and G Brandon Washington, who each were expected to go as high as round 2.

5th Round:

Raiders

Jack Crawford, DE, Penn State- Raiders take another edge defender and deepen their D-Line. Crawford has the ability to get to the QB, but is a tad undersized and needs to add some muscle to be a factor.

Juron Criner, WR, Arizona: I really like this choice for the Raiders at the end of round 5. Criner had a big senior year as Nick Foles prime target, catching 75 balls for 900 yards and 11 TD's vs. premium talent in the Pac-12. I think the Raiders were hoping Cal WR Marvin Jones would fall to them, but he went just 2 picks before they choose. Great value pick this deep in the draft though, as I think the 6'4", 215 pounder will be a nice target for Carson and could be the Raiders choice to make the most impact in year one.

49ers

Darius Flemming, OLB, Notre Dame: With talented CB Chase Minnifield still on the board, I thought the 49ers would add to their Defensive backfield here, but they choose Flemming, who's a ball-hawk, but a bit of a tweener and doesn't project out to be much more than a special teams contributor and backup linebacker. Again, very surprised they didn't go Minnifield here, especially seeing the success they've had with mid-round CB's in recent drafts (Tarrell Brown, Chris Culliver). They pick again in just 15 picks, so maybe he'll last till then. Also, G Brandon Washington, projected 2nd rounder, is still out there for the taking.

6th/7th Rounds

49ers

Trenton Robinson, FS, Michigan St.: Robinson was ranked by NFP as the third best Free Safety in this years class. He's a little bit small (5'10", 195) but plays bigger, is a 3-year starter and has produced at  He's adept in coverage and displayed ability to come up and help stop the run. He met a need to as the 49ers were currently sitting with just 3 safeties under contract. Not a bad pick but still wish they would have gotten the strong Virgina corner, Chase Minnifield or Miami guard Brandon Washington. They select again in later this round, so they could still end up with one of these guys, as they represent the best value for the 49ers IMO.

Jason Slowey, T, Western Oregon: Well, the 49ers choose to go O-line again, as the player taken immediately after Slowey was the guy I was hoping they'd choose under these circumstances, Miami's Brandon Washington. I also wonder what they would have done had Miami WR Tommy Streeter had fallen to them. He's a bigger, stronger wideout (6'5", 226 pounds) that is a prime red-zone guy, but they take another O-lineman I'm unfamiliar with. 

Cam Johnson, DE/OLB, Virgina: Now this is a guy I mentioned as a possibility as high as round 3-4, so on that basis alone, I love the pick. He's a bit of a tweener at 6'5" 270, but has the frame to easily add 25 pounds and be a down D-End at the NFL level. He's got plus-pass rush ability (11 sacks in 22 games in Jr./Sr. seasons as D-End), and I think the 49ers saw some shades of Aldon Smith, similar size and attributes, when watching his game film and had ecstatic he fell to them in the 7th.

Raiders

Christo Bilukidi, DT, Georgia State: Don't know anything about him, as he's the first player drafted from Georgia State into the NFL. Supposedly athletic and has good size at 6'3", 310 pounds.

Nathan Stupar, LB, Penn St.: With the Raiders final pick of the 2012 Draft, they choose little known LB Nathan Stupar, another guy I never heard of before hearing his name called today. Supposedly he was an over-looked talent in the mess that went through Penn St. last season, and could challenge for linebacking depth, but I think he's got special teams written all over him at slender, yet powerful and agile 6'1" and 230 pounds.

________________________________________________________________________

So concludes our pick-by-pick analysis of the 2012 NFL draft. Great way to end the draft for the 49ers with a nice prospect late, and there are still a number of top-100 prospects that didn't even go, so be ware of potential UDFA's over the next few days for both the Raiders and 49ers. We'll have a whole post dedicated to those guys tomorrow as the dust settles on the draft and we have some prospective.

Raiders Take Guard Tony Bergstrom at 92

Well they had to wait until the last pick of day 2 to make their first, but the Raiders finally got to chose a player in the 2012 draft, and the new regime went with with a re-enforcement for their offensive line in the form of Tony Bergstrom, a somewhat surprising pick judging by some of the other players that are still available and the Raiders needs on defense especially.

#70, Fits Raider Moto

I don't know a thing about Bergstrom, other than he played his college ball at Utah and is a pretty big load at 6'6" and 315, He played his high school ball in the Bay Area at Skyline High, and is coming home. However, this move caught a lot of Raiders fans by surprise that were hoping for a pass-rusher like Cam Johnson and Jared Crick or a potential shut-down corner like Chase Minnifield. They didn't go after a name, instead going after a guy Reggie McKenzie obviously had his eye on for a while as the Raiders didn't hesitate to choose the Utah guard when their number was called. This now leaves them entering tomorrow with a stict focus on defense, one would think, but with the way the first three rounds of this draft have played out, I really don't know what route they or any other team will go at this point. The one team that has improved themselves immensely by drafting two former collegiate Bay Area stars from Stanford are the Indianapolis Colts. I mean, they got themselves a sure-fire, number one QB for years to come in Luck, and while he may not be Peyton Manning 2.0, he's going to be one of the top-5 NFL QB's within a few years, just watch. Then they went out in round two and nabbed one of Luck's favorite targets and arguably the drafts most talented tight end in Coby Fleener. I mean, that's a squad that had their blue print down and they executed it perfectly. Speaking of tight-ends, I'm a little surprised the Raiders didn't go with talented TE Orson Charles out of Georgia. Their offense suffered last year in the wake of losing top pass-catcher Zack Miller, and they missed that strong presence at tight end. He's a name to keep an eye on for them in round 4 should he fall that far.

49ers Grab LaMichael James in Round 2

Well, the 49ers obviously had their plan of attack heading into this draft early, and that was getting as much speed as possible onto this team. And not only have they added speedy offensive players, but they've added speedy, polished offensive pieces.

Niners Nab James

After surprising with pick A.J. Jenkins in round 1 last night, going with the Greg Jennings-esque receiver, the 49ers switched their focus to the backfield. We all saw how Frank Gore started to run out of gas towards the end of last season, and it's really any ones guess as to ho much longer he'll continue to be a top, every-down back. James immediately becomes the 2nd back on the depth chart, jumping ahead of Kendal Hunter and Brandon Jacobs, and will provide the 49ers with another unique offensive weapon coming out of the backfield. Based on his college numbers alone, and the competition he did it against, you'd think he'd have gone in the top-10, yet his 5'10", 195 pound frame screams "change of pace" back with little ability to run between the tackles. The thing is, he did just that in college, and did it with success going against powerhouses in the Pac-12, and had a few ridiculous games in which he put up video game numbers. In all, he rushed for over 5,000 yards on the ground at Oregon, including a 1,731 yard/21 TD season in 2010 followed by a 1,807 yard/18 TD season in 2011. Can you say consistency? I know he's small and doesn't project out to be an every-down back, but comes to the league in very much the same mold as success stories such as Chris Johnson, Reggie Bush (and he's a better actual RB than Bush) and Jamaal Charles, all backs under 6' tall and around 200 pounds themselves, so it does happen. Even if he doesn't though, he gives the 49ers an explosive home run threat from any spot on the field and an excellent caddy to Frank Gore. This probably spells 4th string for Kendal Hunter, who did good things in 2011, but Hunter is nowhere near the talent that James is. The 49ers passed up opportunities to get a decent DT in Alamada Ta'amu, who I was expecting to hear called, but I think they'll start their focus on the lines in round 3.

Based on needs alone, the 49ers added two dynamic players to their offense that should play a heavy role for them in 2012. After watching some of the wideouts go early in round 2, I'm starting to believe Baalke's statement that Jenkins may not have been there at 29 Friday for the 49ers, as guys like Brian Quick and some kid named Broyles who I hadn't even heard of, each went ahead of the 49ers selection of James. The one player I did like though was another wideout, Mohamed Sanu, who's lasted a full round longer than expected, and even though the 49ers have stocked themselves with offense this offseason, I wouldn't hesitate to select him should he fall to them in the third. Otherwise, as I said, they'll likely go with a guard they like or a corner like Chase Minnifield or Jamel Flemming. We'll have their 3rd rounder as well as the Raiders first choice of the draft shortly when they're announced!

Update: After landing their two offensive speedsters, the 49ers figured they'd be fine without a third round choice, trading their 29th pick in the third to Indy for Indy's 3rd pick in the 4th and 5th rounds. This looks like a solid move for San Francisco as they obviously feel their targeted player at 29 will fall just 5 more spots to them next round tomorrow. It also gives the 49ers another high-pick in the 5th round as well, which in this draft, could end up being a tremendous value for the the position in the draft. Good move considering there are still a lot of good positional fits for them still out there and likely will remain so until they pick again with their 2 4th rounders. For some reason, I'm getting a strong Brandon Washington vibe, the big guard out of Miami, who was expected to go as high as late-first, early-second. He's a load a 340, and would probably have to shed 20 pounds, but he's about as dominant of O-lineman as there is remaining in this draft.

Niners Take Jenkins, but Not Janoris

If you followed our mock draft and most mock drafts from NFL sites, a lot of mocks had CB Janoris Jenkins going by pick 30 to the 49ers, including ours. And the 49ers did draft a Jenkins, but went with WR A.J. Jenkins out of Illinois, a projected 2nd-3rd round receiver, passing up sure-fire first rounders Stephen Hill and Reuben Randle.

A.J. Jenkins to 49ers

Now, this pick comes as a surprise on a number of levels. First off, the 49ers passed on the best remaining, and a guy a lot of scouts deem the most talented corner in this draft in Janoris Jenkins. I've watched video of Janoris the last few days hoping the 49ers would call his name, and have been nothing but impressed as he absolutely has his way with wideouts. Just YouTube "Jenkins vs. Alshon Jeffries", and you'll see what I'm talking about. The dude has shutdown corner written all over him, and despite off-field issues, apparently teams are rushing to move up in round two to get their hands on that talent. Unfortunately, it won't be the 49ers, as they took a very odd approach in this one. Many believe the 49ers could have traded down and gotten A.J. Jenkins Round 2 without a problem, but they apparently weren't joking when they said they had their eye on a specific player who they expected to last to pick 30. Now, I haven't said a word about A.J. yet, and I'll do so more as the draft carries on and we do our draft review, but obviously he's a talented wideout, and although I was thrown by the pick at first, I'm starting to warm up to it a little more. He had 1,200 receiving yards in 2011, granted 250 of those came in one game, and reminds some scouts of a Greg Jennings-type receiver. He can stretch the field with his 4.38 40-speed, and he's not tiny, standing at 6 foot, 195 pounds. He's the same size as Jennings and if you watch the video here, where he torched Northwestern for that 250-yard game. You'll notice he's got a knack for finding soft spots in zone coverage and can beat guys one-on-one. I like the player, but I don't think he was a first rounder and I believe the 49ers could have gotten him today in round 2 had they waited, and filled a real need with pick 30, like O-line, CB or more pass-rush (be it a D-End or another Smith-like OLB).

J. Jenkins Best Available?

Now, with day one in the books, the focus shifts to day 2, as the 49ers hold pick 29 in Round 2 and 3, assuming they don't trade. I'll list 10 guys still available that could fall to the 49ers in the 2nd, then a few in the 3rd, but I wanted to talk a little more about the new WR depth chart after this pick. After signing Randy Moss and Mario Manningham, re-signing Ted Ginn Jr. and already with Kyle Willaims and Michael Crabtree, now drafting Jenkins, somewhat clogs that wideout group a little bit. That said, the 49ers have been said to maybe taking offers for Crabtree, and it's quite possible they could deal him for an extra 2nd round pick if they found the right partner. I know Dallas loves him, and they didn't get a WR in round one, so they may be a team to look to, but this now gives the 49ers 4 wideouts (Crabtree, Moss, Manningham and Jenkins) who will want the ball, then there's Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker as well to think about, and the 49ers have gone from having limited offensive weapons to being over-loaded with them. Anyway, here are 10 names to keep an eye on as Round 2 kicks off this evening:


CB Janoris Jenkins- UNA (If the 49ers got a 2nd shot, they better take it, even if it means trading up!)
G Cordy Glenn- Georgia (There are still 1st round O-lineman left for round 2, he's one)
G Amini Silatolu- Midwestern St. (Another big talent, though a D-2 player)
G Brandon Washington- Miami (Same as other two guards, 49ers have a need here)
G Kelechi Osemele- Iowa State (See other guards, a potential starter at position of need)
CB Chase Minnifield- Virginia (Not as talented as Jenkins, but rarely challenged at UVA)
LB Courtney Upshaw- Alabama (49ers love linebackers who can get after the passer)
DE Jared Crick- Nebraska (A true down D-End, who can play in the 3-4)
DT Brandon Thompson- Clemson (Another talented big body for the D-line depth)
DT Alameda Ta'amu- Washington (NFP's 13th best prospect in draft, 340-pound, athletic DT)

We'll be back later to talk about who they actually do pick, as if Baalke and Harbough stick to script, will likely be a guy no body is expecting!

2012 NFL Draft Day

2012 NFL Draft Updates

Well, after a long wait, it's finally here, as the Colts are just 3 hours away from going on the clock for pick one, although each of the first 3 teams should already know exactly who they're choosing. After that though, it should get interesting, so stick here as we have updates, surprise picks and, of course, the 49ers selection and thoughts on that choice when it happens, though they won't pick until later this evening. We'll do sort of a "bullet point" post as we periodically add notes here throughout the day, so be sure to check in for updates every hour once the draft starts at 5 PM

• We have our first trade of the day, as the Cleveland Browns traded up a spot to most likely ensure they land their targeted running back, Trent Richardson. It's a little surprising, seeing that they dealt with the Vikings, who were certainly not going to take Richardson with Adrian Peterson on their roster, but the Browns likely did this deal so no other team seeking Richardson can move into that 3-spot. Draft time is still about 40 minutes away.      

Well, the draft is underway, and the first three picks are already in, to nobodies surprise, Luck goes 1 to Indy, Griffin to Washington and Trent Richardson to Cleveland. The Vikings now may trade back to get more picks as Tampa wants Morris Claiborne and may move up to get him. We're not going to be a draft tracker and bring every single pick, but we'll likely do so for the top-10. We'll see what the Vikes, Bucs and Rams do.                                           

The first round continues to be littered with trades left and right, as the Cowboys are the latest to move up, into the the 6th spot trading with St. Louis, and have just selected Cb Morris Claiborne. The 5th pick was no surprise, as Jacksonville Jaguars took a much needed WR, Justin Blackmon. Now that the top-6 picks have gone off the board, none of which were any surprises as these 6 were expected to go top-6 all along, but we may now start to see some surprises. The Bucs surprised with Mark Barron at 7, a guy expected to go mid-late first round, but he's the best safety in the draft and makes sense as far as a needs standpoint in Tampa. Now the Dolphins are locks to take Ryan Tannehill at 8, but after that, it's going to be guess work as I wouldn't have thought Barron would have made it to the top-10, so who knows how things will go the rest of the way.

• Top ten are in and here are the notes on them below, again, not too many surprises, though I guess the two biggest in my opinion were Barron going 7 and Kuiechly 9. Best value in top-10 I think goes to Dallas as they got a difference making DB, who could single-handely improve their pass defense. Biggest reach IMP was Gillmore at 10.

1. Andrew Luck, QB- Colts: No surprise here.
2. RG III, QB- Redskins: No surprise here.
3. Trent Richardson, RB, Browns: They traded picks to move up 1 spot for Draft's top back.
4. Matt Kalil, T, Vikings: Kalil will open up holes for Peterson and provide protection for Ponder.
5. Justin Blackmon, WR- Jaguars: Again, not much of a surprise here as they need a #1 WR.
6. Morris Claiborne, CB- Cowboys: The 'Boys needed a DB, and traded up for the best in draft.
7. Mark Barron, S, Buccaneers: The Bucks loaded up on offense in FA, now shift focus to D.
8. Ryan Tannehill, QB, Dolphins: Could be Ryan Leaf 2.0 or Ben Roethlisber 2.0. Project pick.
9. Luke Kuecihly, LB, Panthers: The Panthers needed defensive help, and got a rock solid LB.
10.Stephon Gillmore, CB, Bills: The Bills needed defense too, though this could be a reach.

• Now, since the top-10 picks are in, we'll slow up a little on the coverage and not note every single pick form here on out. There are still a ton of elite prospects available, including Chandler Jones, Michael Floyd, Riley Rieff, David DeCastro, Dre Kirkpatrick, Melvin Ingram and possibly the best available, Fletcher Cox (expected to go as high as top-7). I think the 49ers may be surprised at who ends up falling to them at this rate.

Picks 10-20 Update: Some of those expected top-10'ers are starting to come off the board left and right. Since our last update, Cox, Dontari Poe and Floyd have gone off the table. I think the Rams were a bit surprised, as I think they dealt back to 14 thinking they'd be able to land WR Michael Floyd. I think we're going to start seeing the premium offensive players drop off the board quick. 49ers divisional rivals, the Rams, went with DT Michael Brockers at 14, and at 15, Seattle went OLB pass-rusher Bruce Irvin (A guy the 49ers were supposedly eying at 30). So As get ready to hit round 2 and all the NFC west picks in besides San Francisco's, I think the 49ers are going to have their choice of some players they didn't think would fall to them at 30. We'll continue our tracker type follower like we did the top-10 once we get to pick 20, as the 49ers close in on their choice. So far, in the first 15 picks, best value is Claiborne at 6 and biggest reach is Irvin at 14 (though he also could be steal if he realizes his talent and avoids off-field troubles). At 16, one of my favorites, OLB-hybrid Quinton Coples went to the Jets, taking away one possible target for the 49ers. And in the spot the Raiders should have picked, had they not traded it to Cincinatti, the Bengals took Dre Kirkpatrick at 17, arguably the 2nd best corner in the draft behind Claiborne and another player I was hoping might stick around until SF picks at 30. There have been some very good value picks but non more so than Chargers' linebacker (pick 18) Melvin Ingram, expected to go as high as pick-7 in a lot of mocks.

• Update: As the 49ers go on he clock, they have a plethora of choices to choose from: WR Stephen Hill, G Cordy Glenn, T Mike Adams, CB Janoris Jenkins, LB Courtney Upshaw and Stanford's T Jonathan Martin and TE Coby Fleener, would all fit and I'd be happy with any of the above. 
• And the 2012 49ers First Round Draft Pick Goes to WR A.J. Jenkins?

20: Kendall Wright, WR, Titans: The speedy, dynamic Baylor WR should complement Kenny Britt well.
21: Chandler Jones, DE, Patriots: A potential top-10 pick will vastly improve a woeful D.
22. Brandon Weeden, QB, Browns: Cle. strategizing beautifully with first picks, need WR in Rd. 2?
23. Riley Rieff, T, Lions: Solid value pick here, should be key in protecting Stafford.
24: David DeCastro, G, Steelers: Great pick, I was hoping he'd go to SF as he's best G in draft.
25. Dont'a Hightower, LB, Patriots: Another defensive pick for NE, another explosive defensive piece.
26. Whitney Mercilus, DE, Texans: Odd pick here as they have a good D, but could have used help on O.
27. Kevin Zietler, G, Bengals: The Bengals add to their O-line and get a highly ranked one in Zietler.
28. Nick Perry, DE, Packers: As I mocked, they add to A.J. Hawk and Clay Matthews with a great LB.
29. Harrison Barnes, S, Ravens: Solid defender adds to a solid
30. A.J. Jenkins, WR, 49ers: I'm not sure about this pick here? Would have went with Hill!

There you have it, the 49ers went with an expected 2nd-3rd round receiver in A.J. Jenkins, which makes little sense to me seeing that they could have gotten him in the 2nd round. He's supposedly polished and a smooth route runner, but with their adds at wideout in free agency, I don't know why they just didn't go guard or defense? Still on the fence on this pick, but after a 3 hour wait, I'm as surprised as any about this pick!

2012 NFL Draft: What Will the 49ers Do?

Well folks, draft enthusiasts will likely not get a wink of sleep tonight, resembling a kid on Christmas Eve as the NFL Draft, the biggest draft of the three major sports, gets kicked off Thursday afternoon.

2012 NFL Draft's Eve

The three-day extravaganza will begin with rounds 1 and 2 going Thursday, and unless they can swing a deal to get into one of the first two rounds, the Raiders can pretty much sit back and watch Thursday and Friday. We all know about them giving up their first rounders this year and next to get Carson Palmer, and they'll also be without a 2nd rounder Friday unless Reggie McKenzie gets creative. It's a big reason why we've focused so much on the 49ers and their draft needs and prospects heading into this draft, the Raiders just don't have enough value picks to even talk about yet and unless they strike gold in round 3, they won't be improving via the draft this year. Now, when Saturday rolls around, they'll be doing their best to fill some of their many holes with mid-round picks. Therefore, most of the focus in the Bay Area Thursday and Friday at least, will be around the Red and Gold. However, due to the state of the team, their particular needs and who may be available to them at 30, there's been a lot of talk that the 49ers could be a team that either trades up in the first round or out of it all together. A team like the Browns, for instance, could be a team worth consulting, as they would love to get their hands on Brandon Weeden, and are not sure if he'll last until they pick in round 2. The 49ers would ideally like to get a play-making receiver, or a right guard they can pencil into their starting lineup, but they're in a unique situation that they haven't been in for years, as they really don't have a bunch of glaring holes that they need to fill with a bunch of draft picks. It's why they could package some picks together and maybe move up to get a stud guard like David DeCastro or burner WR like Stephen Hill, or, ideally, Michael Floyd.

We won't know exactly until tomorrow, but the 49ers have been saying they have their eye on a particular player they believe will be available when they pick at 30. Not exactly sure who that player is yet, but that piece of info alone leads me to believe they'll end up keeping pick 30 rather than moving up or down. We'll have full NFL Draft coverage here at The Bay Area Sports Journal all day Thursday, posting notes periodically throughout the evening, so be sure to check here first for all your 49ers and Raiders draft news, notes and analysis. We didn't really talk much about who the 49ers could go after in round 2 yet, and we'll discuss that much more tomorrow after Round 1 is in the books and we see the pool of players still available. A few names I like just off the top of my head who could quite possibly last that late though are Guards Amini Silatolu (Midwestern State) and Brandon Washington (Miami), WR Alshon Jeffery (Alabama), D-Ends Cam Johnson (Virginia) and Jared Crick (Nebraska) or DT's Almeda Ta'amu (Washington) and Brandon Thompson (Clemson). A dark-horse candidate could be talented Virginia corner, Chase Minnifield (projected to go anywhere from late-1st to late to the 4th round), especially if they don't get a CB in Round 1. Any of these guys I think would provide the Niners much needed depth to areas this team could use, and any would be fine by me in round 2 at pick 62, depending on who they take at 30.

Ahh, the NFL draft, perhaps the most "speculative" time in all of sports and a time in which every NFL team and fan get's a glimmer of hope that their team gets that game-changer, that play-maker with their top pick. That is, unless your a fan or member of the Raiders, of course, then you have to wait until day 3 for your excitement. And we wonder why this blog is so heavily tilted towards 49ers coverage?

BASJ NFL Mock Draft 2012: Part 3 of 3

Well folks, the Colts are just 48 hours away from going on the clock for their first pick, which has already been assured to be Andrew Luck. Also, the Redskins traded up to pick 2 to ensure they get their QB of choice, Robert Griffin III, but after that, things could go a number of different ways, and today we'll pick the back half of the first round, picks 21-32. Without further ado, here are our projections:


Pick 21: Cincinnati Bengals: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State: The Bengals are one of the teams that have the luxury of getting two selections in the first round in this draft, and they'd be wise to use it on improving their front on both sides of the ball. I think Adams will be one of the better, more versatile tackles available here, though Jonathan Martin and Kevin Zietler could make some sense as well. They really need a young running back, but there just aren't any worthy of being taken this high. Maybe in round two for them.

WR Stephen Hill

Pick 22: Cleveland Browns: Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech: Now this would be the Browns second first round pick, and one they'd desperately need to cash in on, and I think Hill is the guy. Overlooked with guys like Blackmon and Floyd garnering most the attention, Hill had a great combine and played well at GT, despite playing in a run-heavy offense. He'd give the Browns another dependable target for McCoy, or whoever is behind center for them come September. Their is also speculation they could trade their 2nd and 3rd rounders to another team (New England?) to move into the first round for another pick and get Brandon Weeden, though I have a feeling he'll still be on the board when they pick again 4th in the second round.

Pick 23: Detroit Lions: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama: Kirkpatrick isn't quite the specimen that Claiborne is, but he's a terrific cover corner with great size and good speed. He's exactly what the Lions defense was lacking in 2011, as they couldn't stop any one's passing attack. Had they even had a halfway decent secondary last year, with a healthy Stafford and Megatron, the Lions should have been a playoff juggernaut, but their defense was a laughing stock. Rarely do you find a corner with Kirkpatrick's ability and size this late in a draft, so if he makes it this far, the Lions would be fools to pass on him.

Pick 24: Pittsburgh Steelers: Kevin Zietler, G, Wisconsin: The Steelers battled injuries all over last season, but no area was more exposed than their O-line. I remember watching the 49ers play the Steelers in December and Big Ben must have taken at least 15 hits. They have to get that guy protected so he can get back to his 30+TD form and the Steelers can be a true, power-running team as they've always been. Zietler may not have the talent as some of the other O-lineman in this draft, but his physical and nasty, exactly the type of player Pittsburgh targets!

Pick 25: Denver Broncos: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU: The Broncos just gave Peyton Manning $90M to be their long-term answer at QB (or as long as he'll hold up). He's 36 years old, but could easily play into his 40's as long as he stays healthy and that neck problem of his doesn't resurface. Now Denver has to surround him with some talent to throw to, and Randle could be a steal. His 6'4" frame, leaping ability and athleticism have drawn comparisons to Calvin Johnson. Denver could also go after some free agent WR's like Reggie Wayne, but I think they need a young number-one type that they can groom. We all have seen the way Manning can make ordinary recievers look great, and great ones unstoppable.

Pick 26: Houston Texans: Jonathan Martin, T, Stanford: Houston will try and do everything in it's power to move up to ensure they get one of the draft's "elite-5" wideouts (Blackmon, Floyd, Randle, Hill and Wright). Mohamed Sanu is a decent player, but he's a fall-off talnt wise from the latter-5. However, I think the rest of the league knows this as well, and unfortunately for Houston, there won't be any of the projected 1st round wideouts left at 26. Thus, unless they get lucky and one does fall, they move up or take Mohammed Sanu (an underrated talent at WR), they should shift focus to their O-Line, which was vastly outmatched in January against Baltimore's front-7. A smart, talented tackle who could come right in and start right away for them is Martin.

Pick 27: New England Patriots: Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama: The Pats need to do big work on their defense, which was sadly exposed in the Super Bowl, and they really had no business even being in that game with that wretched offense. They had a wide receiver (Julian Edleman) out there playing defensive back and linebacker at times, that's how thin they are. Hightower would provide a nice anchor in the center of that defense, and give them a play-making linebacker that could go as high as the middle of the round. If he falls here though, New England can't pass him up.

Doug Martin Explodes

Pick 28: Green Bay Packers: Doug Martin, RB, Boise State: Martin reminds me of MJD's body-type and run style, also his college success. He's had a helluva college career, he's a tad short, but has the bulk, size and speed to be able to be a lead-back in the NFL. He's explosive, can catch the ball and would give Green Bay a true, starting every-down back so they're not switching from Grant, to Starks to Kuhn and back. They need a true #1 back and Martin has the 2nd best shot at being one in this draft. However, Martin, like the rest of the RB's not named Richardson, is considered to be more of a "2nd-round" talent, and the Pack could just as easily go defense (secondary especially) here, where they were badly exposed in the playoffs.

Pick 29: Baltimore Ravens: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College: The Ravens feel good about the offensive side of the ball, and likely won't view any offensive players worth taking at this spot unless maybe Coby Fleener or one of the wideouts managed to make it down this far. They will likely look to keep inserting some youth into that defense to help some of their aging stars. Kuechely looks like a sure-fire NFL starting linebacker, and whether or not he starts for the Ravens out of the gate would be irrelevant, as they need depth there for their 3-4 system.They could also go secondary with a guy like Janoris Jenkins or Harrison Smith.

Janoris Jenkins

Pick 30: San Francisco 49ers: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama: I think that if either Stephen Hill or Coby Fleener fell to 30, the 49ers would take them without hesitation. Harbough worked with Fleener for 4 years in Palo Alto and loves the kid, and we all know how impressed everyone was with Hill's combine showing, athleticism and size. However, I think the 49ers will be relegated to taking the best available player that fits one of their needs, and in my mock, I have it being Janoris Jenkins. He's as good a cover corner as Kirkpatrick, but isn't near his size at just 5'10", 185 pounds and has had all kinds of off-field issues, causing him to tranfer from Florida to North Alabama for his Senior year. Still, he'd be a premium nickle back, or more realistically the starter opposite of Carlos Rogers. The 49ers could also go after another pass-rusher if someone stands out at them, especially after having success with Aldon Smith last year. They are said to have their eye on a particular player, which makes me think they're confident he'll be there at pick 30, which, in turn, tells me it could be a player that hasn't even been mentioned yet. Nick Perry, for instance, could be a guy they look at if they want to more pass-rush. Then, they could even go right-guard, as that's their one positional need, but unless Glenn or even Zietler fell to them (DeCastro won't!), I think they feel this draft is deep enough with decent guards to find one in the 2nd round.

Pick 31: New England Patriots: Stephen Gillmore, CB, South Carolina: The Pats, with their two picks in the first, have a real shot at turning around that defense, and for a team that was in the Super Bowl a few months ago, having two first rounders is like icing on the cake. Gillmore is another combine-killer, who really improved his stock with a nice showing in March. He's had some hype for a few years now though, and as I said earlier, the Pats had WR's covering people in the playoffs last year, and that has to change for them to be a complete team.

Pick 32: New York Giants: Nick Perry, OLB, USC: The Giants won the Super Bowl last year despite having just a 9-7 regular season record. A big reason for that mediocre record was the fact they were running with practice squad linebackers for much of the season. Micheal Foley is a stud, but they need some players around him, and Nick Perry could be an ideal fit. He's more a pass-rush specialist, but can also play the run, and could help give the Giants one of the meaner front-7's in all of football. They could also go O-Line here, but in terms of value, Perry's the guy to pick, especially after witnessing what other USC linebackers have done in recent years.

BASJ NFL Mock Draft 2012: Part 2 of 3

The NFL draft is just 3 short days away, and, as the hype keeps growing, we'll continue our mocking of the first round, picking who we expect each team to take (not taking into account any trades that haven't happened yet, of course). So here we go for picks 11-20:


Pick 11: Kansas City Chiefs: Melvin Ingram, LB/DE South Carolina: The Chiefs need a lot of pieces as they attempt to rebound from a lost year in which both their starting QB and RB each went down for the year with injury pretty early on. After a big 27 TD season, Matt Cassell was limited to just 9 games in 2011 and star running back Jamaal Charles went down after tearing his ACL in week 1. The Chiefs can expect rebounds from those two guys, and they also brought in power back Peyton Hillis from Cleveland. They really need to focus on their defense, especially their front-7, as they appear pretty set at DB. They could go Mark Barron to pair up with Eric Wright at Safety, but I think they go for the ball-hawk Ingram, who had 20 TFL's in 2011.

DeCastro Top Guard

Pick 12: Seattle Seahawks: David DeCastro, G, Stanford: The Seahawks have an imposing defense, just signed the guy they hope to be their long-term answer behind center in Matt Flynn, and have a helluva a back in Marshawn Lynch, who ran for over 1100 yards after gaining just over 300 in the first half of the season. The O-Line got a little better, but Lynch is the guy who deserves credit for those yards as Seattle had about as "patch-work" O-line as any team in the league. A talented, smart athlete like DeCastro could really help that bunch, give Lynch a steady guy to run behind and really be an anchor for new QB Flynn. They have good young skill guys, they just lack those tough "trench" players, especially offensively.

Pick 13: Arizona Cardinals: Cordy Glenn, G/T, Georgia Tech: Now, AZ has a lot of needs so they could go a number of different routes here, or trade back. They also could look into Matt Barron to help their wretched secondary, or a pass-rusher like Courtney Upshaw or Quninton Couples. I think they want to make that offense a force again like it was in the Kurt Warner days, and they have good young backs and receivers. The jury's still out on Kevin Kolb, but after the money and the package AZ had to part with to get him, they aren't just going to give up on him after one injury riddled season.

Pick 14: Dallas Cowboys: Mark Barron, S, Alabama: The Cowboys have publicly expressed their interest in Mark Baron, an extremely talented strong safety who can come up to the line and play the run or drop back in coverage like a DB without missing a beat. He can do it all, and with that long hair, reminds some people of a bigger Troy Polomalu with the way he plays and the results he gets. Super talented athlete who plays a premium position at a high level. The 'Boys will be lucky if he isn't snatched up by this pick, otherwise they to could go with Upshaw or Couples.

Pick 15: Philadelphia Eagles: Quinton Couples, DE, North Carolina: Couples is a more pure DE, and will really improve the Eagles up front, where they were so vulnerable in 2011. It wasn't their O-line, their run game, their passing game or their defensive backs, it was the fact they couldn't stop a high school running back if he were running behind a halfway decent line.Couples can play both the run and the pass pretty equally, and although he still has some inconsistencies in his game, he's got the talent to be an Aldon Smith type talent.

Pick 16: New York Jets: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU: The Jets want winners, and they need an anchor in the middle of their D-line. Many football people believe Brockers is the best pure DT in the draft, though there are also those that believe he was a bit of a byproduct of a great defensive scheme. They could go with the combine-hyped Dontari Poe, but I think they'd rather have the LSU 6'5", 322 pound beast to help clog up the middle for opposing backs.


Pick 17: Cincinnati Bengals: Courtney Upshaw, DE/LB, Alabama: The talented Upshaw could last this long just based on what teams need ahead of the Bengals, and they could wind up with another guy, as I mentioned earlier, who could be an "Aldon Smith" type talent. He's a little more versatile that Smith, as he's more experienced at dropping into coverage as well as rushing the passer, but will need to add some moves to his arsenal to be a premium rusher at the NFL level like Mr. Smith has. He's got good instincts, and is serviceable as is, but has the room to grow, and that's what makes him such a low-risk, potentially highly rewarding pick.

K. Wright TD Catch

Pick 18: San Diego Chargers: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor: The Chargers lost a huge piece of their offensive puzzle in Vincent Jackson, and may look to their next number one wideout in the form of the former Baylor star. Wright doesn't have Jackson's size, at just 5'11", 195 pounds (only reason he's not a top-10 pick), but is an athletic specimen, and was one of the best in the NCAA at catching the ball last year with 108 receptions and 1,663 yards in only 13 games.

Pick 19: Chicago Bears: Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford: The Bears are looking for ways to improve their aerial attack as much as possible, as they reunited Brandon Marshall with Jay Cutler already with a deal with Miami, now could look to Andrew Luck's top red-zone target at 19 if they don't get Kendall Wright, or take the chance on Stephen Hill. They could also go O-line here as both Jonathan Martin and Mike Adams could be logical choices.

Pick 20: Tennessee Titans:  Mercilus Whitney, DE, Illinois: Whitney had a breakout, 16-sack season in 2011, and it's going to earn him a first round pick. The Titans haven't had a disruptive force like he can be since Julius Peppers years ago, and they need a guy like that to help drive the defense. They have good corners, and safeties, but they need to be applying more pressure to opposing QB's. Another team that could take a look at Stephen Hill too though, as they could envision his 6'5" frame opposite of Kenny Britt's 6'4" frame as a potentially un-stopable force on the outsides.