We’re getting closer to March, so that means the draft is coming. As you can see from the slider on the right, Ballke has had a pretty varied draft record. Last year netted a lot of guys that contributed immediately: Jimmie Ward, Carlos Hyde, Bruce Ellington, Chris Borland, Aaron Lynch, Dontae Johnson, and to a lesser extent, Marcus Martin, all played solid to spectacular. Borland and Lynch came in on fire, and D Johnson played well due to an injury-ravaged defensive backfield. 2013 was a little more hit-and-miss. Reid was as good a pick as could have been made. Carradine, VMcD, Lemonier, and Dial, have not lived up to their promise, but the jury is still out on the D line guys at least. Lemonier is gone, as is the shot-in-the-dark Lattimore. 2012 is the low-water mark for Baalke, with OL Joe Looney being the only one left from that draft. 2011 was as equally impressive as 2012 was bad. Aldon Smith, Colin, Cully, Kilgore, and Bruce Miller are all a big part of the team, and all are solid starters. His first draft as overseer, 201o saw the addition (with Sing’s help) of two O linemen Anthony Davis, and Mike Iupati. Also, of course, the all-world NaVorro Bowman.
That being said, this is an important draft, and Baalke once again has stockpiled picks to the tune of 9 guys to pick. Areas of need are, in order, D line, WR, O line, DB, LB, RB. The first two are up for debate, and Baalke will probably go BPA at decision time.
The combines are just about done (DBs today), and some guys have raised eyebrows, and some have merely stayed the same, while some have dropped. Chris Conley, a WR from Georgia, made the biggest splash with a 4.35 40 time, and a vertical leap of 45″. Almost enough to reach the top of the slat slapper.
As far as the 49ers go, our first 2 selections are, to me at least, and a few million others, cast in stone. Wide receiver and defensive tackle. The top three WRs, in semi-particular order, are Amari Cooper, Kevin White, and DaVante Parker. Cooper didn’t disappoint in his combine performance. He’s smooth, fast (enough), and is the real deal. Kevin White, however, laid down his own blistering 4.35 40 time , and he’s a beast at attacking the ball in flight. The knock on him is that he only had one good year. Cooper had 2 1,000 yard seasons in his three years.
Problem is, Neither of these guys will be available at 15. DaVante Parker may not even be there, what with the Rams, Raiders, and Vikings all looking for WR help. This means we look to the D line for help. Problem there is, there are likely 9-10 defensive linemen taken in the top 20. After Leonard Williams, the picture gets muddy. Gone for sure is NT Danny Shelton, as new Bear DC Vic Fangio takes his plugger for his newly installed (gasp!) 3-4 defense. Brian Urlacher, Mike Singletary, and Dick Butkus must all be spinning in their graves. If they were dead. Too many guys out there to even give a remotely accurate guess. Malcom Brown, DT from Texas, is the name I hear a lot for us, for what that’s worth.
So, the falloff after the top 3 WRs is fairly precipitous. Funchess doesn’t look very smooth out there, and ran pretty stiff. Sort of common for bigger guys, but that bothers me. Green-Beckham is a beast, but had major off-field issues. Pot and domestic abuse apparently. He may fall to the 2nd. He talked a bit about it and said he’s not going to blow his shot, but talk is cheap, and the team that spouts winning with class may shy away. Breshad Perriman didn’t participate as he has a hammy issue, but he’s kind of an under-the-radar pick that Baalke might go with. He’s got size, speed, and separates well from defenders. Raw, though. Not a great route-runner who relies on athleticism. Still, a big red zone target that would help the imminent loss of Crabs.
So my best guess is Brown and Jalen Strong first two picks . . .
Forty Niners Forever 
Thanks for joining us here, John . . . Yeah, the love of football runs all year long now. Gonna be a crazy season, that’s for sure. I think it’s a good thing that other teams are thinking the 49er ship has capsized.
it’s funny, my son is still a bit impressed by the fact that I called Odell Beckham last year as the best WR in the 2014 draft. Watkins and Evans are good, but Beckham was to me just head and shoulders above those guys. Shit, I just wanted DaVante Adams (and a coaching staff that knows how to use him). White to me looks like that guy this year. Sadly he’ll be gone by the time we pick. Unless we trade up in front of StL and Minnesota. Even then we still may not get him . . .
Yeah, Baalke is definitely on the clock. Hopefully we get a few home runs out of him this year. i would stay away for a 1st WR at any cost. They just don’t work out for us(rice not included). I guess some of that blame has to go to our scouting dept. Personally I think we should draft a few muscleheads to shore up our lines because we have a brutal schedule and our lines will be pounded this year. I think a lot of our problems with wr”s is our game plan and our QB’s abilities. Kappy can make throws he’s already shown that he can, I don’t know what the problem really is but if we can fix it the league will be put on notice.
I think the biggest problem with our offense has been the design and play calling. I believe we have good players.
Yeah, it’s like he chicken/egg thing. Is the offense holding back the WRs? Are the WRs just not good enough? Is the QB not reading his progressions fast enough? Is it the line? FO we need to switch out blocking schemes? Lots of questions.
Although what killed me, and leads me to think it was the coaching, is that a lot of teams have noted that they knew what was combing from our offense most of the time.
Knowing isn’t stopping, but it sure helps.
I would be happy with Brown and Strong. The reason I’d rather have Funchess is he can be used as a TE. We need a good play making TE.
Well, whoever can go get it in the red zone, I’m all for that guy.
Near as I can tell, we’ll get a 4th and a 7th round pick for our compensatories.
Since this team has stuck with the philosophy of a power run team 1st, their probably thinkin screw a talented spread the field talented red-zone “Stud” WR!!!
So now we’re back to the D line men, like Malcom Brown or possibly a shutdown corner Trae Waynes who will be gone unfortunatley! Kid can flat out cover, physical, great technique and size, and just warp drive an impressive 4.35 40
You can never have enough DEFENSE. Forget WR if they’re not available. NIners draft too damn late. Move up? Good luck with that wishful thinking. The truly talented guys are usually long GONE!
Waynes could fall to 15, Nip. I think they’ll go BPA but I think it’ll be between WR and DT.
Waynes? Could be. I never get the Niners right. Except for Kentwan Balmer and Colin Kaepernick. . .
You’re due for some success.
We have had some fucked up drafts, I’, thinking Mcgrew(sp) and drunkinwhatever.
So should the 49ers give ESPN’S Rich Eisen a tryout?
He clocked in with a 6.13 40
Then blazed back strong with a 6.10!!
Special teams? Waterboy?Special Olympics?
Kicking tee fetcher . . .
Niners need in order: a stud WR, D line, Corner, OG, RB, LB and then whatever.
First round WR is always tricky but they really need a playmaker for Kap.
I’m looking forward to what Steve Logan and Geep can come up with Offensively 12th.
We finally have a big armed QB who can get the ball downfield.
Adding a guy like Kevin White or, another deep threat helps the underneath game too.
No need to reach for a WR in RD1 IMO.
Baalke does a good job of maneuvering around the Draft Board too.
If they want to make a move into the top 10, it’s a much cheaper endeavor this year over last.
Agree with the premise NJ but don’t think it’s a reach for a 1st round WR this time around. The key missing ingredient for Kap has been a reliable deep threat that gets utilized with a matching scheme not simply as a decoy. VD is hit and miss as a deep guy despite his natural speed. I really hope they go after a top WR.
Usually I am with you and Berger and all about the lines but not this year. No skinny kid with a name in the envelope though, I want a big wingspan burner to take the top off which of course helps with the underneath stuff.
My sleeper CB ain’t a sleeper anymore.
Byron Jones from UCONN dropped a 12’3″ Broad jump and a 44.5″ Vert.
He didn’t run the 40 but, really? Who actually cares?
His College Coach thinks he could break 4.4.
Kid can play, plain and simple.
He might have put himself into the 1st RD now.
If he’s there for us in RD2, well worth the Pick IMO.
Kid is 6’1″/199 223 TKLs/18 PBUs/8 INTs while playing in 43 games,
Nothing shabby about those numbers.
Waynes isn’t a problem either but, i think there’s more depth at DB to allow another Pick at the 15 slot, be it WR or DL.
Making a jump up into the top 10 is a possibility too.
The beauty here, for us, is that Kaep has been working at EXOS with both White and Strong.
Either guy is worth it IMO and, Baalke could always Trade down to grab an extra Pick if 15 is bare,
I heard somebody say today on the radio that the 12’3″ road jump is a world record. Players who jump well usually have good explosiveness.
I read a scouting report on Waynes that said he is an old fashioned bump and run CB. They speculated that he is going to be a penalty machine in the NFL with the league’s contact rules for the secondary.
Oops, broad jump, not road jump.
The DB Class in general is full of potential Picks Berger.
Though the official Safety position is considered light, many of the slower CBs could easily convert.
Speed is good but, agility and tackling is even more advantageous.
Watching the Combine Drills helps to identify the nimble/quick guys very easily.
IMO, many of the guys I watched today could get a shot to contribute in Nickel and Dime packages very easily.
I look for the guys that tackle well.
Byron Jones is a keeper in my book. Good thing about DBs, they’re usually available in almost every RD, depending on what you’re looking for.
Baalke stocked up on a few last year.
If there’s a gem this year, in RD1, why not?
The one guy rated as a 1st RD Pick at SS is Landon Collins from ‘Bama.
He’s another guy that could land in our lap at 15.
I’m also considering Washington OLB Shaq Thompson as a SS.
Ironically, Thompson is the same size as Collins, (6’0″/228)
Again, Shaq tackles well and was a S and RB before moving to OLB.
Versatile option with him.
Collins – 41 Games/190 TKLs/13 PBUs/5 INTs – 4.53/40
Thompson – 40 Games/223 TKLs/11 PBUs/5 INTs – 4.64/40
IMO, Shaq offers just as much, maybe more and, could come cheaper.
Chuck, it’s my pleasure and the only place I can really get Niner info from actual Niner fans, knowledgeable ones to boot, not to mention the nice smooth segue with the Flap. As for Beckham, you did knock that one out of the park. Talk about taking the league by storm. Even Bitchard Sherman had good things to say about him.
Looking forward to this draft and hoping the team can fill in the positions it needs to. I’m not giving up on these guys yet, Baalke and York notwithstanding. Like you mentioned the other day, get the offense running like it should with all the talent it has and get the injured guys back on D and they should have a pretty damn good team. And I still think Kap has it in him to be a good NFL QB, maybe better than good.
Berger –
Not sure if I’ve ever shared any Blues from Spain?
This dude kills it –
Javier Vargas and the Vargas Blues Band –
I have some Javier Vargas on CD. The guy is good. I didn’t know he was from Spain. A friend of mine from NJ sent me the CD a few years ago! Imagine that.
Here’s another reason why Kevin White is a popular guy in Indy –
http://tinyurl.com/nms3z2m
Scroll down on that piece and get a look at CB Byron Jones.
Kid is sturdy, fast and, jumps like a kangaroo.
He might have played himself into RD1.
I want him in SF.
Well, by the time the draft rolls around we should have an idea of what justin Smith, Frank Gore, cully, Cox. VD, Crabs. And Mike Iupati are doing.
Depending on who stays and goes will make some of these decisions for us.
Crabs and Iupati are gone. Cully and his legal issues as well. Gore stays. VD need to take stock (hah!) and and come up with something reasonable. He pretty much stole his salary last year. Cox has been a nice surprise and hopefully Brock is fully ready.
They do need depth just about everywhere.
Rob loves Cox…
To quote Mickey from Rocky II, what I think the 49ers need from the wideout position is, “Speed. Speed. SPEEED!” Those damn Seattle DB’s need to have something more to fear than just a position receiver running outs and dig routes. Our QB has a bazooka for an arm, but how many times do they hook up on a straight fly or deep post route for a long TD? Not often enough, IMO.
Bingo
That’s been tha case since Moss left. No one scares the DBs. VD was the closet to a real deep threat we had and he vanished last year.
Patton and Ellington SHOULD at least be given shots downfield out if the slot, but more often than not we used our FB in that role.
Sure, Kappy needs to read out of that, but on a given play, sometimes there are just very few options. It’s the chicken and the cart thing, or the horse and the egg. Uh, get some fucking SPEED!!!
Damm Right Lurker!
You have a QB in Kap who can launch a missle 70 yards, yet we have possession route receivers Boldin( old but still decent) Crabs probably gone,asshole Lloyd for sure gone,General Patton, Ellington don’t show squat etc etc etc.
Draft up and get one of the “Studs” Cooper, White,Parker,are Beckham Green and stretch the field!!