Certainly didn’t think they’d go this hard after defensive players. Still and all, with 7 picks today, they can do some depth filling to say the least. I guess the ‘braintrust’ feels that the offensive stagnation was a product of the coaches, not the players. That’s certainly a theory, but one I’m not too comfortable with. I mean, if the offense somehow regresses, we are doomed. Even incremental improvement likely won’t overcome the insanely tough schedule we have, and the players we lost. I understand that most of the defections and retirements were on the defensive side of the ball, but really? All defense? The most curious pick to me was Tartt in the 2nd. The defensive backfield took some hits with Cully and Cox hitting the road, so natch I thought they’d go after one of the many CBs available at 2. They took a strong safety.
Yeah, Bethea’s getting up there, but Brock is coming off an injury-plagued season, and Cook, while semi-decent, is no C0x. Donate Johnson played well as a rook, but the rest are various flavors of backup. I thought CB was much more a need. Unless they know something they aren’t telling us re: Bethea. He is 31, but still played well last year. Beyond that, they lose 2 ILBs and draft an OLB. Harold looks like a solid guy, but again, not really an area of dire need like ILB appears to be.
Armstead? Safe pick. One Tomsula should be able to reap major rewards out of.
Today? I’m hoping they go WR, ILB, CB, ILB, OL, TE, WR.
Forty Niners Forever 
As for the draft. Weirdly enough, when there are no high value ILB’s at the appropriate pick slot, Baalke chose not to force it and take less value for need. Ditto CB, which the Niners have several players we the public have yet to see perform, maybe Baalke knows something we don’t except there is no maybe about it.
Andy Lee is going on 12 years, it is appropriate to begin the search for his replacement.
I like the picks, even Arik in the first, and give a B grade for now and like Nipper says, we have to wait a couple of years and revisit it.
Trashing the team in the off season is for the birds. Same as anointing a team is.
That’s why they play the games right?
The punter pick is a little odd, especially if the guy could’ve been had in free agency. The only way it makes sense is if the Niners plan to cut Lee and his big contract and go cheaper with the rookie. If he can beat out Lee in camp, that is.
It also sounds like the kid has a big leg and accuracy too.
John, the kid was the best punter in the draft and is one of the few spots a rookie can come in at the pro level and compete. Andy Lee, much as I love the guy, is $2m and in his 12th year. We also have no idea if there is a back story to Andy Lee that the organization knows about. As usual we whistle in the dark.
“Tom” is starting to sound a lot like one of our old friends here with his repetitive “Kap sucks and will be traded” and “Baalke is an idiot” bullshit. Stooping to claiming Baalke is being paid off to sabotage the draft.
Get’s old real quick.
It still has to make you wonder, if our guy was ranked in the middle of the pack why didn’t we take the # 1 guy or someone in that range. I’m ok with the draft, we addressed the D with the first 3 picks and that was what I was looking for. After reading different Bio’s I feel pretty good about their chances of sticking around.
It’s one thing to wonder Winder, quite another to be another “fresh face” on the blog slamming the same old worthless shit about Baalke and Kap and throw in a side of OC, who none of us have any clue about, for good measure.
I didn’t expect Baalke to take a punter, but on reflection there is some good reasons I can think of as to why that was done.
If the goal was to bigger we sure did at punter. The kid is 6-5, 230. I read he kicked a 65 yd FG the other day and could be used as a kick off specialist.
I’m not excited about this draft but I really don’t know the players either. A couple of thoughts did spring up.
-Everybody keeps saying Armstead is a one year project. What D-lineman isn’t? Especially a NT or 4 technique. I think this guy is going to be really good.
-Drafting a safety says to me that Ward is not being written in with ink as the heir apparent at the position.
-I read Harold is a soft speed rusher. Don’t we already have Lemoneir for that?
-Smelter sounds like another Boldin.
-We drafted a bruising blocking TE for goal line who can be our emergency QG. WTF?
-No matter how good Andy Lee is, he makes a lot of money for a punter. I’m hoping our offense comes out of the cave man era and we don’t need the best punter in the league anymore.
-Doesn’t it seem we always draft a RB?
Niners almost always do take a RB. I was surprised they didn’t take a CB, but if the value wasn’t there, or they feel good about the guys on roster we haven’t seen yet, then I get it.
ILB is good at the starting position, thin for depth, but a lot happens after the draft and during camp so the story is not written yet, only the draft is.
The thing that disappointed me the most in this draft was that in rds 2 and 3 there were some players I really wanted and they all got picked just before we were up.
I was hoping Devin Smith would fall but figured that to be a slim chance. I did figure Funchess or McKinney to be there and both were gone. Next I wanted the TE from Miami in rd 3 and poof, taken before we could pick. That made my shoulders slump a bit. I didn’t even get the chance to see if we would have picked them.
Baalke not aggressive in 2nd and 3rd. Could have bundled picks to jump ahead for a Chris Conley etc. Those 2 picks could have been better. Go get your man he did not do. Why? Jed York is the Peter Principle on steroids. TB has all the job security in the world. Othwise this draft would be his tombstone.
Give me a break bakkentom.
Give us all a break “Tom”…
With the Warriors coming up here in a few, hats off to them. But I also have to say hats off to the Clippers, lined up to maybe be the Warriors’ Western Conference Finals opponents.
Though I’m no fan of either the defending champ Spurs nor the freakshow owned Clippers, their series was as good as they come. Heartstopping, lead-changing, last minute wins by both sides both at home and on the road all throughout the series was fun to watch. The Clips showed they are once again going to be a very dangerous opponent for the Warriors should it come to that.
I’m glad for the Clips. They deserve some success. So do the Warriors.
QB History means nothing. Every DC knows how to shut down Kap. Last year is the only history. Even the blindest homer can read this draft. Torrey Smith/Jerome 2 lb Simpson to take the top off the defense and young IOL studs so this year is prove it. He is no rookie anymore and OC and him better figure it. The train at the end of the tunnel is all that 2016 draft capital. Too bad no help from a bill Walsh, bill bellichek, or a mike McCarthy.
The train at the end of the tunnel?
Same old shit new name. Don’t waste your time John, it ain’t worth it.
Tick Tock “Tommy”
12th Man, I didn’t know Pinion was considered the best punter in the draft. Niner fans should know first hand how valuable a quality punter can be. In the NFL, especially in tight games, field position is everything. Lee regularly flips field position for the 49ers. Sounds like Pinion is also a booming kickoff man.
Like I said earlier, I’ve learned to reserve judgement on drafts until things play out a bit. There are no guarantees in this league.
I read he was 53 out of 124 or something close to that. I believe it was at espn but not quite sure.
His numbers aren’t great but there OK. If he has a real good hang time then his numbers are really good. Numbers can’t tell the whole story. We’ll learn more when he gets some camp time.
His distance and hang time was pro level.
He also had an extremely small percentage of touch backs.
So should we keep Lee or go with Pinion? I’d say that is a matter of a Pinion!
Our offense might have been the most ill devised of all time last year. Harbaugh sank to a major low when he rebuilt the offense and brought out one he had no idea of how to run. Like NJ said, the other team was playing chess while we were playing checkers. Harbaugh was severely outcoached last year by DCs all over the league. It was the first time I ever heard the players calling out the coaches for dumb schemes. Kap gets a pass for last year. His big plays might be the only reason we made it to 8-8. But when you rely so much on the QB making big plays he also will make some bad ones. It is the coaching we were stuck with last year, thankfully Jed jettisoned the staff. Harbaugh would have been better off staying with the Jumbo offense he had the year before. At least he knew how to call plays for a classic cave man offense. New modern strategies were above Harbaugh’s ability to design and call plays.
Yup.
100% agree with your post. thoughtful and not biased with your own stupid agendas. Nicely done.
I agree with NJ49er . I give this draft a B if armstead pans out. If not … a C- .
Steven Curry wins NBA MVP.
Go Warriors!
Best analysis I can make of this Draft Class is youth for the future.
Ian and Dorsey have injury concerns.
Justin is likely done or, damn close to it.
Brooks and Eli Harold are very similar guys IMO.
Tartt brings size, and coverage ability, along with the versatility to play both Safety spots.
Again, no one expected to lose both Patrick and Borland in the blink of an eye either.
This Draft Class at ILB was NOT a strong group.
Baalke explained his position pretty well, stating that they wouldn’t ‘reach’ for an area of need.
I buy that philosophy 100%.
You stack your Board, you assign the values accordingly and, you seek those guys in areas you expect to find them.
As with all Draftees, it’s incumbent on each of them to work their skills into Pro caliber production.
Too many guys get Drafted and see it as the reward.
For me, it’s a ticket to future financial success, if you accept the challenges associated with the opportunity.
Give me the small school guys, with the fire in their bellies, over the glamour school football programs with all the National exposure any day.
If LSU OT La’el Collins gets cleared in the murder investigation involving his former girlfriend, would we consider making a run at him as a FA?
I would.
Here’s an interesting site to track the UDFA signings.
http://walterfootball.com/draft2015udfa.php
Obvious that we went heavy with WRs in this venue.
Perhaps they’re feeling that the new Coaches, specifically former LSU WR Coach Adam Henry, can find a diamond in the rough?
Poor little Bullit can only lurk here like the chicken he is.
New thread is up.