Each NFL Draft is vital, however for the San Francisco 49ers, whose complete offseason plan for his or her rebuild was “the draft,” it’s important.
So how are they doing?
Listed below are my grades of San Francisco’s picks this must-win weekend:
Spherical 1, Decide 11: Mykel Williams [Grade A+]
My No. 1 participant on this class, taken at choose 11. A triumph of a choose. [Read my column here.]
Spherical 2, Decide 43: Alfred Collins, DT, Texas [Grade: B]
The B is for growth. The B is for bust. Collins has the dimensions, burst, power, and size to be a dominant, Professional-Bowl-level inside defensive lineman. However there’s a cause he was obtainable for the 49ers right here (and sure would have remained obtainable for one more 15 to twenty picks) — there are pad-level issues (as there are with most tall defensive tackles), significantly when speeding the passer and his athletic testing scores have been incongruous along with his tape.
Then once more he’ll instantly grow to be the 49ers’ finest defensive sort out on the roster the second he indicators his contract. (As long as he indicators earlier than the 49ers’ fourth-round choose.)
Spherical 3, Decide 75: Nick Martin, LB, Oklahoma State [Grade: D]
Worth is an summary idea. It’s best to take the gamers you want, no matter the place another person would possibly choose them.
However who was placing stress on the 49ers to pick Martin — a participant I didn’t even rank at a place I discovered underwhelming on this cycle?
For the Niners to go away so many high quality linebackers on the board to take a small (too small, in my view) as many as 100 picks too early was… fascinating.
The Niners admitted that they focused Martin at this spot—exterior opinions weren’t an element. I query whether or not a participant who was undoubtedly productive on the school degree can translate to the NFL degree at his dimension. His tape is affected by snaps the place he’s pinballed round by Huge 12 offensive linemen, working backs, and even successful from then-Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel (who’s, concerningly, about the identical dimension).
We’ll discover out inside minutes of the Niners placing on pads at coaching camp if he would be the workforce’s Dre Greenlaw substitute or merely one other special-teams participant.
Spherical 3, Decide 100: Upton Stout, NB, Western Kentucky [Grade: C]
I like Stout. I can see why the 49ers like Stout — he’s the second coming of Ok’waun Williams.
What I can’t perceive is why the 49ers, who boast a copious listing of wants, determined to herald somebody who performs a place that was, unquestionably, lined.
I can recognize that Deommodore Lenoir needs to play exterior nook. However what he’s nice at is being a nickel again. He’s merely above-average as an outdoor nook.
Stout gained’t be higher than Lenoir on the solely place he ought to play it on the professional degree. So both he’s a depth choose at choose No. 100 — horrible worth — or a choose that absconded duty so as to add starters (sure, starters) at different positions.
As for the participant himself, he’ll be a pest in the perfect type of approach. On the very worst, you’ve a attainable elite special-teams man.
However once more, we’re saying that for a Spherical 3 choose. Inauspicious.
Spherical 4, Decide 113: CJ West, DT, Indiana [Grade: A+]
Mykel Williams was my No. 1 prospect within the class of 2025. CJ West was my favourite prospect within the class.
He’s a mauler with a motor that gained’t cease. His influence on the Indiana protection was immense final 12 months — his get-off on the line of scrimmage, violent fingers, and understanding of angles put him within the backfield snap after snap. He additionally had a really feel within the run recreation that can’t be taught.
If I needed to put all my chips on one participant on this draft to outperform their draft slot, it could be West. This was nearly as good a choose as Williams at No. 11.
Spherical 4, 138: Jordan Watkins, WR, Ole Miss [Grade: B]
Hey, an offensive participant!
And a reasonably good one, too.
Watkins tasks as a contributor in any respect three large receiver spots within the 49ers’ system — a necessity given the workforce’s lack of depth of expertise on the place.
He has deep pace to play X receiver, the wiggle and toughness to play at Z, and the explosion off the road and craftiness to play within the slot.
Certain, he has hand points and fumbles rather a lot, which is lower than supreme, however he’s a great blocker and does his finest work towards zone protection.
So sure, a stable choose.
Does he undertaking as a standout at any of these spots? Not significantly, however the Niners want ready-to-play receivers and Watkins — with the clear releases Shanahan gives — must be one.
Spherical 5, Decide 147: Jordan James, RB, Oregon [Grade: C]
There are backs I most well-liked way more than James — RJ Giddens from Kansas State, specifically, was nonetheless on the board — however I see why the Niners preferred the Oregon again — he’s a jack-of-all trades again for a workforce that wanted one thing like that.
The positives: James is a extremely good blocker (it issues) with a stable punch (regardless of being 205 kilos), a fearless temperament, and the one-step-and-go explosion the Niners demand from working backs of their exterior zone blocking system. He’s extra acceleration than pace, and he exhibits some reputable bounce when he does come into contact with defenders.
The downsides? His testing scores have been woeful in comparison with his tape, and he’s not a great cross catcher out of the backfield. This isn’t a reduction Christian McCaffrey, he’s extra of a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none Sean Tucker (Tampa Bay) sort who generally is a lead(ish) again ought to McCaffrey be sidelined.
Maruqes Sigle, DB, Kansas State [Grade: B]
That is an all-traits, no-tape choose. However that’s the type of participant groups must be taking within the fifth spherical.
My concern with Sigle it that he confirmed no proof of with the ability to learn the sector at Kansas State, and as a security that’s extra vital than his very, very quick 40-yard sprint rating. Meaning it’s important to play him close to the road of scrimmage. I do know a couple of groups questioned if he was a giant nickleback.
I think about the 49ers see him as a field security — he’s a stable tackler with nice closing pace. Suppose: a sooner however faster Talanoa Hufanga. However Huf, for his protection deficiencies, noticed the sector exceptionally properly. We’ll discover out actual quick if Sigle can do this on the NFL degree.
Spherical 7, Decide 227Round 7, Decide 249Round 7, Decide 252
