2013 NFL DRAFT Baalke Bash Partie deux et trois

[xxERICSMITHXX]

I just have my fingers crossed that Mathieu makes it to the 74th pick but at this time I've pretty much given up on the idea of him being in a 49ers jersey.

Doesn't that belong to Dallas now?

 

[ChrisPozz]

Another scary thing about McDonald I forgot to include in the rush is that he's battled a number of injuries in his career (3 games this year with a toe injury, he hurt his shoulder in 2010, and missed 2 games in 2009 for what the coaches called "several ailments").

And I guarantee we'll hear the name Delanie Walker even more now when McDonald goes through a stretch of dropping some easier ones.

 

[ChrisPozz]

Swearinger and Wade Phillips? Oh, lovely. Just lovely. Another contender with a pick like that.

 

[Hangman]

Positives

He has a wide, thick build with very good arm length and big hands to consider for the position at the NFL level. McDonald is a good overall athlete with solid agility, body control and balance in his play. At Rice, he was a highly productive receiver in the underneath to middle area of the field, showing a big wing-span and making for a big target for his quarterback. He aligned in multiple positions within his college scheme, but mainly out of the slot. He does a nice job of creating separation out of his breaks with good, sudden movements to gain separation from his defender. When he gets a free release, he eats up the cushion immediately and gets on top of the defense quickly. He has not been used as an in-line blocker but more out of the slot, but he is a very willing blocker who does a very nice job of blocking out in space. He is a tough competitor with a big body and he plays an aggressive brand of football. He has great functional strength as shown by the 31 repetitions he benched at the combine. McDonald was also the team's long snapper and gives added value on special teams.
Negatives

He has above average height with only average long speed and explosiveness in his movements. He is not a player with great lateral agility and isn't overly quick in short areas. While he looks comfortable catching the ball, there are times when his hands look out of sorts and he fights the ball through the catch, and this shows up almost every game. He doesn't catch the ball at its highest point and doesn't make full use of his long arms because of it. McDonald's size is his greatest route running strength as he isn't quick out of his breaks, but the combination of size and quickness he does have is enough to get the job done. He is not a vertical threat and lacks elusiveness in his run-after-catch ability. He is an inconsistent in-line blocker, but he was rarely used this way in the Rice offense and he does a nice job of blocking out in space.
Analysis

Rice's Vance McDonald is a big tight end with very good athletic traits with an intriguing NFL future. McDonald is a one-speed player who is fast, but not quick to change directions or out of his breaks as a route runner. He needs a step or two to get up to full speed and can surprise cornerbacks by eating up cushion quickly to run past them. McDonald is a very good route runner as he finds a way to get open, but he lacks short area quickness to separate from defenders and does it using his big body. He is a very smart route runner who understands the system he plays in, and exploits defenses with his understanding of soft areas in zone coverage. McDonald tends to fight the ball at times and can have inconsistent hands that cause him to drop the ball. While McDonald is fast, he possesses one speed and if defenses can disrupt his momentum, he will struggle to finish the route. He isn't elusive and won't hit the homerun, but he will move the chains because of his ability to put his head down and run through contact. At Rice, he wasn't used as an in-line blocker but he was good out in space, bullying the smaller players he went against. He looks to be a very willing blocker but teams will have to develop him from an in-line perspective. McDonald was used in a variety of ways at Rice, and he could be seen lining up out wide, or taking a hand-off and running a tight end reverse. However, he was lined up in a majority of the time out of the slot and that's where he is best suited in the NFL. He has been a very productive tight end in college because of his mismatch ability and his size/speed combination. He also can contribute early on special teams and it gives added value to his selection. McDonald warrants consideration starting in the middle-to-late part of the second-round.

Read More: 2013 NFL Draft - SI.com

 

[Dodub]

Doesn't that belong to Dallas now?

I believe that we traded our other 3rd rounder to Dallas, I could be wrong tho.

 

[Yadahell]

I wanted Reed over McDonald, but I'm an armchair qb, so I'll trust Baalke and co. with this one

 

[michaelwarner]

I believe that we traded our other 3rd rounder to Dallas, I could be wrong tho.

74 Dodub.

 

[RhojiF]

Deion Sanders talks like an idiot. The reporter asked about Geno Smith and he talks about money. It sounded like he spent the past hour rehearsing what he was going to say. He's a pseudo-intellectual, that's a huge pet peeve of mine.

 

[BINGO]

 

[Jikkle]

McDonald feels like a reach, too. I just don't love Baalke trading up, yet again, to grab a player because another player at that position went a few rounds earlier. Especially as a position of need. Escobar and McDonald both seem to have gone high.

I was totally stoked after trading back and still landing Carradine. Not too happy about this. Though McDonald did have a very good post-season apparently.

IDK considering we traded up ahead of Seattle and they proceeded to trade back might indicate Seattle had McDonald targeted as well but we'll never know for sure.

Considering it was for just a 6th round pick that has little chance to make the team I don't exactly thing losing that pick is a big deal.

 

[ChrisPozz]

Dang you, Denver!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Montee Ball will need some kind of complement with him in the running game but he was one of my fallback options when they don't do the smart thing and take Eddie Lacy. Arrrrrgh! That's scary and he has good structure in the coaches around him with Denver, too. Dang!

 

[Yadahell]

Keenan Allen must have a serious red flag to still be on the board

 

[Dodub]

Monte Ball to Denver. Very solid pick IMO

 

[Dodub]

For some reason ESPN still has us listed as the 74th pick

 

[NinerSickness]

It certainly does. I think it's better than Ertz at 34 like most people here were calling for.

How tall is Vance? What was his 40 time at the combine. I don't remember the details but just know that he is fast - considered a very good athlete. He would have been a good 3rd round pick. I think he's a reach, but a reach who feels a need. I like that reach better than the Eric Reid pick.

Haters gonna hate...

McDonald is 6'4 with very long arms & 2nd biggest hands of any TE in the draft. 4.69 40, 1.67 10 yard split. Impressive 31 reps (with those long arms). 33.5 vertical. 23 years old.

 

[Yadahell]

I liked trading I'm front of the Seacunts no matter who we picked haha

 

[ChrisPozz]

If the Packers take Lacy with the pick they got from the Niners, oh boy is that going to hurt. More and more experts are saying that they got the sense they didn't really like him, though.

 

[ChrisPozz]

Keenan Allen must have a serious red flag to still be on the board

Immaturity concerns.

 

[Hangman]

 

[BINGO]

Honestly, I would have have much rather go with Moore or Blidi Wreh Wilson than McDonald at that spot. But like Sick stated, it fits a "need". So it's not a complete disaster.