2016 Draft Grade:

[poewelch84]

i said he was going to have a GOOD draft, and he did. An 'A' or 'B' grade is a good draft.

you said he was going to get an 'F' no question, no doubt. But you gave him a 'B-'.

if getting two GOOD starters - at very least - (I think two is all he got) is "letting you down", there is no more to be said. One is arguably the top player in the draft, the other is the Outland Trophy winner.

I'm fairly certain I didn't post he would get an F, and that he would end up in the C-B range, which to me isn't good enough when drafting that high. Personally I feel you should get 3 starters in each draft and I feel they only got 2 with a bunch of depth players. Perhaps I expect too much of him, actually I know I expect too much of him because he isn't a good GM and I'm expecting a draft that a good GM would pick.

 

[poewelch84]

Yes, we could always use better CB play, but IMO we'll feel it more from lack of a pass rush. It'll be improved over last season, but still not to where we need it.

well that all depends on how much the pass rush improves if they are blitz happy and don't hit home then things may get worse.

 

[deep9er]

well that all depends on how much the pass rush improves if they are blitz happy and don't hit home then things may get worse.

i wonder just how much they will actually blitz? Maybe early on - say first four games - but should Buckner come on by then...................

I'm thinking similar (not same) as when Justin Smith opened things up for everyone else. Buckner along with Armstead will set the D.

 

[poewelch84]

i wonder just how much they will actually blitz? Maybe early on - say first four games - but should Buckner come on by then...................

I'm thinking similar (not same) as when Justin Smith opened things up for everyone else. Buckner along with Armstead will set the D.

Their DC is from the Ryan coaching tree and he is known for putting pressure on the QB so I would expect more blitzing.

 

[Ricky Roma]

I'd give this draft an F grade.......F as in Future. No way anyone can truly assess what we have as far as NFL talent is concerned. I'll be able to truly examine it in.....say......2019. If I had to rate the weekend, I'd certainly rate it an F. There just isn't any logical reason as to why they hold onto Colin Kaepernick at this point.

 

[deep9er]

I'd give this draft an F grade.......F as in Future. No way anyone can truly assess what we have as far as NFL talent is concerned. I'll be able to truly examine it in.....say......2019. If I had to rate the weekend, I'd certainly rate it an F. There just isn't any logical reason as to why they hold onto Colin Kaepernick at this point.

Didn't read anything where he is causing issues now? Kaep might even want to try out Kelly's offense, since he now knows there are no options? At some point yes you cut him, but doesn't seem like we've reached it yet?

Meanwhile, you might as well TRY to get something for Kaep. You never know which team might suffer an injury to their QB? Paxton Lynch isn't likely to start this season, is Denver willing to go with Sanchez?

 

[Ricky Roma]

The issues he has created are wanting to be traded, but refusing to take a pay cut. He wants out....and everybody in the locker room knows this. Any leadership Kaepernick ever had, is probably all but disappeared. His general ability has been in decline anyways.

The Denver door has closed, according to Elway. If they are going with Sanchez over Kaepernick, it's yet another example as to how little Colin is regarded around the league. I'd rather they just cut him and be done with him.

 

[deep9er]

The issues he has created are wanting to be traded, but refusing to take a pay cut. He wants out....and everybody in the locker room knows this. Any leadership Kaepernick ever had, is probably all but disappeared. His general ability has been in decline anyways.

The Denver door has closed, according to Elway. If they are going with Sanchez over Kaepernick, it's yet another example as to how little Colin is regarded around the league. I'd rather they just cut him and be done with him.

well, it appears this will happen....eventually.

 

[Ricky Roma]

Eventually....which probably means we'll be having this discussion same time next year, and the year after, and.....

 

[trumphero2006]

baalke sucks plain and simple

 

[Niner Outlaw]

1 (7) DeForest Buckner, DT, Oregon
1 (28). Joshua Garnett, OG, Stanford
3 (5) Will Redmond, CB, Mississippi State
4 (35). Rashard Robinson, CB, LSU
5 (3). Ronald Blair, DE, Appalachian State
5 (6). John Theus, OT, Georgia
5 (35). Fahn Cooper, OT, Ole Miss
6 (32). Jeff Driskel, QB, Louisiana Tech
6 (36). Kelvin Taylor, RB, Florida
6 (38). Aaron Burbridge, WR, Michigan State
7 (28). Prince Charles Iworah, CB, Western Kentucky

The Best Picks
1st. Buckner. DE, Oregon. I'm with most of ya'll here. Hard to argue against Buckner and Garnett. They should walk into camp as immediate starters. The FO is hoping Buckner can be the Justin Smith type of force from the DE spot. His H/W/S is prototype for the DE spot, he played in a 3/4 in college, Kelly recruited him, etc. and PFF rated Buckner ridiculously high. He fell right into our laps. Hard to argue with the pick as long as he is a starter. He should pair well with Armstead considering their history together.

2nd. Garnett. OG, Stanford. Sure, there were some pass rushers on the board, but we have immediate needs at OG. Garnett will walk in as a starter at either LG or RG. He was the highest rated OG on the team's board and really, one of the top OGs on just about everyone's board. Sure his pass blocking needs work, but our OL was dead last as a run-blocking unit—so that should take some priority. Some will quibble with the trade up to get him, believing that he would've been there at 37, but I don't fault Baalke for targeting a guy early on and making sure you get him. I am all but convinced that the Seahawks would've taken him since they drafted yet another underachieving OT, hoping he'll make a good OG.

5th. Ronald Blair. DE, Appl. St. 6'2, 284. 4 year starter at Appl.St. that ended his senior season as the best defensive player in the conference. Over the past 2 years, he's been the best player, at any position, on his college team. He's the only player from App.State to be drafted in the last 3 years. From the reviews I can find, the guy has a great motor, a top level work ethic, and is clean off the field. I think he'll make a nice reserve DE and it was a good value to nab him in the 5th.

6th. WR Aaron Burbridge, Michigan St. 6'1, 194. He was the Big Ten WR of the year and was Connor Cook's favorite target. From his drills and raw numbers, he has good short area quickness and may best fit in at slot WR as he lacks the great speed of downfield receivers. Almost every single review I can find says he will struggled against physical, man/man coverage, but that he should excel against zone. Like Blair, he's very experienced and is used to being a leader.


The "Huh?" Picks
3rd. CB Will Redmond, 6'0, 190, Miss.St.
4th. CB Rashard Robinson, 6'1, 171, LSU
6 (36). Kelvin Taylor, RB, Florida

I don't get these picks at all. Sure, I could see taking a CB between rounds 3 and 4, but I don't understand taking a CB in both rounds. Redmond is another ACL player, and sure, Baalke says he'll be ready for TC—so if he isn't, this is a pure "F" pick—and that since Ward is supposedly transitioning to safety, we'll need a NCB, where Redmond has played in college. Still, just 7 or 8 starts and he is a 3rd rd pick? For me, that's too early a risk to take on an injured NCB.

Then Robinson was taken. Much like Redmond, this is a risky CB that started just 8 games over 3 seasons. He is a taller CB with 4.4 speed, but he is VERY light in the pants to be an outside CB in the NFL. As a 4th rd pick, he's practically assured a spot on the roster, so the plan will undoubtedly be to put 20-30 pounds on him over the next 18 months. Like Redmond, for me, this is too risky a player to take this early—I'd have been much happier to take Robinson in Rd 5 or 6.

Taylor is undersized, was nothing special in college, so I'd have much rather taken a risk on some other players. Taylor just doesn't seem like he's got much of a shot on this team--then again, last year's 4th rounder, Davis, doesn't either...so we might cut one for the other.


The Developmental Picks
5 (6). John Theus, OT, 6'6, 313, Georgia
5 (35). Fahn Cooper, OT, 6'4, 303, Ole Miss
6 (32). Jeff Driskel, QB, Louisiana Tech
7 (28). Prince Charles Iworah, CB, Western Kentucky

I don't have a problem with these choices, particularly the 2 OTs. Theus was a full time starter for 3 of his 4 years at Georgia. He started at both RT and LT, but played much better once he moved to LT in 2014. The guy's technique is good—he knows how to play OT, good use of his hands and has good balance (doesn't lunge a lot). The problem is his raw strength—he can get bull rushed, so he must add both upper and lower body strength. With some time, he could develop into a good backup at swing OT—still, I'd have liked the pick more if we'd have taken him a round later.

Fahn Cooper is like Theus in that he also has starting experience at both OT spots. He played really well in the 7 games he started in Tunsil's place at LT, but he is the opposite of Theus in that on the field, he seems quicker and more athletic than Theus. It looks like Baalke is hoping between the 2 OTs he took, one of them develops into the swing tackle or, if he gets lucky, a decent OG. Really, he may be a better fit at RT or OG imo. He's another guy I think we took almost a full round too early.

I don't mind the Driskell pick either. He is a H/W/S choice at developmental QB. It became apparent that we'll be keeping Kap as the backup QB, so there really wasn't a need to take one earlier in the draft. His physical tools alone put him ahead of players like Hogan imo. Looks like Baalke made a smart choice in passing on Vernon Adams, since no one signed him as an UDFA (all he got was a tryout with Seattle).

The Iworah pick appears to be based entirely on his speed. Who knows? He could be a Cooper, a Phillip Adams, or a nobody that is headed for the PS.


Overall - I'd give the Niners 2016 draft a solid C.
--We couldn't fill every hole--we needed a pass rusher, OT, OG, OC, DL, WR, ILB, and CB. Looks like we're putting a lot of faith on Brown's continued development at RT as well as Kilgore's health at center (Martin entering the season as the backup center is a colossal failure). It's clear that the FO is banking on Armstead and Buckner to provide the pass rush along with OLBs Lynch, Harold and Carradine.
--Nice to see that we weren't really interested in the player most of the pundits had us wanting—Cook. We passed on him 3 times. Has our FO finally figured out that whole smoke screen thing?
--Looks like the CBs already on the roster will be in a dogfight to make the team. Guys like Acker, Reaser, Johnson, Cromartie, etc. will have to finally show something or else be sent packing. Aside from Brock and a CB/S like Ward, no one has a roster spot locked down.