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NFL The coming 49ers depth charge - ESPN

 

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The coming 49ers depth charge
San Francisco's future is in good shape, with draft the key
Updated: October 3, 2013, 6:34 PM ET
By Mel Kiper Jr. | ESPN Insider

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LaMichael JamesKevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesLaMichael James hasn't been very productive so far in his San Francisco career.

It says a lot about the current state of your football team when even a critique turns into a compliment. Try this knock on the 49ers, for instance: Their 2012 draft could be a total bust.

Hey -- it might be. Depending on what happens with LaMichael James, who's sitting on 30 carries and 135 yards so far in his career, the class might not yield anything at all. James was the Round 2 pick, and first-rounder A.J. Jenkins is already gone, traded to K.C. for Jon Baldwin, who's yet to play. And that could really be it.

But here's that compliment: It probably won't matter.

First of all, the 49ers had drafted and pieced together the roster so well in the preceding years there really wasn't a place for a 2012 pick to play a significant role. Even this year, Jenkins wouldn't have been needed to play a major role if Michael Crabtree and Mario Manningham were healthy. Secondly, the 2013 draft is already looking good. Eric Reid is playing a big role, Corey Lemonier is showing potential and Vance McDonald looks capable of playing a big role on offense as he develops. And this is before you even consider the potential of a healthy Tank Carradine, or the NFL redshirt that is Marcus Lattimore. Quinton Patton should at least provide depth once healthy.

Lastly, the 49ers' 2014 haul could be a good one as well.

2014 draft picks

The 49ers could add a lot of talent in the early rounds in 2014. Here's a current projection of their picks.

1st Rd
2nd Rd
2nd Rd (If K.C. wins 8 games, 3rd if not)
3rd Rd
3rd Rd (via trade)
3rd Rd (Likely comp for D. Goldson)
4th Rd
5th Rd
6th Rd
7th Rd (via trade)
7th Rd (via trade)
7th Rd (via trade)
7th Rd
The trade of Alex Smith to Kansas City is clearly working out for the Chiefs, but Kansas City's success also will create value for the 49ers. If the Chiefs win eight games, the third-rounder they used to get Smith becomes a second. They're 4-0 now, so the odds are in the 49ers' favor.

And when you factor in a likely third-rounder as compensation for the departure of Dashon Goldson in free agency, plus San Francisco's added third-round pick after a draft deal with Tennessee, the Niners should end up with a first, two seconds and three thirds. Besides Cleveland and St. Louis, no team should add more talent on the first two days of the 2014 draft than the 49ers.

That's a good thing, because the talent added, as well as the general approach to the draft, will serve a few goals.

Depth: The 49ers have been fortunate over the past two seasons when it comes to health. Last year, no team was healthier. But the 2013 team has taken hits, most notably at wide receiver and on the interior of the defensive line, and the effects are obvious. This is a team with a lot of proven starting talent, but depth will become more vital as injury trends catch up.

Flexibility: More picks means a greater ability to target additions via trade. Anquan Boldin was added because the 49ers have picks to spare. Their willingness to continue to move down the board selectively to add picks in the coming years will pay off in spots when they need to add a veteran.

Savings: Colin Kaepernick is cheap now, but he won't be soon. There are significant contracts the 49ers will either have to pay or pass on in the coming years (Aldon Smith is a clear example, regardless of current circumstances), and the more cheap talent the 49ers can add in the draft, the more space they'll have under the cap to handle those contracts.

As far as the 2014 draft is concerned, some needs are already emerging.

Wide receiver is one, and I can see the 49ers adding one as early as Round 1. They'll get weapons back, but it'll be hard to forget where they are now when draft time rolls around. I expect they'll add one with one of the early-round picks. A talent such as Sammie Watkins, who could be around in the middle to late first round, would be an immediate help.

I think cornerback is another obvious need. The 49ers are OK at corner, but not remotely elite. A great pass rush has masked some average talent over the past few years, and San Francisco should be looking to add more secondary talent in May. Players such as Bradley Roby (Ohio State) or Jason Verrett (TCU) could both be around in the late first or early second.

The interior of the defensive line is another clear target. Injuries this year have already been a detriment at nose tackle, and even though it might appear otherwise, we can't expect Justin Smith to maintain his form into his late 30s. If a wide-body, zero-technique type such as Daniel McCullers (Tennessee) is available in the late second or early third, he could be worth a look.

Ultimately, however, the 49ers have a strong roster, and more important, the ability to get deeper -- and cheaper -- through the draft. And 49ers fans who never wanted Alex Smith to go can feel comfortable cheering him on. Every game he wins adds to the likelihood the 49ers will be that much better in 2014.

The 49ers might be dealing with some early-season hiccups, but the future looks good.

 

[49ermann]

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