|
49ers draft is done:
1) Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
2) Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford (34)
3) Zay Jones, WR, Eastern Carolina (66)
4) Tarell Basham, DE/OLB, Ohio (109)
4) Kendall Beckwith, ILB, LSU (143 - comp)
5) Brad Kaaya, QB - Miami (146)
5) Julie'n Davenport, OT, Buffalo (161; via Was)
6) Zane Gonzales, K, ASU (198; via Bal)
6) Shelton Gibson, WR, WVU (202; via Den)
7) David Sharpe, G, Florida (219)
This was never intended to be a transformational draft; it was a foundational one. It was my effort at getting the team set up to move forward through next year's draft. I tried to put some weapons around the '18 QB choice while solidifying some holes in the defense.
The 49ers badly needed a #1 CB and they got the best guy in the draft. Ideally they'll find a trade partner with this pick but without trades, this is the way to go. They got two weapons that fit Shanahan's offense extremely well in McAffrey and Jones (and Carlos Hyde works as a primary power back). Gibson should even find some good space to work with late.
Basham and Beckwith are production vs. measurements guys; they were just good football players in college and right now that's a steady baseline that the 49ers could really use. Kaaya and Gonzalez are attempts at cost-control for future cap cleaning. They can provide steady, reliable placeholders for cheap as the 49ers continue their efforts to wipe the slate over the coming years.
On the OL, Davenport has genuine LT skills and there aren't a lot of guys in this draft you can say that about. He may not find the technique, but most of the T prospects in this draft can't play LT even with ideal fundamentals. Davenport has the length and athleticism to play on that island if you can polish him up. I love grabbing him in the 5th. Sharpe has uncommon mass and that's difficult to deal with on the interior. If he can get his play strength up via smarter get-off (keeping his pads down), he can be a credible interior lineman/swing player.
I had a plan for this draft, I stuck to it and I think it worked out. This won't help them win 5 more games in '17 and that's precisely the point - they can play most of these guys next year, get them some live fire and still be in a position in '18 to pick a QB in the top 5 and take those weapons (and experience) to the next level.
This would be a pretty outstanding draft for SF, IMO. Kaaya and Gonzalez are picks that may cost me some 'points' but I think they make sense for the squad.
|