Well – I kept saying I had a feeling someone interesting would fall to the 49ers – little did I know it would be the best player in the draft. After months of speculating which non-Michael Crabtree prospect the 49ers should take, he fell in their laps (All thanks to Al Davis-the fruit basket is on the way). I still can’t believe the Raiders let him go – who cares what his 40 time is when he can run away from the other players on the field.
I wish I had video of the reactions in our living room - it would be the number one video on Youtube right now.
This might be the best draft Scot McCloughan has helmed since he got here. Sure, it helped Crabs fell to him at 10, but his other moves were bold. He was able to deal their 2nd and 4th for a 1st rounder next year. I wouldn’t have thought that a good feat, until I realized just how weak this draft is. Last year, DeSean Jackson went 49th overall; would he have fell that far this year?
Anyway, McCloughan was able to get a 1st rounder in a stronger draft, while still picking up an intriguing running back prospect, a middle linebacker who might be able to take over for Takeo, a QB project with great measurables, and a defensive end who looks like a beast.
Hell, they even snagged a few undrafted free agents who could turn some heads.
Kevin Lynch of sfgate.com thinks it was a departure from previous draft strategies, where video tape ruled over combine times, ala Vernon Davis. I tend to agree, considering all these players fell due to mostly off field issues, not production.
Matt Maiocco and Matt Barrows both suggest the team has ammo to pull off a major trade – they both mentioned Julius Peppers, but Maiocco also throws out my man-crush Terrell Suggs, even though I doubt Ozzie Newson allows him to leave Bal’more.
Whatever the outcome, the team is improving, and it’s catching the eyes of the right people. Michael Silver is impressed, and so am I.
I think there is plenty of room for improvement – I don’t see a franchise QB on the roster, and I am worried about the pass rush. But this will be the season to see if Alex Smith is going to deliver on the promise he showed back in 2006, or do we see if Shawn Hill can win as consistently over a full 16 game schedule.
Pushing the Peppers pipe dream aside, I would like to see the team pursue recently cut Travis Laboy, who can provide pass rush standing up or putting his hand on the ground, giving even more depth to the linebacking crew.
Who knows – all seven players drafted could be busts. But I am going to enjoy the good feeling while it lasts – because I have seen bad drafts before (See Donhue, Terry), and I recognized they were bad drafts as they went on, and viola – they were bad. I like being excited about one for a change – I know Raiders fans know what I’m talking about…
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