In hindsight, was Vernon Davis worth the 6th Overall in 2006?

Originally posted by krizay:

Originally posted by Wubbie:
It's a long off-season, but since it's Draft season and Kyle Pitts just tore it up at his Pro Day, and we now have one of the top Tight Ends in the league now, I figured this'd be an interesting discussion piece.

In 2006, we were in Year 2 of the Nolan Regime with Alex Smith and Frank Gore also in Year 2. 2006 ended up being a promising year for our rebuild, with Norv Turner as Offensive Coordinator. Frank Gore emerged that year and ended up rushing for near 1700 yards. In the next few years, we would draft pretty well under Scott McCloughan, but I think the lack of offensive continuity every year really doomed Nolan and then Singletary. Plus, Alex Smith injured his shoulder and we could never put it together on offense until Harbaugh came.

That draft particularly, we chose Vernon Davis over Huff, Whitner, Ngata, and then drafted Manny Lawson later in the round. Seeing some mock drafts pick Kyle Pitts pretty high reminded me that we drafted Vernon at #6. Vernon would have a pretty solid career with us. His best year was a 78 reception, 965 yard, 13 TD season, and he got us our first big playoff win over the Saints. In 9.5 seasons with the 49ers, he put up four seasons with at least 750 yards, and had two seasons with at least 500. Considering that we were built to be a traditional, run-heavy team with Frank Gore at its centerpiece, he was perhaps our most dangerous pass-catcher. He was super fast, super strong, and was a terrific run-blocker. He would end up going to Washington and having a couple pretty solid seasons.

In thinking about it... was he worth it at #6 though? #6 is a pretty high draft position. You expect that guy to be a perennial Pro Bowler in a premium position. In hindsight, I don't know if I would've drafted the other guys that were picked right after him.... perhaps Haloti Ngata. But at the time, we had a pretty good defensive line that included Bryant Young, Isaac Sopoaga, Anthony Adams, Marques Douglas.

When we drafted him, Vernon Davis was meant to be the next elite tight end. He had some very great seasons, but he never struck me as being at the level that Kittle, Kelce, and Gronk are currently at now. Part of me attributes that to our lack of offensive continuity, but it makes me wonder what he and the rest of our offensive could've done had they not been wasted in the Nolan/Singletary eras.

What do you guys think?

He was never worth the #6 pick. He was supposed to revolutionize the position. Too big too fast. People saw his physical attributes and thought he'd learn to be a complete TE. Completely dismissing his short comings.

Now here we are 15 years later

And just like that I turned it into a QB thread. My bad!

This thread is ridiculous and the 2nd post was totally wrong. Vernon was a badass and absolutely the right pick

Originally posted by krizay:

Originally posted by pd24:
I get you bumped it, but Mac Jones, your boy didn't do any better. Lol

I didn't bump it Chief!

That said, if Mac Jones was drafted to this team, which is what I preferred. Would Mac have performed better here than NE? Trey was drafted to a better situation and yet Mac was still better.

Mac sucked. Idk about your takes bro.

Originally posted by Dirtydonedirtcheap69:

Originally posted by krizay:

Originally posted by pd24:
I get you bumped it, but Mac Jones, your boy didn't do any better. Lol

I didn't bump it Chief!

That said, if Mac Jones was drafted to this team, which is what I preferred. Would Mac have performed better here than NE? Trey was drafted to a better situation and yet Mac was still better.

Mac sucked. Idk about your takes bro.

Thankfully, i'm not here to please you with my takes...bro

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2006/draft.htm

For those who say no... who would have been a better pick from the first round? I don't see anyone that would have been a better pick.. maybe Hali or Ngata

Davis was a good player but I don't think he ever utilized his speed. He didn't look like 4.35 on the field. He also didn't extend well. It looked like he had alligator arms on many plays. He was a good blocker and an adequate receiver but with his size and speed it seems like he could have been dominant. Kittle isn't nearly as fast but he's a far better receiver and blocker.

Originally posted by CatchMaster80:
Davis was a good player but I don't think he ever utilized his speed. He didn't look like 4.35 on the field. He also didn't extend well. It looked like he had alligator arms on many plays. He was a good blocker and an adequate receiver but with his size and speed it seems like he could have been dominant. Kittle isn't nearly as fast but he's a far better receiver and blocker.

That was my thing when he was coming out. For as big and fast as he was he was always tightly covered by his defenders.

Most of his big plays with us was off of design. Wasn't really beating anyone per se.

Originally posted by krizay:

Originally posted by CatchMaster80:
Davis was a good player but I don't think he ever utilized his speed. He didn't look like 4.35 on the field. He also didn't extend well. It looked like he had alligator arms on many plays. He was a good blocker and an adequate receiver but with his size and speed it seems like he could have been dominant. Kittle isn't nearly as fast but he's a far better receiver and blocker.

That was my thing when he was coming out. For as big and fast as he was he was always tightly covered by his defenders.

Most of his big plays with us was off of design. Wasn't really beating anyone per se.

Perfect example of the difference between combine speed and game speed.

Yes he was easily and why are we still posting about this? He was a TE who could run a 4.3 and we had Alex Smith who was a bit limited. But a nice guy. He was more short to medium throws in the middle of the field. Perfect for a TE. Especially one with great speed who can make huge yards after catch. Which he did. He was a huge Alex favorite and he helped our team as it was made up at the time.

Originally posted by CatchMaster80:
Davis was a good player but I don't think he ever utilized his speed. He didn't look like 4.35 on the field. He also didn't extend well. It looked like he had alligator arms on many plays. He was a good blocker and an adequate receiver but with his size and speed it seems like he could have been dominant. Kittle isn't nearly as fast but he's a far better receiver and blocker.

Kittle plays faster than VD. VD just timed a lot faster.

He wasn't worth #6 in your average draft but given the year he was taken compared to who was taken in his vicinity you have to take him at #6 every time. I remember being so psyched that he started catching deep balls with Kaepernick but then Kam Chancellor snatched his soul and he was never really the same after that.

This of ridiculous. No offense to the one who asked the question but who cares.

Vernon Davis was a great player all the way up till he got alligator arms.

But to ask this question nearly 20 years later is dumb.

Pitts killing it at Pro Day brings back memories of Vernon Davis at #6. Solid player, but worth it? Maybe not compared to Kittle, Kelce, Gronk. Hindsight's 20/20. Lack of offensive consistency hurt him. Had his moments, but what if we had better setup?

go back to 2011 postseason he dominated and he 2x I believe had 13 TDs in a season
a lot of pick 6 overall you get Zach Wilson or some putz

Yeah, he was definitely worth #6 I mean I don't know who else you would've picked. Coincidentally I was just watching part of the 2012 NFC championship against the Vagiants showing on NFLN. Vernon was pretty much the only receiver for the whole team that was worth a s**t. I knew Kyle Williams was terrible in that game but I didn't realize how terrible. There was a play in the first quarter I completely forgot about, it's a double reverse where Kendall Hunter takes a handoff then pitches it back to Williams coming across the formation and that dude absolutely mishandled the ball in every which way, fumbles it. Umenyiora is on the ball and somehow Williams ends up recovering it. Damn he sucked in that game.

lol why bump this? Yeah he was worth it, but he had Alex Smith at QB. Yeah I said that and it isn't a good thing. Just like Kittle had Jimmy waste years of his career