Draft 2023: How'd we do?

Originally posted by brodiebluebanaszak:

Originally posted by lp1986:
This draft was a disappointment, punctuated by the Latu selection in the 3rd round which was the biggest reach of the entire draft. I give this a C. Here's what I wrote in another thread...

S Ji'Ayir Brown Penn St. 5'11" 203

Plain and simple, Brown is a playmaker. He has a natural feel for the game, plays with his hair on fire, yet under control, and is a magnetic leader. He's got all the qualities of a potential Pro Bowl Safety except...he's got a very average athletic profile. Brown gets by on instincts which allows him to play faster than his 4.58 speed. You have to wonder whether his lack of physical gifts will hold him back in the NFL though Hufanga's success provides some reason for optimism. I would've preferred the Niners stayed put to grab him at 99, but clearly the organization loved him. I do wonder if they could've gotten far more bang for their buck by drafting someone like Jay Ward, Brandon Hill or Jordan Howden on Day 3...I guess we'll see in a few years.
Grade: B+

K Jake Moody Michigan 6'1" 209
Across the board Moody was considered the top K in the draft and by all accounts he's a stone cold killer with a big leg. But I still cannot wrap my head around using a top 100 pick on any specialist, particularly when there were plenty of starting caliber OLs (Saldiveri, Freeland, Warren), DEs (McGuire, Abdullah, Horton) and CBs (Ringo, Bennett) on the board. Yes the Patriots took another kicker about 10 picks later, so maybe Moody wouldn't have lasted, but honestly, who cares? I don't believe the delta between Moody and Zane Gonzalez is worth a top 100 pick. Let's put it this way, would the Eagles or Chiefs ever use a premium pick on this position? No, they're too busy drafting beasts on both lines and in the secondary. I get the need, but this is horrific value, plain and simple.
Grade: C-

TE Cameron Latu Alabama 6'4" 242
He can't run (4.78 40 and his 1.66 10 yard split would've been the slowest at the combine), he can't catch (11.1% drop rate) and he can't block, but besides that Latu is great! This pick is utterly dumbfounding. Yes, I know the 49ers were looking for a #2 TE, but Latu was the biggest reach of the draft. Most analysts expected him to go in late 5th / 6th round, and instead the Niners grabbed in round 3. What?!? I would die to know what the front office sees in this guy. Last year, I was similarly dismayed by the Ty Davis-Price pick and here's what I wrote then: "He was a fine RB at LSU, but never had a season where he averaged over 4.8 yards per cary. He's not particularly elusive, not particularly big and doesn't have any one special trait. So what did the Niners see here?" Once again, the Niners reached badly for an incredibly middling player. If the Niners wanted a well-rounded TE, why not opt for Josh Whyle who went nearly 50 picks later to Tennessee. If they wanted a good blocking TE, why not Payne Durham or Davis Allen who both went more than 70 picks later. If they wanted to bet on traits, then Will Mallory (162 overall), Elijah Higgins (197 overall ) or Zack Kuntz who's an absolute freak (7th round would've all been superior choices. Instead this team once again passed on a bunch of talent at CB, DE and OL to grab someone whow will be lucky to play out his rookie deal.
Grade: F

CB Darrell Luter Jr. Southern Alabama 6'0" 189
By far the best pick of the draft. Luter Jr. is long, explosive and sticky in coverage. He allowed comically low completion % and QBR and the only question he faces is quality of competition though he performed very well at the Senior Bowl. Luter reminds me of a more traits-y Emmanuel Moseley and he figures to eventually be a very solid #2 CB. The only reason this pick isn't an A is because I feel like there were some high upside players still on the board including CBs Cory Trice Jr and Terell Smith and DEs Nick Hampton and BJ Thompson (who both went shortly after to Rams and Chiefs, respectively). Overall, I feel the Niners may have another 5th round steal on their hands with Luter Jr.
Grade: A-

DE Robert Beal Jr. George 6'4" 247
When you look at Beal and his athletic profile, you think slam dunk first rounder. He's incredibly long, with over 34" inch arms, and he posted absurd 40, 10-yard split and broad jump numbers. But despite all these physical gifts he never cracked Georgia's lineup and failed to produce consistently. Beal doesn't have a refined pass rushing repertoire or much (any?) feel for the position. He also lacks strength, putting up only 14 reps on the bench. He'll need time in an NFL weight room and plenty of instruction, but he should be able to contribute as a pure, situational pass rusher where he comes screaming off the edge. Personally, I would've loved the 49ers to target Nick Hampton, BJ Thompson earlier, or even considered Jose Ramirez or Lonnie Phelps instead of Beal. This is a high risk / high reward bet that I like the Niners taking late in the 5th.
Grade: B

LB Dee Winters TCU 5'11" 227
Winters is blur at LB. With 4.49 speed, he's is the quintessential sideline-to-sideline LB and had great success on blitzes. He's definitely on the smaller side but has decent arm length. In addition he was a team captain at TCU and a special teams standout; I imagine he may have been one of the Niners' scouting departments gold helmet guys. He'll play a key role on ST next year and I suspect the Niners will start grooming him to replace Dre Greenlaw in two years.
Grade: B

TE Brayden Willis Oklahoma 6'3" 241
Willis a high-effort player who's a good blocker in space and willing to stick his nose in-line as well. He's not refined receiver by any stretch, but he's good after the catch and shows some burst in the open field. All in all, I think he's at least as good a prospect as Latu though I don't anticipate either will be the long-term solution at TE; the difference of course is that Willis was taken ~150 picks later.
Grade: B

WR Ronnie Bell Michigan 5'11" 191
Bell is an intriguing prospect who won't wow you in any one dimension but he does everything well. He's a natural route runner, tough as nails, has good short-area quickness and has some explosiveness to boot (38" vertical). He also has some value as a kick-returner. I expect him to challenge for a roster spot this year and he could even push for playing time. Bell is a football player.
Grade: A-

LB Jalen Graham Purdue 6'2" 221
Graham is a long, physical LB who plays with a ton of energy and has strong instincts. It'll be tough for him to make the 53-man roster given the depth the Niners have at LB, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him push for a roster spot in a year or two.
Grade: B-

Summary:
For the second year in a row, you really have to wonder what the 49ers' decision making framework is for the draft. As teams like the Eagles, Seahawks, Chiefs load up on elite talent at DL, OL, CB and key skill positions, the Niners are taking Kickers and reaching for TEs and RBs with valuable top 100 picks. Besides Brown who should be a solid playmaking S and future starter, the rest of the 3rd Round is laughable. Passing on potential starting OTs like Nick Saldiveri and Blake Freeland and CBs like Keelee Ringo for a K and likely #3 TE is criminal. The Niners made up for it slightly later in the draft, betting on toolsy players at important positions with Luter Jr. and Beal Jr. but the Latu pick in particular sticks out as the worst in recent memory. I fully expect Willis - who was taken nearly 150 picks later to outplay him; this is going to ben exactly like Trey Sermon vs Eli Mitchell. We'll see if Latu can make it to year 2. While their biggest rivals were busy loading up, Niners brass were cracking jokes about taking a kicker in the 3rd. The hubris of this front office is stultifying and portends very badly for a team that desperately needs to replenish talent at key positions to maintain the competitive balance of power. Despite not drafting until late on Day 2, the Niners had plenty of opportunities to add key depth and talent in important positions; time and again they failed to do so. This makes me very worried about the fate of this roster beyond the 2023 season.
Final Grade: C-

DiSCLAIMER: I didn't write this. Although I eerily experienced deja vu as I read each line since they directly reflected my thinking, but with greater articulation.

The hubris part especially hit home.

The Eagles, Seahawks and Chiefs all had at least one 1st and one 2nd round pick. There wasn't a lot of great talent in his draft so there wasn't much left when the Niners picked. Picking at the very end of the 3rd round in a weak draft isn't going to load your roster with starters.

I have to wonder how you wind up with a C- grade when you gave 7 of the 9 picks a grade of B-, B+ or A-. That doesn't really average out to a C-. You're basically saying that one F (which I disagree with) pulled the entire draft down.

Originally posted by CatchMaster80:

Originally posted by brodiebluebanaszak:

Originally posted by lp1986:
This draft was a disappointment, punctuated by the Latu selection in the 3rd round which was the biggest reach of the entire draft. I give this a C. Here's what I wrote in another thread...

S Ji'Ayir Brown Penn St. 5'11" 203

Plain and simple, Brown is a playmaker. He has a natural feel for the game, plays with his hair on fire, yet under control, and is a magnetic leader. He's got all the qualities of a potential Pro Bowl Safety except...he's got a very average athletic profile. Brown gets by on instincts which allows him to play faster than his 4.58 speed. You have to wonder whether his lack of physical gifts will hold him back in the NFL though Hufanga's success provides some reason for optimism. I would've preferred the Niners stayed put to grab him at 99, but clearly the organization loved him. I do wonder if they could've gotten far more bang for their buck by drafting someone like Jay Ward, Brandon Hill or Jordan Howden on Day 3...I guess we'll see in a few years.
Grade: B+

K Jake Moody Michigan 6'1" 209
Across the board Moody was considered the top K in the draft and by all accounts he's a stone cold killer with a big leg. But I still cannot wrap my head around using a top 100 pick on any specialist, particularly when there were plenty of starting caliber OLs (Saldiveri, Freeland, Warren), DEs (McGuire, Abdullah, Horton) and CBs (Ringo, Bennett) on the board. Yes the Patriots took another kicker about 10 picks later, so maybe Moody wouldn't have lasted, but honestly, who cares? I don't believe the delta between Moody and Zane Gonzalez is worth a top 100 pick. Let's put it this way, would the Eagles or Chiefs ever use a premium pick on this position? No, they're too busy drafting beasts on both lines and in the secondary. I get the need, but this is horrific value, plain and simple.
Grade: C-

TE Cameron Latu Alabama 6'4" 242
He can't run (4.78 40 and his 1.66 10 yard split would've been the slowest at the combine), he can't catch (11.1% drop rate) and he can't block, but besides that Latu is great! This pick is utterly dumbfounding. Yes, I know the 49ers were looking for a #2 TE, but Latu was the biggest reach of the draft. Most analysts expected him to go in late 5th / 6th round, and instead the Niners grabbed in round 3. What?!? I would die to know what the front office sees in this guy. Last year, I was similarly dismayed by the Ty Davis-Price pick and here's what I wrote then: "He was a fine RB at LSU, but never had a season where he averaged over 4.8 yards per cary. He's not particularly elusive, not particularly big and doesn't have any one special trait. So what did the Niners see here?" Once again, the Niners reached badly for an incredibly middling player. If the Niners wanted a well-rounded TE, why not opt for Josh Whyle who went nearly 50 picks later to Tennessee. If they wanted a good blocking TE, why not Payne Durham or Davis Allen who both went more than 70 picks later. If they wanted to bet on traits, then Will Mallory (162 overall), Elijah Higgins (197 overall ) or Zack Kuntz who's an absolute freak (7th round would've all been superior choices. Instead this team once again passed on a bunch of talent at CB, DE and OL to grab someone whow will be lucky to play out his rookie deal.
Grade: F

CB Darrell Luter Jr. Southern Alabama 6'0" 189
By far the best pick of the draft. Luter Jr. is long, explosive and sticky in coverage. He allowed comically low completion % and QBR and the only question he faces is quality of competition though he performed very well at the Senior Bowl. Luter reminds me of a more traits-y Emmanuel Moseley and he figures to eventually be a very solid #2 CB. The only reason this pick isn't an A is because I feel like there were some high upside players still on the board including CBs Cory Trice Jr and Terell Smith and DEs Nick Hampton and BJ Thompson (who both went shortly after to Rams and Chiefs, respectively). Overall, I feel the Niners may have another 5th round steal on their hands with Luter Jr.
Grade: A-

DE Robert Beal Jr. George 6'4" 247
When you look at Beal and his athletic profile, you think slam dunk first rounder. He's incredibly long, with over 34" inch arms, and he posted absurd 40, 10-yard split and broad jump numbers. But despite all these physical gifts he never cracked Georgia's lineup and failed to produce consistently. Beal doesn't have a refined pass rushing repertoire or much (any?) feel for the position. He also lacks strength, putting up only 14 reps on the bench. He'll need time in an NFL weight room and plenty of instruction, but he should be able to contribute as a pure, situational pass rusher where he comes screaming off the edge. Personally, I would've loved the 49ers to target Nick Hampton, BJ Thompson earlier, or even considered Jose Ramirez or Lonnie Phelps instead of Beal. This is a high risk / high reward bet that I like the Niners taking late in the 5th.
Grade: B

LB Dee Winters TCU 5'11" 227
Winters is blur at LB. With 4.49 speed, he's is the quintessential sideline-to-sideline LB and had great success on blitzes. He's definitely on the smaller side but has decent arm length. In addition he was a team captain at TCU and a special teams standout; I imagine he may have been one of the Niners' scouting departments gold helmet guys. He'll play a key role on ST next year and I suspect the Niners will start grooming him to replace Dre Greenlaw in two years.
Grade: B

TE Brayden Willis Oklahoma 6'3" 241
Willis a high-effort player who's a good blocker in space and willing to stick his nose in-line as well. He's not refined receiver by any stretch, but he's good after the catch and shows some burst in the open field. All in all, I think he's at least as good a prospect as Latu though I don't anticipate either will be the long-term solution at TE; the difference of course is that Willis was taken ~150 picks later.
Grade: B

WR Ronnie Bell Michigan 5'11" 191
Bell is an intriguing prospect who won't wow you in any one dimension but he does everything well. He's a natural route runner, tough as nails, has good short-area quickness and has some explosiveness to boot (38" vertical). He also has some value as a kick-returner. I expect him to challenge for a roster spot this year and he could even push for playing time. Bell is a football player.
Grade: A-

LB Jalen Graham Purdue 6'2" 221
Graham is a long, physical LB who plays with a ton of energy and has strong instincts. It'll be tough for him to make the 53-man roster given the depth the Niners have at LB, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him push for a roster spot in a year or two.
Grade: B-

Summary:
For the second year in a row, you really have to wonder what the 49ers' decision making framework is for the draft. As teams like the Eagles, Seahawks, Chiefs load up on elite talent at DL, OL, CB and key skill positions, the Niners are taking Kickers and reaching for TEs and RBs with valuable top 100 picks. Besides Brown who should be a solid playmaking S and future starter, the rest of the 3rd Round is laughable. Passing on potential starting OTs like Nick Saldiveri and Blake Freeland and CBs like Keelee Ringo for a K and likely #3 TE is criminal. The Niners made up for it slightly later in the draft, betting on toolsy players at important positions with Luter Jr. and Beal Jr. but the Latu pick in particular sticks out as the worst in recent memory. I fully expect Willis - who was taken nearly 150 picks later to outplay him; this is going to ben exactly like Trey Sermon vs Eli Mitchell. We'll see if Latu can make it to year 2. While their biggest rivals were busy loading up, Niners brass were cracking jokes about taking a kicker in the 3rd. The hubris of this front office is stultifying and portends very badly for a team that desperately needs to replenish talent at key positions to maintain the competitive balance of power. Despite not drafting until late on Day 2, the Niners had plenty of opportunities to add key depth and talent in important positions; time and again they failed to do so. This makes me very worried about the fate of this roster beyond the 2023 season.
Final Grade: C-

DiSCLAIMER: I didn't write this. Although I eerily experienced deja vu as I read each line since they directly reflected my thinking, but with greater articulation.

The hubris part especially hit home.

The Eagles, Seahawks and Chiefs all had at least one 1st and one 2nd round pick. There wasn't a lot of great talent in his draft so there wasn't much left when the Niners picked. Picking at the very end of the 3rd round in a weak draft isn't going to load your roster with starters.

I have to wonder how you wind up with a C- grade when you gave 7 of the 9 picks a grade of B-, B+ or A-. That doesn't really average out to a C-. You're basically saying that one F (which I disagree with) pulled the entire draft down.

1) lp1986: wrote the original piece.
2) Read the summary. He gives a C- for the same reasons I gave a D, lack of proper positional discipline and prioritization in the draft. It's not about whether the individual picks make it or not:

"For the second year in a row, you really have to wonder what the 49ers' decision making framework is for the draft. As teams like the Eagles, Seahawks, Chiefs load up on elite talent at DL, OL, CB and key skill positions, the Niners are taking Kickers and reaching for TEs and RBs with valuable top 100 picks."

3) You don't grade a draft on the aggregate talent you haul in, but how you use the picks you have. We used ours badly, neglecting important issues for the upcoming season.

Originally posted by 9ers4eva:

Originally posted by brodiebluebanaszak:
ok. You're right. Cincy is better. We are number 2.

This justifies a useless indulgent wide receiver pick how?

Which elite pass rusher or OL did they pass on at pick 250whatever?

off point. use the picks you have to address positions of need.

Our starting right guard has a pff of 49.5.

4 pff sacks allowed in 744 snaps. McG 5 sacks in 1038.

revised my grade and now giving them an A grade considering where they drafted, and CMC should be counted as part of this draft class...

one starter: Moody, great pick the margin of error in the NFL seems to come down now to a field goal so many times

one starter to be groomed for next year: Brown, sit behind Gip for a year then plug and play just like Huf did, looks like a grade A stud

two TEs to upgrade behind Kittle: Latu/Willis, a talent infusion was needed in our #2 TE situation, and it looks like Willis could be an H-Back type

4 talented defensive projects - Luter/Winters/Graham/Beal, all seem be oozing with talent if just one turns out like Greenlaw we will be golden

1 flyer - Bell, has a strong profile but nothing athletically gifted, bring him in and see what he can do

skip it
.

Originally posted by brodiebluebanaszak:

Originally posted by CatchMaster80:

Originally posted by brodiebluebanaszak:

Originally posted by lp1986:
This draft was a disappointment, punctuated by the Latu selection in the 3rd round which was the biggest reach of the entire draft. I give this a C. Here's what I wrote in another thread...

S Ji'Ayir Brown Penn St. 5'11" 203

Plain and simple, Brown is a playmaker. He has a natural feel for the game, plays with his hair on fire, yet under control, and is a magnetic leader. He's got all the qualities of a potential Pro Bowl Safety except...he's got a very average athletic profile. Brown gets by on instincts which allows him to play faster than his 4.58 speed. You have to wonder whether his lack of physical gifts will hold him back in the NFL though Hufanga's success provides some reason for optimism. I would've preferred the Niners stayed put to grab him at 99, but clearly the organization loved him. I do wonder if they could've gotten far more bang for their buck by drafting someone like Jay Ward, Brandon Hill or Jordan Howden on Day 3...I guess we'll see in a few years.
Grade: B+

K Jake Moody Michigan 6'1" 209
Across the board Moody was considered the top K in the draft and by all accounts he's a stone cold killer with a big leg. But I still cannot wrap my head around using a top 100 pick on any specialist, particularly when there were plenty of starting caliber OLs (Saldiveri, Freeland, Warren), DEs (McGuire, Abdullah, Horton) and CBs (Ringo, Bennett) on the board. Yes the Patriots took another kicker about 10 picks later, so maybe Moody wouldn't have lasted, but honestly, who cares? I don't believe the delta between Moody and Zane Gonzalez is worth a top 100 pick. Let's put it this way, would the Eagles or Chiefs ever use a premium pick on this position? No, they're too busy drafting beasts on both lines and in the secondary. I get the need, but this is horrific value, plain and simple.
Grade: C-

TE Cameron Latu Alabama 6'4" 242
He can't run (4.78 40 and his 1.66 10 yard split would've been the slowest at the combine), he can't catch (11.1% drop rate) and he can't block, but besides that Latu is great! This pick is utterly dumbfounding. Yes, I know the 49ers were looking for a #2 TE, but Latu was the biggest reach of the draft. Most analysts expected him to go in late 5th / 6th round, and instead the Niners grabbed in round 3. What?!? I would die to know what the front office sees in this guy. Last year, I was similarly dismayed by the Ty Davis-Price pick and here's what I wrote then: "He was a fine RB at LSU, but never had a season where he averaged over 4.8 yards per cary. He's not particularly elusive, not particularly big and doesn't have any one special trait. So what did the Niners see here?" Once again, the Niners reached badly for an incredibly middling player. If the Niners wanted a well-rounded TE, why not opt for Josh Whyle who went nearly 50 picks later to Tennessee. If they wanted a good blocking TE, why not Payne Durham or Davis Allen who both went more than 70 picks later. If they wanted to bet on traits, then Will Mallory (162 overall), Elijah Higgins (197 overall ) or Zack Kuntz who's an absolute freak (7th round would've all been superior choices. Instead this team once again passed on a bunch of talent at CB, DE and OL to grab someone whow will be lucky to play out his rookie deal.
Grade: F

CB Darrell Luter Jr. Southern Alabama 6'0" 189
By far the best pick of the draft. Luter Jr. is long, explosive and sticky in coverage. He allowed comically low completion % and QBR and the only question he faces is quality of competition though he performed very well at the Senior Bowl. Luter reminds me of a more traits-y Emmanuel Moseley and he figures to eventually be a very solid #2 CB. The only reason this pick isn't an A is because I feel like there were some high upside players still on the board including CBs Cory Trice Jr and Terell Smith and DEs Nick Hampton and BJ Thompson (who both went shortly after to Rams and Chiefs, respectively). Overall, I feel the Niners may have another 5th round steal on their hands with Luter Jr.
Grade: A-

DE Robert Beal Jr. George 6'4" 247
When you look at Beal and his athletic profile, you think slam dunk first rounder. He's incredibly long, with over 34" inch arms, and he posted absurd 40, 10-yard split and broad jump numbers. But despite all these physical gifts he never cracked Georgia's lineup and failed to produce consistently. Beal doesn't have a refined pass rushing repertoire or much (any?) feel for the position. He also lacks strength, putting up only 14 reps on the bench. He'll need time in an NFL weight room and plenty of instruction, but he should be able to contribute as a pure, situational pass rusher where he comes screaming off the edge. Personally, I would've loved the 49ers to target Nick Hampton, BJ Thompson earlier, or even considered Jose Ramirez or Lonnie Phelps instead of Beal. This is a high risk / high reward bet that I like the Niners taking late in the 5th.
Grade: B

LB Dee Winters TCU 5'11" 227
Winters is blur at LB. With 4.49 speed, he's is the quintessential sideline-to-sideline LB and had great success on blitzes. He's definitely on the smaller side but has decent arm length. In addition he was a team captain at TCU and a special teams standout; I imagine he may have been one of the Niners' scouting departments gold helmet guys. He'll play a key role on ST next year and I suspect the Niners will start grooming him to replace Dre Greenlaw in two years.
Grade: B

TE Brayden Willis Oklahoma 6'3" 241
Willis a high-effort player who's a good blocker in space and willing to stick his nose in-line as well. He's not refined receiver by any stretch, but he's good after the catch and shows some burst in the open field. All in all, I think he's at least as good a prospect as Latu though I don't anticipate either will be the long-term solution at TE; the difference of course is that Willis was taken ~150 picks later.
Grade: B

WR Ronnie Bell Michigan 5'11" 191
Bell is an intriguing prospect who won't wow you in any one dimension but he does everything well. He's a natural route runner, tough as nails, has good short-area quickness and has some explosiveness to boot (38" vertical). He also has some value as a kick-returner. I expect him to challenge for a roster spot this year and he could even push for playing time. Bell is a football player.
Grade: A-

LB Jalen Graham Purdue 6'2" 221
Graham is a long, physical LB who plays with a ton of energy and has strong instincts. It'll be tough for him to make the 53-man roster given the depth the Niners have at LB, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him push for a roster spot in a year or two.
Grade: B-

Summary:
For the second year in a row, you really have to wonder what the 49ers' decision making framework is for the draft. As teams like the Eagles, Seahawks, Chiefs load up on elite talent at DL, OL, CB and key skill positions, the Niners are taking Kickers and reaching for TEs and RBs with valuable top 100 picks. Besides Brown who should be a solid playmaking S and future starter, the rest of the 3rd Round is laughable. Passing on potential starting OTs like Nick Saldiveri and Blake Freeland and CBs like Keelee Ringo for a K and likely #3 TE is criminal. The Niners made up for it slightly later in the draft, betting on toolsy players at important positions with Luter Jr. and Beal Jr. but the Latu pick in particular sticks out as the worst in recent memory. I fully expect Willis - who was taken nearly 150 picks later to outplay him; this is going to ben exactly like Trey Sermon vs Eli Mitchell. We'll see if Latu can make it to year 2. While their biggest rivals were busy loading up, Niners brass were cracking jokes about taking a kicker in the 3rd. The hubris of this front office is stultifying and portends very badly for a team that desperately needs to replenish talent at key positions to maintain the competitive balance of power. Despite not drafting until late on Day 2, the Niners had plenty of opportunities to add key depth and talent in important positions; time and again they failed to do so. This makes me very worried about the fate of this roster beyond the 2023 season.
Final Grade: C-

DiSCLAIMER: I didn't write this. Although I eerily experienced deja vu as I read each line since they directly reflected my thinking, but with greater articulation.

The hubris part especially hit home.

The Eagles, Seahawks and Chiefs all had at least one 1st and one 2nd round pick. There wasn't a lot of great talent in his draft so there wasn't much left when the Niners picked. Picking at the very end of the 3rd round in a weak draft isn't going to load your roster with starters.

I have to wonder how you wind up with a C- grade when you gave 7 of the 9 picks a grade of B-, B+ or A-. That doesn't really average out to a C-. You're basically saying that one F (which I disagree with) pulled the entire draft down.

1) lp1986: wrote the original piece.
2) Read the summary. He gives a C- for the same reasons I gave a D, lack of proper positional discipline and prioritization in the draft. It's not about whether the individual picks make it or not:

"For the second year in a row, you really have to wonder what the 49ers' decision making framework is for the draft. As teams like the Eagles, Seahawks, Chiefs load up on elite talent at DL, OL, CB and key skill positions, the Niners are taking Kickers and reaching for TEs and RBs with valuable top 100 picks."

3) You don't grade a draft on the aggregate talent you haul in, but how you use the picks you have. We used ours badly, neglecting important issues for the upcoming season.

Stop using 3 as your rationale. I get it. You thought they should of drafted differently. Truth it's we just don't know. We didn't get who you wanted. I'm sorry you weren't hired and couldn't give your input but it's done.

How many games do these guys get before they're labeled "bust" and fans want to trade them?

You 1000% grade a draft on the aggregate talent you haul in. The whole point is to add talent, not be impressive with trades or perceived value.

How you use the resources can be factored in but if one of these guys becomes an ALL Pro it's an A draft. Just like 4 of the 6 previous ones.

Originally posted by btthepunk:

Originally posted by lp1986:
This draft was a disappointment, punctuated by the Latu selection in the 3rd round which was the biggest reach of the entire draft. I give this a C. Here's what I wrote in another thread...

S Ji'Ayir Brown Penn St. 5'11" 203

Plain and simple, Brown is a playmaker. He has a natural feel for the game, plays with his hair on fire, yet under control, and is a magnetic leader. He's got all the qualities of a potential Pro Bowl Safety except...he's got a very average athletic profile. Brown gets by on instincts which allows him to play faster than his 4.58 speed. You have to wonder whether his lack of physical gifts will hold him back in the NFL though Hufanga's success provides some reason for optimism. I would've preferred the Niners stayed put to grab him at 99, but clearly the organization loved him. I do wonder if they could've gotten far more bang for their buck by drafting someone like Jay Ward, Brandon Hill or Jordan Howden on Day 3...I guess we'll see in a few years.
Grade: B+

K Jake Moody Michigan 6'1" 209
Across the board Moody was considered the top K in the draft and by all accounts he's a stone cold killer with a big leg. But I still cannot wrap my head around using a top 100 pick on any specialist, particularly when there were plenty of starting caliber OLs (Saldiveri, Freeland, Warren), DEs (McGuire, Abdullah, Horton) and CBs (Ringo, Bennett) on the board. Yes the Patriots took another kicker about 10 picks later, so maybe Moody wouldn't have lasted, but honestly, who cares? I don't believe the delta between Moody and Zane Gonzalez is worth a top 100 pick. Let's put it this way, would the Eagles or Chiefs ever use a premium pick on this position? No, they're too busy drafting beasts on both lines and in the secondary. I get the need, but this is horrific value, plain and simple.
Grade: C-

TE Cameron Latu Alabama 6'4" 242
He can't run (4.78 40 and his 1.66 10 yard split would've been the slowest at the combine), he can't catch (11.1% drop rate) and he can't block, but besides that Latu is great! This pick is utterly dumbfounding. Yes, I know the 49ers were looking for a #2 TE, but Latu was the biggest reach of the draft. Most analysts expected him to go in late 5th / 6th round, and instead the Niners grabbed in round 3. What?!? I would die to know what the front office sees in this guy. Last year, I was similarly dismayed by the Ty Davis-Price pick and here's what I wrote then: "He was a fine RB at LSU, but never had a season where he averaged over 4.8 yards per cary. He's not particularly elusive, not particularly big and doesn't have any one special trait. So what did the Niners see here?" Once again, the Niners reached badly for an incredibly middling player. If the Niners wanted a well-rounded TE, why not opt for Josh Whyle who went nearly 50 picks later to Tennessee. If they wanted a good blocking TE, why not Payne Durham or Davis Allen who both went more than 70 picks later. If they wanted to bet on traits, then Will Mallory (162 overall), Elijah Higgins (197 overall ) or Zack Kuntz who's an absolute freak (7th round would've all been superior choices. Instead this team once again passed on a bunch of talent at CB, DE and OL to grab someone whow will be lucky to play out his rookie deal.
Grade: F

CB Darrell Luter Jr. Southern Alabama 6'0" 189
By far the best pick of the draft. Luter Jr. is long, explosive and sticky in coverage. He allowed comically low completion % and QBR and the only question he faces is quality of competition though he performed very well at the Senior Bowl. Luter reminds me of a more traits-y Emmanuel Moseley and he figures to eventually be a very solid #2 CB. The only reason this pick isn't an A is because I feel like there were some high upside players still on the board including CBs Cory Trice Jr and Terell Smith and DEs Nick Hampton and BJ Thompson (who both went shortly after to Rams and Chiefs, respectively). Overall, I feel the Niners may have another 5th round steal on their hands with Luter Jr.
Grade: A-

DE Robert Beal Jr. George 6'4" 247
When you look at Beal and his athletic profile, you think slam dunk first rounder. He's incredibly long, with over 34" inch arms, and he posted absurd 40, 10-yard split and broad jump numbers. But despite all these physical gifts he never cracked Georgia's lineup and failed to produce consistently. Beal doesn't have a refined pass rushing repertoire or much (any?) feel for the position. He also lacks strength, putting up only 14 reps on the bench. He'll need time in an NFL weight room and plenty of instruction, but he should be able to contribute as a pure, situational pass rusher where he comes screaming off the edge. Personally, I would've loved the 49ers to target Nick Hampton, BJ Thompson earlier, or even considered Jose Ramirez or Lonnie Phelps instead of Beal. This is a high risk / high reward bet that I like the Niners taking late in the 5th.
Grade: B

LB Dee Winters TCU 5'11" 227
Winters is blur at LB. With 4.49 speed, he's is the quintessential sideline-to-sideline LB and had great success on blitzes. He's definitely on the smaller side but has decent arm length. In addition he was a team captain at TCU and a special teams standout; I imagine he may have been one of the Niners' scouting departments gold helmet guys. He'll play a key role on ST next year and I suspect the Niners will start grooming him to replace Dre Greenlaw in two years.
Grade: B

TE Brayden Willis Oklahoma 6'3" 241
Willis a high-effort player who's a good blocker in space and willing to stick his nose in-line as well. He's not refined receiver by any stretch, but he's good after the catch and shows some burst in the open field. All in all, I think he's at least as good a prospect as Latu though I don't anticipate either will be the long-term solution at TE; the difference of course is that Willis was taken ~150 picks later.
Grade: B

WR Ronnie Bell Michigan 5'11" 191
Bell is an intriguing prospect who won't wow you in any one dimension but he does everything well. He's a natural route runner, tough as nails, has good short-area quickness and has some explosiveness to boot (38" vertical). He also has some value as a kick-returner. I expect him to challenge for a roster spot this year and he could even push for playing time. Bell is a football player.
Grade: A-

LB Jalen Graham Purdue 6'2" 221
Graham is a long, physical LB who plays with a ton of energy and has strong instincts. It'll be tough for him to make the 53-man roster given the depth the Niners have at LB, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him push for a roster spot in a year or two.
Grade: B-

Summary:
For the second year in a row, you really have to wonder what the 49ers' decision making framework is for the draft. As teams like the Eagles, Seahawks, Chiefs load up on elite talent at DL, OL, CB and key skill positions, the Niners are taking Kickers and reaching for TEs and RBs with valuable top 100 picks. Besides Brown who should be a solid playmaking S and future starter, the rest of the 3rd Round is laughable. Passing on potential starting OTs like Nick Saldiveri and Blake Freeland and CBs like Keelee Ringo for a K and likely #3 TE is criminal. The Niners made up for it slightly later in the draft, betting on toolsy players at important positions with Luter Jr. and Beal Jr. but the Latu pick in particular sticks out as the worst in recent memory. I fully expect Willis - who was taken nearly 150 picks later to outplay him; this is going to ben exactly like Trey Sermon vs Eli Mitchell. We'll see if Latu can make it to year 2. While their biggest rivals were busy loading up, Niners brass were cracking jokes about taking a kicker in the 3rd. The hubris of this front office is stultifying and portends very badly for a team that desperately needs to replenish talent at key positions to maintain the competitive balance of power. Despite not drafting until late on Day 2, the Niners had plenty of opportunities to add key depth and talent in important positions; time and again they failed to do so. This makes me very worried about the fate of this roster beyond the 2023 season.
Final Grade: C-

Latu was a reach, but he's not a bad player at all. He was solid at Alabama and had almost 800 yards with 12 TDs the last two seasons as like a 5th receiving option. He also had a big game in the National Championship game. He's also a good blocker. Some of you act like he didn't do anything. Some kind of deep personal hatred for him because they didn't take Saldiveri.

Also, Beal did crack Georgia's starting lineup and lead the team in sacks (more then Travon Walker) in 2021.

Overall I think it's a fair critique. I give this FO a lot of credit for the past, but quite a few head scratching picks here. Some good picks as well though, especially on day 3.

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by tankle104:
Based on the fact that none of them have even played a snap for us yet or has the front office got them signed yet, F-, just pathetic.
waste all that draft capital on guys we aren't even playing? What a joke

I dont think you are being entirely serious.

Hahahha yeah, absolutely not.

to be honest, I'd give us an A-. I really liked our picks. I think we took some high character guys who fit our system and culture very well. We should be able to get quite a bit of immediate production from these guys in all three phases, while adding elements to our offense, defense, and special teams that we haven't had in recent season. Should make us more difficult to beat and flexible. I love the speed we added.

1. Brown S - I think he was the best safety pick for us and our system. He will be our starter next year, provide a lot of high quality snaps for us this season, and can play all over the field. He will enable us to play three safety packages that Wilks like to do. A.
2. Moody K - I think he was hands down the best kicker in the draft. He has a lot of experience playing in tough conditions and a psychopath in Harbaugh. Strong & accurate leg that'll provide numerous touchbacks with strong hangtime. Instantly adding an element to our special teams that we haven't had for a while. I dont think it's a big deal that he was picked at the end of the third, because we wouldn't of been able to get him otherwise. A
3. LatuTE - i really like his ability to catch the ball in traffic and how he high points it. He's also a capable blocker. He should add an immediate impact to our system that we haven't had alongside kittle (or if kittle misses time). He does have a lot of room for improvement such as route running/separation creation. I feel like we may of picked him a little sooner than we wanted to because the huge run on other quality TEs. Overall, talented kid with a lot of potential that needs to be developed but adds an element we've lacked. B+
   
   
4. Luter C - probably the player that has the most real of a chance of fighting for the starting spot. Very talented, mature, physical. I think he will be an immediate impact in our defense. Probably the best value pick we chose as well. A
5. Robert Beal Jr - I think he is more of a great system fit here more so than an all around football player. He will most likely be used as a specialist in certain packages but a complete freak physical. Tremendous physical attributes that'll we'll take advantage of. Needs to improve on his technique and add pass rushing moves. I'm optimistic he can get playing time and benefit from playing alongside our savages on the d line. Should help us against mobile QBs with his speed and long arms. May end up being a steal if he develops his pass rushing arsenal. Should contribute in special teams immediately. B
6. Dee Winters - absolutely love this guys closing speed and the angles he takes. I think he will be more of a tweener here and used in special packages for blitzing and mobile QBs. I think he will be an awesome addition to special teams too. Should help us with some unique blitz packages. B+
   
   
7. Brayden Willis - another offensive weapon that can help add an element to our pass game and depth to multiple positions. He needs to improve on quite a bit but should be able to contribute. I like his potential and leadership. B
8. , Bell, & Graham - C+ I really have no expectations for these guys. At best they'll be special team players for the next few years, if they make the team.

S Ji'Ayir Brown: A (4.0). Great player, good chance to be a starter by year 2 at the least and earn a healthy second contract. Originally I was going to bring the pick down to a B+ since philosophically I disagree with trading up for the safety position unless the player has elite tools/athleticism, but I'll account for that later. Brown is a great football player.

K Jake Moody: D (1.0). Stupid kicker. Would be an F but at least he's a good kicker, and we can use competition at the spot. Some will argue we had to take him here or he wouldn't be there in the 5th. I personally wouldn't have drafted him in the 5th either. Zane had some good moments in the NFL and was a great college kicker; lets see if he gets a fair shot to make the roster.

TE Cameron Latu: D- (0.5). It is very clear that we entered the draft with the mindset "draft tight end no matter what" and so they reached on one at the end of a huge run on tight ends, despite that being their exact reasoning for NOT drafting a lineman. Latu is a good player, and would have made a great day 3 pick. But it appears the team was desperate for an impact tightend and I'm not sold that Latu has the upside to ever be that guy for us.

CB Darrell Luter Jr.: A (4.0).

DE Robert Beal Jr.: B (3.0). Long arms and elite straight line speed. His lack of size, strength and hand usage can negate a lot of the advantages that come with those long arms and explosiveness, and he lacks the agility to get to QB on all three tracks. That said, he can convert speed to power effectively if he gets first meaningful contact, and that plays in the NFL. Closing speed is top end, and kocurek should have fun developing these natural tools and we can scheme up production for him.

LB Dee Winters: A (4.0).
TE Brayden Willis: B (3.0)
WR Ronnie Bell: B (3.0)
LB Jalen Graham: B (3.0)

Average: C+ (2.83)
Final weighted score: C-

I'm dinging the score for resource allocation. I don't want to beat a dead horse, I've made my stance clear. In all, I read an analyst's article who said it best: the team seems to have treated every pick as a luxury pick, with no threat of consequence. There were a ton of trades made this year, and I want to say that the broadcast said it was a record setting amount? There was opportunity to move around the board if they wanted to, or valued a prospect enough to give them reason to.

My hindsight mock (not shadow mock) keeping trades that we made plus a few trades that were made by other teams that we easily could have done:

3 Ji'ayir Brown, S
3 Darnell Washington, TE (trade 6 ala KC)
3 Dawand Jones, OT
4 Isaiah McGuire, DE (trade 2024 3 ala PHI)
5 Darrell Luter Jr, CB
5 JL Skinner, S
6 Dee Winters, LB (trade 2024 5 ala TB)
7 Kahlef Hailasse, CB
7 Jerod Clark, NT
7 Ivan Pace Jr, LB/ST
7 Desjuan Johnson, DL

Not worried about the two future picks...we'll be getting two comp 3rds and likely more

Originally posted by 9ers4eva:
You 1000% grade a draft on the aggregate talent you haul in. The whole point is to add talent, not be impressive with trades or perceived value.

How you use the resources can be factored in but if one of these guys becomes an ALL Pro it's an A draft. Just like 4 of the 6 precious ones.

There's truth in what you are saying. So how do you grade addressing problem areas? How do we score that?

Lets say im a .500 team with a s**tty defense. I go into the draft with 8 picks, and trade up for 3 picks. And i select 3 punters. Next season my record is .400 but each of the 3 punters averages 50 yards a punt and is named all pro.

How should the draft be graded? IITs make believe but you get the idea. How do you grade good job with punters but s**tty job taking care of the defense? How is that assessed?

Well, they did..fine for what they had. Don't really think they had the ammo in the draft to do much better (or worse) than what they did. No OL picks definitely knocks them down a few pegs however I understand it was a weaker class.

The draft just made me feel even more down about the Lance trade. Seeing the Eagles and Seattle load up like they did while we had our hands tied, I worry we're about to get left in the dust again while other NFC powers rise to make a run right past us.

D
Mid and late round picks are about depth and developing future starters. We've got some serious cap issues coming up in the next few years and will need to replace key players. Using 3rds on Kickers and questionable talent (Latu) either who could have been picked at least a round if not 2 later was a waste when bigger needs are present.

For the record I'm not against Moody, he probably is the best in the draft class, and agree Kicker was a need. What I give the F for was the fact that kickers can be found as a UDFA or get a couple of experienced FA in for try outs and using a 3rd rounder on the position was a waste. Grab depth at ANY other position and it would have improved the draft.

I don't know near enough to grade the individuals or overall.

I was surprised they didn't look for a RT to add to the competition, but they said there weren't any that were a good fit at their drafting slots. I don't have reason to doubt em. Fair enough.

I do like that they got what looks to be 1 immediate starter (Moody), and one eventual starter/ 3 safety contributor in Brown. I am not overly impressed with Latu, but we will have to wait to see how he develops. He played for a big program and had record setting (for TEs) success.

I like with the rest they grabbed a lot of speed. I can see some of the rest possibly earning backup spots to bolster ST coverage units. I won't be surprised to see some become eventual starters. Luter, Winters, and Beal in particular stand out to me. Willis also, could bump Dwelley or Warner off the team.

It might not be a flashy draft, but some starter, near-future starter and potential upgrades at depth and ST here. Tough to ask for more than that with any given draft.
Remember too, the 49ers had the least value draft picks in the league… rock bottom. With that in mind, I'm cool with how it all went.

I think the development of Zackelj and Poe could be telling as well. Can't wait for OTA, minicamp, then Training camp reports!