Draft 2023: How'd we do?

Originally posted by 49erFaithful6:

Originally posted by Giedi:
CMac, future hall of famer. I'd have traded three first round picks for him.

and we get Brown, Luter and the K position settled

I don't know how anyone can not like this draft

ya heard JL say it, Brown runs like a round 2 safety, combine saved us allowed him to fall, those numbers don't matter if he plays fast, they can get the speed off the game tape

Agree, and if Joe Montana was playing in a Air Coryell system - he would look sucky, in my opinion. Brown and Luter look perfect for the coverages and zone blitzes that Wilks likes to play. I"ve always believed the sum is greater than the parts. Wins are a team win, not an individual win. As for speed, those GPS trackers paint a more accurate picture than the 40 times.

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by Giedi:
CMac, future hall of famer. I'd have traded three first round picks for him.

CMC was at least worth what they gave up for him.

Add that to the rest of the draft and it was pretty darn good. They added a lot of speed and depth to an already fast team. Throw in some interesting guys on defense and this draft is going to look very good in 2024.

This draft does look good. Adam Peters said it was the most collaborative yet. Interesting he'd say that, because in the beginning it was all run by Kyle. Kyle railroaded John by picking Joe Williams to the detriment of the team in the beginning.

Kiper says we had the worst draft....FWIW. Rams fans having fun with it.

Originally posted by CatchMaster80:

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by 9ers4eva:

Originally posted by CatchMaster80:
The Niners front office who I trust evaluated these players more than any of us picked the best players who were available that they though could help them.

I agree that they needed help in the O line but they obviously didn't think any of the O linemen that were available were worth drafting. Many of us wondered why they didn't take Freeland in the 3rd but I guess there was something they didn't like about him. They picked a couple of smaller, quick edge rushers and they signed the best DL in free agency so it's not like they ignored those spots.

Personally, I gave the draft a C only because I admit that I don't know a lot about most of the players they drafted. I doubt many of you know any more than what you read on the draft capsule. Seriously, how many of you actually studied film on these guys. Not just a few highlight clips. Like all drafts, we'll never know how good this draft was until 2 or 3 years from now.

4 of their 6 drafts they've drafted an All Pro. I don't love the picks either but they get the benefit of the doubt.

When you can pick a franchise level QB in the last pick of the 7th round, lucky or not, they are doing **Something** right, or know **Something** 99% of the WebZoners don't know. I really am impressed with how the 49ers have drafted these past few years.

This was the latest the 49ers have ever had their 1st pick. They knew going in that it was a thin draft and that they weren't picking until late in nearly every round. 7 of their 11 picks were compensatory. That doesn't give you a lot of ammunition. That's why they were busy early in free agency. We still have question marks on the O line but those guys are young and you never know when that light is going to go on.

Hopefully they draft dead last from here on in! Those coach comp picks really helps the 49ers restock a depleted depth.

I think the rules have changed regarding comp picks for losing starter level players. I believe they don't count anymore. Or something like that. But back to those coach comp picks, they were able to move up to get Jayier Brown with them. Were going to lose Coach Wilks in about two years. That's hopefully more coaching comp picks in the future. The new coaches they got in - Camron Brown, Bullocks, Stoker and Sorenson - hopefully will add to the Coach comp picks in the future.

Clear it was a special teams/PS draft

ppl will look back at this as a strong draft and if the 2s for CMC and he leads us to a SB it could be a dynasty draft

Now that we've had a few days to let the picks marinate I'll give my assessment.

Ji'Ayir Brown - Grade A: Loved this pick, it fills a need and BPA for us. Brown will be the heir apparent to Gibson after this year though I think he will still find a way to get on the field this season kinda like how we were able to get Hufunga some snaps his rookie year even with Ward/Tartt at safety. Brown play all over, doesn't have elite speed but plays faster than his timed speed similar to Hufunga in that way. Brown has great ball skills as well. Loved it

Roster projection: Future starter next year, should see some a decent amount of snaps this year and will be a core special teamer

Jake Moody - Grade B-: Initially I was annoyed we used a 3rd on a kicker but the more I think about it the more at ease I become with the pick. Kickers are like lawyers, everyone hates them until you really need one, you better hope you have one of the best ones. It appears we got the consensus best kicker, and it was the only position we didn't have a starter for going into next year. If he turns out to be a mini Justin Tucker no one will care he was taken 99 overall. Let's hope he is.

Roster projection: Starter

Cameron Latu - Grade D: This was my least favorite selection. To me he's more of a 6-7th round prospect and I felt there were several better TE's on the board. Latu doesn't do any 1 thing well, not exactly sure what the Niners saw that made them want to pick him here but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Roster projection: Should beat out Woerner/Dwelley and be our number 2 or 3 TE.

Darrell Luter Jr - Grade A-: Another player I really liked, can play press man but also plays well in zone. Strong corner who has decent ball skills. I think it's safe to say Ambry Thomas is on his way out which is a good thing.

Roster Projection: Backup with the potential to be a good starting CB in the future. Should also contribute on special teams

Robert Beal Jr - Grade B+: Crazy athletic with ideal physical traits but just hasn't quite put it all together yet. A perfect player to draft at this point in the draft and let coach K work his magic. Probably needs a year or 2 before we know if he will be any good but I could see him getting 5-10 3rd and long pass rushing snaps where he can pin his ears back and rush the QB.

Roster projection: Backup who could see a handful of snaps a game, should also contribute on special teams with his speed.

Dee Winters - Grade A: Loved this pick. Great speed and can be used in blitz packages. He's basically the same size as Greenlaw with a very similar athletic profile. I think he takes over Aziz's spot for now and turns out to be another LB home run pick 2-3 years from now.

Roster projection: Our number 3 LB who comes off the field in passing situations, also immediate contributor on special teams

Brayden Willis - Grade B+: I like Willis better than Latu, he can play H back, in-line and can line up all over. I actually think he will be our number 2 TE this year. PFF graded him with a 81.2 pass blocking grade (#2 overall in terms of drafted TE's) and a 80.3 run blocking grade (#3 overall). He isn't a superior athlete but averaged 7.2 yards after catch and has decent hands and route running ability.

Roster projection: Number 2 or 3 TE

Ronnie Bell - Grade B: Doesn't have elite athleticism, but had solid hands and can make big time catches. He is also a good punt returner which adds value. A good pick considering it's the 7th round. Could possibly take Jennings role when he leaves

Roster projection: Backup, number 5 or 6 WR on the roster and backup punt returner

John Graham - Grade C: Honestly the only pick we made that I had watched no tape on and know nothing about so I won't act like I do.

Roster projections: TBD

Overall I give this draft a B+, I think we end up getting atleast 3 starters in year 1 or 2 with Brown, Moody and Winters which considering how late our picks were will be a good draft. Most all of them will be good depth year 1 and special teams contributors. Luter, and Beal I think have a chance to become starters 2-3 years from now. I think all of them except for Graham make the roster.

Overall I think we did pretty well under the circumstances. It's clear this is the year of competing with the grizzled vets while replacing FA departures with rookies of similar projected talent.

First selection: Ji'Ayir Brown - S - Penn St.
*On paper, Brown projects similarly as Jimmie Ward coming out of the draft - projects at safety, but can flex to the slot if needed. While Brown has a slow 40 time, it's clear we can run a scheme with that in mind. Putting athletic ability aside, Brown is a high IQ player and natural team leader. He was my #2 safety in the draft behind Branch. And candidly, I think Brown is just as good as a prospect. I can see him being a day 1 starter, allowing Gipson to flex to SS and Huf as a S/LB in special packages. We did have to give up draft picks, but we were up 20% in the net point value with conventional calculators.

Grade: A | Offers similar upside as a viable starter as J. Ward, but costs $4M-$6M less than him or a similar replacement.

Second selection: Jake Moody - K - Michigan
*I'm not a big fan of taking a specialty positional player on Day 1 or Day 2. However, you need to treat each offseason different given the available talent. And this year's FA talent had a clear void of affordable younger talented kickers. The only viable kicker that changed teams this offseason is Matt Gay - making $6.5M/year. That is comparable to Robbie Gould's '22 salary, which we can't afford long-term. Enter Jake Moody - consistent, powerful leg, and offers upside on kickoff duties. More importantly, he has the mental makeup to be a lasting player in the NFL.

Grade: B+ | Provides $5M in cap savings vs. resigning Gould, and finally offers a long-term solution at the position. Positional value dings the grade

Third selection: Cameron Latu - TE - Alabama
*Let's face it. After selecting George Kittle, we've sucked at finding a consistent #2 TE in the draft. I am cautious on Latu's upside. The pros are that he's got ideal height and seasoned in a pro system with elite coaches. However, he'll need some time to get into NFL conditioning and shape to reduce his injuries. My take is this is an Aaron Banks type pick. Draft the upside and let him learn the ropes behind Kittle and Woerner in year 1. It's an OK pick, but I think the value was poor given there are other TEs I see as more talented and available prospects at other positions. Let's hope this one pans out.

Grade: C- | Testament to Lynch and Peters respect for Latu taking him on Day 2, but poor value given the available prospects at the slot.

Fourth selection: Darrell Luter Jr - CB - South Alabama
*I love this pick in the 5th round. We do well with physical corners that bring an attitude and grit on the playing field. Luter is no exception as he's an experienced press man corner. He doesn't have elite attributes, but I see him as having similar upside as Lenior. He doesn't have outside flex as Moseley or Lenior, but I think he'll have better production on the outside.

Grade: A | Brown, Oliver, and Luter project to make $5M in '23 vs. $10.5M with Ward and Moseley. Clear investment into the future and should realize similar production in '23.

Fifth selection: Robert Beal Jr - EDGE - Georgia
*This pick is clearly about Beal's raw intangibles vs. on-field production. The good news is that Beal can focus on reserve duty and offer upside on ST duties as he gets his body in NFL shape. The combo of Ferrell, Jackson, and Bosa should account for the majority of snaps. Beal will just need to produce enough to beat Bryant, Hyder, and/or Barrett. Personally, I'd like the value of AT Perry or Luke Wypler at this spot. But I trust the FO and Kris K to making Beal into a viable contributor in '23 and increased role in '24.

Grade: B+ | High upside player. Ferrell, Beal, and Jackson replaces Omeniheu and Ebukam. That's ~$12M in salary delta. Its definitely a leap of faith to replace those two and get similar production, but I trust our staff to make it happen. More experienced EDGE players available though.

Sixth selection: Dee Winters - LB - TCU
*Entering round 6, Winters has a chance to secure a roster spot - competing with Fowles, Ball, and Burks. He projects as a pure WILL in the NFL as he's a bit undersized. But we have a strong scheme to take fringe S/LB types and make them into solid contributors. Might be a PS candidate in year 1, but could offer a bigger role in year 2 as we lose more folks in FA.

Grade: B | Upside as an ideal scheme fit and has a good head on his shoulders. I did like a few other prospects more at this spot though.

Remaining selections: Willis (TE, Oklahoma), Bell (WR, Michigan), and Graham (LB, Purdue)
*I actually LOVE all of these selections. The draft is usually slim at this point in the 7th round, but I'm always a fan of taking players from established schools that have faced tough competition with demonstrated performance. All of these players have a viable chance to be on our extended roster (53 man + PS).

Grade: A

great write ups guys but the Latu grades are killing me he's gonna be a stud

Darrell Luter in the 5th round correct??

Looking at the Niners picks at the end of the third round in Moody and Latu compared to the next 30 picks, and I'm even more pissed. There are at least 16 players out of the next 30 picks that I would have taken over either of these guys. I hope these two guys prove me wrong because they're going to be under the microscope for the rest of their careers.

Originally posted by 49erFaithful6:
great write ups guys but the Latu grades are killing me he's gonna be a stud

What gives you ANY indication of that?

I honestly don't question what Shanahan and Lynch do in regard to the roster. Minus the QB position where there are some questions, we have the best roster in football and have had one of the better rosters in football over the last several seasons. Imo they've earned the benefit of the doubt.

Originally posted by WINiner:
I honestly don't question what Shanahan and Lynch do in regard to the roster. Minus the QB position where there are some questions, we have the best roster in football and have had one of the better rosters in football over the last several seasons. Imo they've earned the benefit of the doubt.

Don't believe any other team has drafted as many All Pro's as the 9er have since they took over.

Originally posted by m_brockalexander:

Originally posted by 49erFaithful6:
great write ups guys but the Latu grades are killing me he's gonna be a stud

What gives you ANY indication of that?

He got accepted to Bama, which essentially is the #1 school in the nation for football
had offers from 19 schools, including USC..

2 year starter after transitioning from defense to offense, so he rose thru a crowded depth chart
put up this line in the national champ game 5-102-1
set Bama record for TDs in a season

I can say I don't watch college much, only so much sports you can watch, and I watch a lot of NFL football, but as a casual college watcher, I very much knew of this guy and had him on the radar, makes big plays in big games

I think KS schemes well for TE and he has a guy in the bldg to take notes from who is the best TE in club history