I wouldn't touch any of these QBs personally. However, it would definitely benefit us for several to go before our pick, or for 1-2 to be available and in demand giving us a trade-back option.
I would love for them to get C, Tyler Linderbaum, but come draft time, he is going to go much higher, maybe even top 10. I like him so much, I had him in my mock last year. Ha! I thought he was coming out last year. He could be great in that zone blocking scheme they will be running. I love centers who can block on the move downfield.
So what are our priorities this year? OLine? RB? WR? LB? All of the above? Or does it depend on Free Agency acquisitions?
Running back won't be a high priority. San Francisco put anybody in that scheme and got results. Offensive line is the priority. Wide receiver second. The defense up the middle third.
Thanks very much, THE. I sort of guessed that OL would be high on the list, from what I’ve seen during games and read. And, of course, we’ll want to upgrade the WRs, having seen what Waddle has brought to the team.
Zion Johnson is the obvious link. An expected later first rounder guy who comes from Boston College where our new OL coach just came from? Makes too much sense.
Zappe. Not sure they will bring in anyone to compete with Tua. Malone LB is interesting player, won MVP at SR. bowl. Stearns WR could be a slot type guy the offense supposedly will like, quick routes YAC guys,
Most of the early mocks have us taking OL, but I’ve seen a couple that have us getting Nakobe Dean, which would be great, but I doubt he lasts that long. The combine changes a lot of players’ draft status, so things will look different afterwards.
Very possible he's there at 29. C is the least valuable position on the o-line. That's why Creed Humphrey went as low as he did, despite being a 1st round talent. Anyone here watch Cincinnati? Alec Pierce looks like an interesting player but I've only seen highlights. Very Jordy Nelson like in size and play style. Read he ran 4.4 in HS, excellent run blocker, etc...
I wouldn't mind taking a late round flier on him. I was going to put him in my mock with a late rounder.
I watched almost all of his games. Honestly reminded me of Burrows. Reads the defense gets the pass out quickly, very accurate. Zappe knew the offense inside and out. Coach said he was best QB he ever had and he had Sam Donald, Doughty, White. All make NFL
Dream scenario would be if Treylon Burks somehow makes it to us. Top positional need ? Maybe not. But I’m confident he is going to be a beast. Seems unlikely he would slide, but Jerimiah just mocked him 25th.
Agreed, McDaniel’s best backs in SF were an undrafted 28 year old career special teamer (Mostert) and a 6th round rookie (Mitchell). Grier has also shown little indication he prioritized the RB position in the draft or Free agency.
Very easy to do so when you have one of the best OL’s in the NFL. I don’t believe in drafting RB’s higher than the 2nd round. If Walker or Spiller is there in the 2nd, I’d be ok with that. I say we spend on FA OL since Grier can’t draft them and go LB, CB, WR, OLB in the 1st. I’d love if it Jameson Williams fell to us. Or I’d take Linderbaum if he fell.
Man, he'd be a good pair with Waddle. I also love Drake London but he's been shooting up boards. Underrated falling prospect is Jameson Williams because of that ACL. I'd take him in a heartbeat. Even if true, it's a nonsensical take. A GM won't just not draft people because of past failures. Also keep in mind that we likely will be searching for an entirely different breed of OL talent this time. Out are the big people moving maulers and in are guys with movement skills. I fully expect with the depth of OL knowledge on the staff that they will play a big role in scouting and grading the OL talent vs. Grier.
I think the key takeaway is you can’t always rely on 1st round picks to hit. My biggest knock on Grier outside of Tua over Herbert, is he really hasn’t hit on many of his OL picks. That’s why I’d love to see an OL with one of our first 3 picks and then sign a LT and G/C in FA.
For me, two big takeaways. #1, day 3 picks and veterans are leading the way. The day 2/3 picks are seen as "less talented", so scouts and coaches don't know what to look for (toughness, aggressiveness, etc). I've said this for 20 years now, high moral character may apply to quarterbacks but it is optional in linemen. Don't look at their bench scores, their squats, their 40-yard dash, their wingspans...all that is meaningless if you don't see them bowling people over on film and enjoying themselves while doing it. I'm so tired of hearing, "But look how big this guy is, if he develops then..." Enough projects already- if you want a good blocker, draft angry men who can actually run people over today. #2, coaching and chemistry are critically important in offensive line. Take what I just said in the last section- Eichenberg was a stud with the Irish, he met all my criteria for the type of lineman you want. But so far he's been outclassed and he gets almost zero help from Hunt because our center is so meager. The coaching has been terrible, the chemistry is terrible, and that's 100% on the coaching staff asking young players to do far too much too fast. If Eichenberg was drafted in Pitt or NE, maybe he's a solid 10 year starter. Yet he progressively got worse last year in Miami. I have a feeling that we have the coaching solved in Miami with tons of fundamental teaching in the building. I also think we have 2 or 3 potential starters for next year. Heck, I think Jackson could get there in a year or two (sit him down for now though). But we need a few veteran leaders to "shore up" this group and a couple scrappy young guys who are ready to fight. I haven't looked at the draft class yet, but I guarantee you that there are dozens of guys who aren't on anyone's radar that can flat out stomp people into the dirt. Teams pass though because they're only 6' or they run a 5.8 forty. Other times, they say the players doesn't have an NFL frame or he has poor technique...but who cares?!? Can they block elite defenders in college? That's the metric that matters.
I agree on Nakobe Dean. Special player and would give our defense a star caliber inside linebacker it has been lacking for years. There is also no help at that position in free agency…
I could definitely get behind this. I think our best path forward is taking our good defense and making it elite and trying to get our OL to average. If Holland and Phillips make 2nd year strides then we might already be there but somewhat like Dean could make our defense Ravens/Bears all time elite, which covers up weaknesses on offense. OL we should be able to address in FA. My only concern there is we definitely need a LT, Armstead has durability concerns and $20mm is a lot of money to have someone on IR. But hopefully we can address LG, C and maybe LT depending on who hits the market. If we can even address 2 of 3 positions that were the worst at their positions, they’ll be leaps and bounds better.
Considering we all know Grier likes to get aggressive when it comes to making trades around the draft, let me ask 2 questions; how high would you have to move up to be willing to give up one of next years first rounders and are there any players that you feel are worth that investment?
Personally, I’d rather trade back vs trade up. Depending on how Tua progresses, we might need both of those picks next year to get a QB. Drafting so late in the first round, I’d be ok with trading back into the 2nd if we can get an additional second round pick.
Like what I saw on his highlights, but the guy is little for an MLB, would be nice if he‘d become the next Zach.
I hate that idea personally. I don't think there is ONE dude we HAVE to have to where we are giving up big future assets. If it's a smaller asset to move up like 1-2 picks, meh ok. Anything more and no. Hard pass. Drafting up just isn't usually worth it. As good as Waddle is, that trade was still iffy, and trading up for Liam was a big miss so far. Just stand pat or move back. I don't like the idea of having our WR corps be the collective height of the Lollipop Guild. However if Metchie slips I'd be down.
For what it's worth I agree on not trading up, but I think it's a realistic outcome considering how Grier has operated thus far as GM. For better or worse, he's never been afraid to be aggressive in the draft if he feels there's an opportunity and so I suppose the real question becomes who feels like the sort of player that Grier will covet.
I still get mad about the Caroo trade lol. However I am interested to see the post-Flores draft and what they look like. I believe Flores had a huge influence on everything. Did he tell Grier to get Waddle or Liam? Or did Grier work all that on his own? I do think it will also heavily be dictated by FA. If we really shore up the line entirely in FA we may lean RB or WR early. If we sign a big WR then OL becomes a bigger draft need, etc. This is also the first in several years that we aren't just swimming with capitol, so maybe that makes us less aggressive.
Personally, I didn't follow college this season since my main QB favorites moved up the the NFL (Burrow, Hurts, Lawrence, etc.). So I'm completely in the dark and really don't want to start studying players. Just doesn't feel the same this year for some reason...maybe its year 3 of COVID.