2025 nfl draft thread

[CrimsonCrew]

Oh, and re: that chart, we are relatively lower in production than RAS. Worth noting that Brendel had an elite RAS of 9.94 yet is our worst OL. McKivitz's RAS was 4.38 and he was noticeably better than Brendel this year.

[Jikkle]

Interesting how our org doesn't seem to value RAS athletic scores for OL/DL (peep the Eagles)

it's hard to decipher what this org prioritizes at this point, outside RBs and 3rd round kickers.

When it comes to the offensive line they don't invest heavily in it but the other element is they have a laser focus on run blocking more specifically being able to get to the 2nd level.

A guy like Brendel is like the ultimate form of this because when you look at his PFF rankings he's abysmal as a pass blocker but above average as a run blocker.

At least with the offensive line they do want athletic guys but they want them on the cheap and they don't care if they are complete one-trick ponies.

On the DL side of things I think it just boils down to investment. For the past couple years the additions to the DL have been basically cheaper vets and 3rd day picks. Hargrave was the only massive FA signing they added and he was sort of miscasted on the line and Drake Jackson was the only guy that's been drafted within the first 3 rounds and injury has probably ended his career before he had a chance to develop.

That's why I expect pick #11 to be DL and the draft in general being slightly tilted to DL because I see this draft as them getting back to basics and loading up on the DL.

[Jikkle]

LOL, I am over the mocks. I come across the headlines but pass on reading them. The only two positions I haven't seen the 49ers taking with the eleventh pick is running back and safety. Every other position has been mocked with the first round pick

https://nflanalysis.net/the-one-pick-san-francisco-49ers-could-make-to-help-brock-purdy-in-the-nfl-draft/

Not a mock, per se, but this article endorses possibly TRADING UP to select Jeanty. And trading McCaffrey coming off a serious injury to boot. Ha! Words cannot describe how pissed I would be.

I'm not saying I'm an expert but what I've seen from Jeanty he doesn't seem like he would be an ideal fit for a one cut and go kind of scheme.

And a lot of talking heads miss why McCaffrey is so effective in the offense because of his abilities as a receiver. He's an excellent runner but it's his receiving abilities that take his usefulness in the offense to the next level.

As far as McCaffrey's injuries are concerned it's hard to tell unless you're behind closed doors. The knee thing that ended his season doesn't worry me since there really wasn't any significant damage and they just shut him down because it was pointless at that point in the season to have him play and put wear and tear on his body for no reason. The Achilles is the worrisome potential injury and it's hard to know if that's actually going to be a real problem or if it's healed up and he just needs to alter his training regime to reduce the workload he's putting his body on as his father suggested in an interview.

[Pattersonca65]

LOL, I am over the mocks. I come across the headlines but pass on reading them. The only two positions I haven't seen the 49ers taking with the eleventh pick is running back and safety. Every other position has been mocked with the first round pick

https://nflanalysis.net/the-one-pick-san-francisco-49ers-could-make-to-help-brock-purdy-in-the-nfl-draft/

Not a mock, per se, but this article endorses possibly TRADING UP to select Jeanty. And trading McCaffrey coming off a serious injury to boot. Ha! Words cannot describe how pissed I would be.

LOL, another article the other day had the 49ers trading for Jalen Ramsey, another for Tyreke Hill. Just click bait. Now if someone can get a copy of the 49ers draft board, that would be something to see. The 49ers probably don't know who they are going to draft yet. It is probably a fluid situation depending which players are still on the board at eleven.

[CrimsonCrew]

Interesting how our org doesn't seem to value RAS athletic scores for OL/DL (peep the Eagles)

it's hard to decipher what this org prioritizes at this point, outside RBs and 3rd round kickers.

When it comes to the offensive line they don't invest heavily in it but the other element is they have a laser focus on run blocking more specifically being able to get to the 2nd level.

A guy like Brendel is like the ultimate form of this because when you look at his PFF rankings he's abysmal as a pass blocker but above average as a run blocker.

At least with the offensive line they do want athletic guys but they want them on the cheap and they don't care if they are complete one-trick ponies.

On the DL side of things I think it just boils down to investment. For the past couple years the additions to the DL have been basically cheaper vets and 3rd day picks. Hargrave was the only massive FA signing they added and he was sort of miscasted on the line and Drake Jackson was the only guy that's been drafted within the first 3 rounds and injury has probably ended his career before he had a chance to develop.

That's why I expect pick #11 to be DL and the draft in general being slightly tilted to DL because I see this draft as them getting back to basics and loading up on the DL.

Puni kind of bucked that trend. So did Kingston. Both were better pass-blockers than run-blockers in college, so maybe the FO is turning over a new leaf. It certainly seems like guys with good movement skills could be coached up to be effective run-blockers in this scheme. Granted we then cut Kingston.

Pass blocking seems like a more fundamental skill that some guys have and others don't. This draft may be telling in that regard. As might the lineups. Maybe the ultimate test is Brendel vs. Zakelj for the starting center gig. They are polar opposites in terms of strengths and weaknesses, with Zakelj borderline elite against the pass (9th among OGs) but struggling against the run (121st of 135), and Brendel the reverse.

If they truly view Purdy as a franchise QB, they've got to go more toward emphasizing the pass.

[CrimsonCrew]

LOL, I am over the mocks. I come across the headlines but pass on reading them. The only two positions I haven't seen the 49ers taking with the eleventh pick is running back and safety. Every other position has been mocked with the first round pick

https://nflanalysis.net/the-one-pick-san-francisco-49ers-could-make-to-help-brock-purdy-in-the-nfl-draft/

Not a mock, per se, but this article endorses possibly TRADING UP to select Jeanty. And trading McCaffrey coming off a serious injury to boot. Ha! Words cannot describe how pissed I would be.

I'm not saying I'm an expert but what I've seen from Jeanty he doesn't seem like he would be an ideal fit for a one cut and go kind of scheme.

And a lot of talking heads miss why McCaffrey is so effective in the offense because of his abilities as a receiver. He's an excellent runner but it's his receiving abilities that take his usefulness in the offense to the next level.

As far as McCaffrey's injuries are concerned it's hard to tell unless you're behind closed doors. The knee thing that ended his season doesn't worry me since there really wasn't any significant damage and they just shut him down because it was pointless at that point in the season to have him play and put wear and tear on his body for no reason. The Achilles is the worrisome potential injury and it's hard to know if that's actually going to be a real problem or if it's healed up and he just needs to alter his training regime to reduce the workload he's putting his body on as his father suggested in an interview.

Yeah, obviously the Jeanty argument is absurd given the other needs on this roster. I get some of the arguments that the RB position has been undervalued, but we've also seen nobodies repeatedly play well in our system. This is a very deep draft at RB. If we traded Mason for two sixth-round picks and then use a third on a RB, I'm going to be so irritated. There will definitely be really promising RBs available in the fourth round of this draft.

[Harry Palmer]

Seeing lots of chatter about big names dropping…including pretty much every top name. Yes, I know teams and agents are engaged in propaganda and we see that every year, but what we also see pretty much every year is a guy or two start to drop around now (whereas others happen on or just before draft day.)

So, assume for the sake of argument every name rumoured to be dropping (Ward, Carter, Hunter, Sanders, any OT) can be the one to drop to 8th or 9th, which names and in which order do you feel we would absolutely need to move up a couple spots to get. So talking combination extreme talent and extreme fit, where do you draw the line with each name above?

For me Sanders imo pretty much just gives us what Purdy already gives us, so he’s a no. If he drops to 11 I’d see what offers are out there, but I wouldn’t pull the trigger just on talent. Imo if either Carter or Hunter are there at 9 I move up. The OTs I just hope one of the top 2 drops, not moving up for them, and if they don’t drop I start looking at trading back, acquiring picks. Not sure I move up (or maybe even stand Pat) for. Ward being available would obviously mean the most, organizationally, so I guess it depends on what each of us thinks of him.

CC, I know you really like Graham but not seen his name rumoured with dropping, and he’s been going pretty steadily 3-5 picks before ours.

[Jikkle]

Seeing lots of chatter about big names dropping…including pretty much every top name. Yes, I know teams and agents are engaged in propaganda and we see that every year, but what we also see pretty much every year is a guy or two start to drop around now (whereas others happen on or just before draft day.)

So, assume for the sake of argument every name rumoured to be dropping (Ward, Carter, Hunter, Sanders, any OT) can be the one to drop to 8th or 9th, which names and in which order do you feel we would absolutely need to move up a couple spots to get. So talking combination extreme talent and extreme fit, where do you draw the line with each name above?

For me Sanders imo pretty much just gives us what Purdy already gives us, so he’s a no. If he drops to 11 I’d see what offers are out there, but I wouldn’t pull the trigger just on talent. Imo if either Carter or Hunter are there at 9 I move up. The OTs I just hope one of the top 2 drops, not moving up for them, and if they don’t drop I start looking at trading back, acquiring picks. Not sure I move up (or maybe even stand Pat) for. Ward being available would obviously mean the most, organizationally, so I guess it depends on what each of us thinks of him.

CC, I know you really like Graham but not seen his name rumoured with dropping, and he’s been going pretty steadily 3-5 picks before ours.

Watch on YouTube

After watching this video I'm not so sold on Carter and feels like he might have a higher than expected bust potential.

[Pattersonca65]

Seeing lots of chatter about big names dropping…including pretty much every top name. Yes, I know teams and agents are engaged in propaganda and we see that every year, but what we also see pretty much every year is a guy or two start to drop around now (whereas others happen on or just before draft day.)

So, assume for the sake of argument every name rumoured to be dropping (Ward, Carter, Hunter, Sanders, any OT) can be the one to drop to 8th or 9th, which names and in which order do you feel we would absolutely need to move up a couple spots to get. So talking combination extreme talent and extreme fit, where do you draw the line with each name above?

For me Sanders imo pretty much just gives us what Purdy already gives us, so he’s a no. If he drops to 11 I’d see what offers are out there, but I wouldn’t pull the trigger just on talent. Imo if either Carter or Hunter are there at 9 I move up. The OTs I just hope one of the top 2 drops, not moving up for them, and if they don’t drop I start looking at trading back, acquiring picks. Not sure I move up (or maybe even stand Pat) for. Ward being available would obviously mean the most, organizationally, so I guess it depends on what each of us thinks of him.

CC, I know you really like Graham but not seen his name rumoured with dropping, and he’s been going pretty steadily 3-5 picks before ours.

There are only three positions that would shock me seeing the 49ers take a high draft pick on, RB, Safety, or QB. Any other position would not.

[CrimsonCrew]

The three guys I would strongly consider moving up for are Graham, Carter, and Hunter, probably in that order. Maybe Membou, but that's more of a pick I'd make if he's there but wouldn't necessarily trade up for. Hunter may be the most talented, but the two positions he plays are two of the stronger on our roster (even though we have a huge need at third CB). Graham is one of the top players in this draft and plays a position that is a huge need for us. And Carter brings a speed element off the edge that we haven't had since Dee Ford was healthy.

The problem is that none of these guys is flawless as a prospect. It's a tough draft that way. Hunter is really promising at two positions, but he's a bit undersized at both spots and there's a real question about how much he can play both positions in the pros. Graham is undersized with much shorter arms that you'd like in a player taken in the top-10 at DL. And some of Carter's flaws are detailed in the video above: he has great bend and speed, but little to no power and poor hand usage.

But the flaws only get worse as you go down the list of players. At OT, Membou has never played on the left side. He's got adequate length, but only just, and he has a much more compact build than the prototypical OT. Will Campbell has tiny arms, hands, and wingspan. Neither of those guys did agility drills, though they seem to have good movement skills. Banks didn't test as well as hoped, and also has adequate but not great length. Josh Simmons has major injury questions and probably isn't an option at 11.

At DE, Mike Green is undersized with short arms and very small hands. He played mostly against lower-level talent, and has pretty stark character concerns. Mykel Williams has prototype size and athleticism, but wasn't used much as a pass-rusher and had only decent college production. He has a high floor because of his run-stopping, and a high ceiling, but he's a real projection to hit the ceiling. Shemar Stewart is a freak athlete, but it didn't show on the field as he struggles to finish and his sack numbers were awful. Jalon Walker would be crazy undersized as an edge and isn't particularly instinctive at LB. James Pearce is really lean, a bit tight, and seems to have some attitude/focus questions.

At DT, outside of Graham there really isn't a guy who is worth the pick, though I could live with a lesser player given the circumstances of this draft. Kenneth Grant is huge and athletic for his size, but doesn't bring much in terms of pass rush. Walter Nolen has incredible talent, but is somewhat undersized, only has one year of success, and some questions about his passion, etc. Derrick Harmon is closer to a physical prototype, but has a somewhat smaller lower body and inconsistent production.

At CB, Will Johnson has pretty significant injury concerns. Jahdae Barron only really played CB for one year, and played almost exclusively in zone. He's also short with very short arms.

At LB, Jihaad Campbell is still a little rough around the edges. He's a jack of all trades, but at least at this point a master of none. And there's a question about positional value.

If we draft a RB, TE, S, or QB, I'm not going to be happy.

Long story short, any guy we take is going to have issues. Though that cuts both ways. Of the guys I discuss above, I could live with almost any of them. Walker scares me because I don't know that he's a special player at any position and the projection is too great. Stewart just didn't do enough on the field despite elite athleticism, though the system may have held him back. Simmons would scare me due to the injury, and Will Johnson too, though the injury concerns are very different (one devastating injury vs. many minor injuries). But I'd be content with a lot of players at 11. Big part of why I would love to trade back, but I'm assuming most of the other teams feel similarly.

[clyde21]

We have good options at 11 but they would be better options in the 14-16 range, Jihaad Campbell, Walter Nolen and Derrick Harmon mainly. If there as an opportunity to trade down a few spots, pick up an extra pick that'll help us trade back into the second (where the best value in this class is), and take one of these three take it.

I don't think trading up should be an option for us though, with so many holes on the roster, even if we really like Carter and Graham.

[clyde21]

i'm actually not complaining at all about this draft tbh, it's lining up really well with our needs, loads of DL and pass rushers, some good IOL guys as well, even deep at RB if we want to replenish the position at some point. if we can somehow trade down into the late teens or 20s and get another 2nd rounder that would probably be the most ideal scenario

[CrimsonCrew]

i'm actually not complaining at all about this draft tbh, it's lining up really well with our needs, loads of DL and pass rushers, some good IOL guys as well, even deep at RB if we want to replenish the position at some point. if we can somehow trade down into the late teens or 20s and get another 2nd rounder that would probably be the most ideal scenario

Really my only complaint with this draft is that it's light at the top. It's not a great year to be picking at 11 vs. the mid-20s. But it's really deep at positions of need for us. I feel like we have a good chance of getting contributing players into the 5th or 6th rounds.

In a perfect world, Sanders would fall and generate interest, or Sanders goes early and Dart generates interest and we can trade down. Outside of a QB, it seems like maybe a trade would materialize if Jeanty fell, or possibly a trade for Tet McMillan since there's a pretty big gap between WR1 and 2. Not holding my breath on any of those, though I would take less value to trade back this year.

[clyde21]

i'm actually not complaining at all about this draft tbh, it's lining up really well with our needs, loads of DL and pass rushers, some good IOL guys as well, even deep at RB if we want to replenish the position at some point. if we can somehow trade down into the late teens or 20s and get another 2nd rounder that would probably be the most ideal scenario

Really my only complaint with this draft is that it's light at the top. It's not a great year to be picking at 11 vs. the mid-20s. But it's really deep at positions of need for us. I feel like we have a good chance of getting contributing players into the 5th or 6th rounds.

In a perfect world, Sanders would fall and generate interest, or Sanders goes early and Dart generates interest and we can trade down. Outside of a QB, it seems like maybe a trade would materialize if Jeanty fell, or possibly a trade for Tet McMillan since there's a pretty big gap between WR1 and 2. Not holding my breath on any of those, though I would take less value to trade back this year.

there is a chance 4 QBs go in the first and that will be huge for us, if that happens we've got a chance to make some strong moves

[wco81]

NFL Network podcast said the 49ers really need to hit in this draft include day 3 starters. They've had to let too many players walk so there are many holes to fill.

And this is where the effects of the Trey Lance trade are impacting the team. Purdy kind of gave the team a reprieve for a couple of years but now once they pay him, it's going to be very difficult unless rookies are able to contribute right away at a pretty high level.

Saw a headline that quoted Nacua as saying the 49ers window closes if they pay Purdy. Kick them when they're down.

[Harry Palmer]

Thinking more and more it’s Shamar Stewart. Traits are hard to ignore and his film is full of flashes.

[clyde21]

Read on Twitter

[clyde21]

Thinking more and more it’s Shamar Stewart. Traits are hard to ignore and his film is full of flashes.

my bet is on Walter Nolen at this point, but really it's wide open, could legitimately be like 10 guys right now

[Pattersonca65]

NFL Network podcast said the 49ers really need to hit in this draft include day 3 starters. They've had to let too many players walk so there are many holes to fill.

And this is where the effects of the Trey Lance trade are impacting the team. Purdy kind of gave the team a reprieve for a couple of years but now once they pay him, it's going to be very difficult unless rookies are able to contribute right away at a pretty high level.

Saw a headline that quoted Nacua as saying the 49ers window closes if they pay Purdy. Kick them when they're down.

LOL, at Nacua at who is some expert. But yea, they do have to hit this draft and next year. The 49ers are going through what many teams have gone through and failed. There are teams that achieve success for a few years but then are not successful at reloading the roster. Can't afford to have bad drafts and yes Lance trade surely made things more difficult.

[CrimsonCrew]

I'm very interested to see how the roster rounds into form this year. We have huge holes, but they have seemed to very deliberately leave those holes open (or create the openings). I think the theory is that they can get tolerable players in FA after the draft. In doing so, they avoid impacting comp picks, and they can probably score some relative bargains.

Instead of bringing in a Gross-Matos, Yiadom, Ya-Sin, or Devondre Campbell (antics aside and just considering performance) before the draft and paying a premium to do so, can you try to upgrade spots through the draft and, failing that, backfill with guys who aren't much worse than those guys we brought in last year? I think it's at least worthwhile to try. This team hasn't exactly killed it with mid- and lower-level FAs lately (few do).

I know the offseason has been frustrating, but overall I'm okay with the approach given a deep draft, lots of picks, and the recent struggles to hit on FAs. The losses that sting are Greenlaw of course, and Collins and Floyd. Those two weren't great last year, but they were at least adequate starters, we didn't realize much of anything in terms of cap savings to part with them, and the replacement players at those positions aren't starting-caliber. Not to mention if they played out their contracts and then signed elsewhere next year they would have factored into the comp pick formula. Other than saving Jed some money, I can't see the logic in parting ways with them.