Now the busts

Can you speak of booms without busts? Probably not. Last post we highlighted the team's best first round picks. We discovered six Hall of Famers picked in the first round by the 49ers, (Leo Nomelini, Y.A. Tittle, Hugh McElhenny, Jimmy Johnson, Ronnie Lott and the yet to be inducted Jerry Rice) which makes you wonder if any other franchise has ever picked that many. The 49ers actually chose seven, selecting Arkansas wide receiver Lance Alworth with the eighth overall pick in the 1962 draft. Alworth was selected by the Raiders of the AFL; they traded his rights to the Chargers and San Diego out-bid San Francisco for his services.

But for nearly every Hall of Famer, there's been a first-round disappointment. Here's a look at them:

1. Rashaun Woods WR 6-2, 202, Oklahoma State (2004) The poster boy for the Terry Donahue era. Woods was really productive in college but completely washed out as a NFL player. The lowlight of his career was showing up late for the team plane on one trip and getting told to sit on the team bus by owner John York while the rest of the team got off the bus to the hotel. He finished his career with six catches for 160 yards and a touchdown all in garbage time. He then took his signing bonus and went bass fishing.

2. Jim Druckenmiller QB, 6-4, 234, Virginia Tech (1997) Druckenmiller signaled a drastic shift for the 49ers away from their West Coast roots. Personnel man Vinny Cerrato was sick of scrambling quarterbacks who couldn't stand in the pocket and take a hit. They took the rifle-armed Druckenmiller who actually won a game in St. Louis when injuries claimed Steve Young and Jeff Brohm. Druck finished his two-year career completing 21 of 52 passes for 239 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. Read More 'Now the busts' »

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | May 10 2010 at 04:55 PM

More on Bowman and a sign off

That's it for me for the second day. We'll return tomorrow with the 49ers having three picks in the sixth round and one in the seventh.

The 49ers picked Penn State linebacker Navorro Bowman. Bowman is a 242-pound inside linebacker with a troubled past. He was part of group that beat up a man at a fraternity party in 2007, which cost him the final two games that season. He later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct. He lost his father suddenly in 2008 but played in all 13 games made 106 tackles after earning the starting job after week four. He violated his probation in the spring of '09 after admitting to using pot. He projects as Patrick Willis's back up and could certainly help out on special teams.

He said he had to deal with his character issue and was thankful to Mike Singletary and the 49ers for picking him. He expected to go earlier in the draft. He worked out this off-season in South Florida with Vernon Davis and Frank Gore.

One draft guide noted he's good in coverage and showed up in big games. However, it also said that he doesn't take on blocks well, and Bowman said he likes to play in space.

The 49ers traded their third for Chargers' third (91 overall) and their sixth-rounder (173) and their 2011 fourth-rounder.

The 49ers traded the pick to the Chargers who took linebacker Donald Butler. Still don't know the trade terms.

Two more picks then the 49ers are up.

Did Carroll ever appear? We can't get ESPN 2 in the press room. On to more important things, nearly all the corners that I wrote about this morning are STILL available with the exception of Jerome Murphy and Chris Cook are still available. Murphy and Cook are the only ones to go in the second round.

Carroll obviously should have told Mays he needed to work on his back pedal or his coverage skills instead of saying he was draft ready. But really, did anyone expect Carroll to take Mays over Earl Thomas?

We are making much more about this than we need to, but Carroll is expected to go on ESPN or EPSN2 to respond to Mays' comments.

Just doing a little background on Mays, he said his didn't do much backpedaling or coverage at USC. When he was coached to be more aggressive going after the ball at the Senior Bowl, he made an interception at the goal line. Does this indicate he can be a complete corner?

Here's the quotes on Mays' exchange with reporters about Pete Carroll.

"It was just interesting. I thought, I definitely thought from the relationship that we have, from the things that he had told me about what I needed to be, what the draft process is, things that I needed to do, I felt he told me the complete opposite of the actions that he took, which was definitely alarming. There were things he told me I needed to do as a football player versus the actions he took and who he took as a safety. I understand it's a business, but with it being a business, honesty is all I'm asking for.

Q: Look forward to playing him twice a year now? A: I look forward to playing for Coach Singletary 16 games a year than I look forward to playing against Coach Carroll twice a year.

Q: What was Carroll's advice? A: Just in terms that I didn't have anything to worry about, that my game was OK, that my backpedal was fine, my tackling was fine, it was all the things that I asked, what do I need to work on, what do I need to show all these points. I was kind of led to think I was OK. It is what it is and I'm so happy to be with the 49ers on the team Ronnie Lott played on.

Pete Carroll has already made his first enemy in the league and it's his former safety Taylor Mays. Carroll with the sixth pick in the draft yesterday, took Earl Thomas, a safety from Texas, and not his own safety from USC, Mays. "He told me the complete opposite from the action he took," Mays said of former coach at USC. "I understood it's a business, but be honest."

Mays expected to go much earlier and said he comes in with the biggest chip on his shoulder than anybody else in the draft and with the Carroll situation, he said it's been amplified.

Mays, however, said he will relish playing 16 games for Mike Singletary than the two he'll play against his former coach in Seattle. Mays also said all the right things. He admitted he needs work on his coverage and down the field skills, and he's looking forward to working with the 49ers' coaches on improving that aspect of his game.

Playing at USC, Mays knows and wants to emulate Ronnie Lott. He expects to hear from him later today. Mays also knows Dashon Goldson, because he went to high school in Seattle when Goldson played at Washington. "I think he's a safety that so underrated," Mays said of Goldson. "He's a supreme athlete."

Mays said he's also looking forward to playing with Takeo Spikes and Patrick Willis. "Those guys bring the wood."

This is not good news for Michael Lewis, whose salary escalates to $5.7 million next season. With Mays on board, the 49ers might be asking Lewis for that pay cut.

You can't make too much out of conference call, but with the words he uses and his seriousness, he SOUNDS like Lott. This guy could be really interesting.

The 49ers again drafted another combine warrior in Mays. He often doesn't play to his measurables, and is not a cover safety at all. He'll function as a fourth or fifth linebacker in the box. Also, Michael Lewis might expect to take a pay cut with Mays in the building.

For those wondering, here are his combine numbers: 230 pounds, 4.36 speed, bench-pressed 225 24 times, 41-inch vertical leap. He can also really hit and apparently knocked more than one player out the game. However his coverage skills are wanting. Most of his interceptions came early in his career, although he did make a pick in the Senior Bowl.

Taylor Mayes is now a 49er!

Jimmy Clausen just went to the Panthers. How about that? We'll never know if the 49ers wanted him. Niners are on the clock.

The Cards just traded up for a linebacker Daryl Washington out of TCU.

For you Raiders fans, the Raiders just went with Lamarr Houston from Texas. He'll be good for their conversion to a 3-4.

I'm back and there are plenty of cornerbacks available. Wait, we might have the first trade of the day. The Raiders just traded to New England to get Rob Grankowski. There are a lot of players still available including Segio Kindle, Jimmy Clausen and a slew of cornerbacks.

I'm going to out of pocket for about 15 minutes. I'm going on KNBR with Ralph and Tom.

There goes Dexter McCluster of Ole Miss to KC. I love this guy. He can return kicks, could be a great slot guy. He might be more of a receiver than an RB.

By the way, the two first round picks, Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati were in earlier in the afternoon. Here's what Iupati said when asked when the call came in from the 49ers. "It was the craziest experience of my life. Just sitting there on the phone and my mom was crying on the right and I see everyone crying. I was tearing up myself. It was probably the craziest phone call ever."

Tampa Bay just went with blog favorite, Brian Price. He could have been a fine backup to Aubrayo Franklin.

There goes one of the corners, Chris Cook of UVA. He could be the guy the 49ers were trying to move up to get?

Rams go with Rodger Saffold the tackle out of Indiana with the first pick of the round. I wonder what Manny Lawson and Parys Haralson feel about that. They might be facing him two times a year.

Here we go, we've got three minutes until Dexter McCluster and the start of the second round.

There are rumors out there that the 49ers are trying to move up, along with everybody else apparently.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | April 23 2010 at 07:00 PM

Corner should be a priority

Player personnel director Trent Baalke called it a "perfect storm" in the first round when the 49ers needs aligned perfectly with the best talent on the board. Now that the offensive line is heavily bolstered with tackle Anthony Davis and guard Mike Iupati, the 49ers should go after their next need in today's second round -

cornerback.

Unfortunately, the bottom of the first round saw a run on corners, with three taken in the last six picks. The question is, do the 49ers have a corner targeted, and since they don't pick until 16th in the round, will they trade up to get one?

After Joe Haden, Kareem Jackson, Devin McCourty, Kyle Wilson, and Patrick Robinson were all picked yesterday, that leaves South Florida's Jerome Murphy, Wake Forest's Brandon Ghee, Oklahoma State's Perrish Cox, Virginia's Chris Cook and USC's Kevin Thomas as possibilities. All have their flaws and strengths.

Murphy might be the most attractive to the 49ers because of his toughness. He started two games at strong safety last year and he loves to hit. At nearly 6-1, 196, he has the size the 49ers grave and he could also have some special teams value (blocked a kick in '08) and he seems to have a nose for the ball. But like all these second-round corners, he can be very inconsistent and he's a character risk. He missed the first half of the St. Petersburg Bowl against Memphis for violating team rules and was benched in the second halves of games against Pittsburgh and Louisville for a combination of penalties and dropped passes. Can he be coached?

Cox, probably the most talented of the crew, falls into the undisciplined realm as well. He missed a bowl game in January for violation of team rules, was arrested for speeding and driving with a suspended license and according to draft reports has an inflated opinion of himself. He also led the NCAA with 19 passes defensed, is 6-0, 195 and is an excellent return man. He's been dubbed a "selective" hitter and sometimes plays soft. Read More 'Corner should be a priority' »

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | April 23 2010 at 10:04 AM

49ers! Open your presents

It's Christmas day or days we should say in the NFL. So who will be the newest Niners by day's end - Joe Haden, Trent Williams, Anthony Davis, Eric Berry? And what about the rumors. The 49ers supposedly wanting to trade up with Cleveland at no. 7 to get a tackle? Or the Steelers wanting to trade troubled Ben Roethlisberger to the 49ers for one of their first rounders? Or Dallas wanting to trade into the 49ers 13th slot?

Also, during the draft follow 49ers beat writer David White's tweets at www.twitter.com/bydavidwhite.

Fans can also get a live look into the 49ers draft room at 49ers.com.

We'll try to follow it all today including a game day-like running blog throughout the first half of the first round as players peel off the board. Would you like to see Roethlisberger on the team? And who should the 49ers get at 13 and 17?

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | April 22 2010 at 09:06 AM

LaBoy, schedule and draft analysis

WHAT LABOY BRINGS: The news that Travis LaBoy signed a one-year deal for $1.6 million, puts him in direct competition with Manny Lawson, whose contract expires at season's end. Certainly their sack and pressure totals will be compared but so will their abilities to stop the run. The 49ers allowed 3.6 yards per carry last season, third best in the league and a big part of that was Lawson's and Parys Haralson's talent in containing outside runs. LaBoy appears to be bring the same kind of run-halting mentality.

DRAFTMETRICS: Tony Villioti was kind enough to send me his drafmetrics guide; it provides a deep analysis of the last 20 drafts. Villioti lives in Pittsburgh, PA is a retired CFO for a water utility, and also did a draft analysis in 1989, which he sold to about 12 NFL teams. He bases his analysis on the number starts and the number of years in the league a drafted player garners and there's no recognition for Pro Bowls, MVP awards or All-Pro designations.

Villioti found than in his analysis of the 1990's drafts that wide receivers are risky picks. Only 16 percent start for five years or more. Offensive linemen and defensive linemen are the safest picks with half of them playing for five years or more. Defensive linemen had the highest percentage of players who start for five years or more (24 percent).

Defensive backs I always thought were risky picks. Turns out not so much. Nearly half of drafted DB's have careers of five years or more and 22 percent started for five years or more. In terms of sheer numbers, defensive backs are picked the most. However, the analysis reveals that defensive backs drafted in the later rounds rarely make it, so it's best to pick them early (do Eric Berry or Joe Haden come to mind?)

If the 49ers stand at 13 and 17, they do well to draft an offensive linemen at 13 (90 percent of those taken 1-13 start for five years or more) and a defensive back at 17 (there's no difference in number of starts or years in the league for a defensive back taken 1-13 as opposed to those 14 through 28). The chances for a defensive back to make an impact decrease dramatically after the 48th pick of the draft.

These are just some of the topics Villioti addressed in his guide. For more information, check out draftmetrics.com

The NFL has a greatly increased opinion of the 49ers. Why else would they feature them in five nationally televised games including four in prime time. The team will also be all over the map, with their second regular season matchup on foreign shores when they play the Broncos in London on Oct. 31, followed by a bye week. The team lost to the Cardinals in 2005 in Mexico City.

Read More 'LaBoy, schedule and draft analysis' »

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | April 21 2010 at 11:25 AM

Baalke Speaks

49ers new quasi-general manager Trent Baalke just finished a round table with those slubs like me, who cover the team on the regular. Baalke was guarded and that's not surprising, he's never been in this position of talking to the media.

Baalke didn't want to say what positions in the draft he felt had depth so as to not tip his team's hand. But here's what Baalke did say.

-He's open to trading up, back and sideways. But Baalke didn't sound as if the 49ers were going to be aggressive in seeking trades. He said two of the best pieces of advice he received about drafting was to stay patient and don't outsmart yourself. Baalke said teams can get too smart by getting themselves out of position to take a good player by constantly trading. But Baalke said he's not adverse to making deals. "We're going to get the player we have targeted, believe me."

-He was also asked about Mike Singletary's ability to assess a player's character. Baalke said it was less uncanny ability and more about Singletary's hard work on investigating a player's background. "He does all the homework to ask the right questions by talking to high school coaches, not only to people (in the player's) collage community but his hometown community."

-Along those lines, Baalke pumped up troubled Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant saying he thought he had the speed to get behind a defense. He also said, "We have no problem with Dez Bryant's character, none whatsoever." Baalke also lit up when Fresno State running back Ryan Matthews was mentioned.

-About taking a quarterback in the first round, Baalke said, "We are not going to rule out anything, but I want to reiterate Alex Smith is our quarterback."

-Baalke said the draft board was about 95 percent set. Now they have to hash out the board with coaches, who obviously have their priorities.

-Asked if he was interested in a small, fast scatback who could be a change-up back or a slot receiver, Baalke said, "Are we searching for that player? Not necessarily. But if the player is there and there's good value ...."

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | April 15 2010 at 01:23 PM

Combine Day Two-RB's QB's and WR's

Quarterbacks, receivers and running backs took to the field Sunday morning at the college scouting combine.

Of the three, running back might be the 49ers' most ardent need. They already have a quarterback of every stripe: Young starter (Alex Smith) veteran backup (Shaun Hill) and promising youngster (Nate Davis). Some believe the 49ers should draft a quarterback every year because the position is crucial and one never knows when a gem will emerge from the lower rounds. However, teams can't protect and develop quarterbacks in the NFL. Should the 49ers draft another quarterback, where would they put him? Several teams only keep two quarterbacks and none of them keep four. Also, if the 49ers pick a quarterback in the sixth round and don't put him on the active roster, another team can scoop him up for their active roster at any time. The NFL should allow a special category for fourth quarterbacks so teams can groom passers. Everyone would benefit from that. Since they don't, there's a good chance the 49ers won't take a quarterback at all.

The 49ers have plenty of targets when you consider the receiving talents of tight ends Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker. Then add developing starters Michael Crabtree, Josh Morgan and the always mysterious Jason Hill (why doesn't he play more?) and Brandon Jones to the mix. Of this group, the player with the best on-field speed (Davis) is also the most productive. Davis ran a 4.41 at the 2006 combine while Hill and Jones ran sub 4.4's at their respective combines. But with pads on and his head up, Hill isn't nearly as fast. Jones also has yet to prove that he's a consistent downfield threat. Hill, for example, has a career average yards per catch of barely over 10 yards, which could also be a reflection of the way he's used. Given that, the 49ers would be smart to not necessarily add speed but certainly quickness. Particularly if the team stays with more shotgun, a quick, smart player who could work the short zones and be a hot option on on blitzes would be beneficial. On this site, C.J. Spiller seems to be a popular, if not controversial, choice. Spiller could not only be a slot option, but he could be a viable backup to Frank Gore and could eventually replace him as the main ball carrier. Spiller ran an unofficial 4.28. Dexter McCluster could be a second- or third-round option. McCluster was 168 pounds at the Senior Bowl last month, he weighed in at 172 pounds at the combine and then bench pressed 20 reps! That's more than 241-pound LeGarrett Blount (18 reps). By the way, McCluster stumbled slightly while running the 40 and clocked a 4.55 unofficially.

Other options include Cincinnati receiver Mardy Gilyard, who is dropping down the draft chart after a mediocre Senior Bowl and after running a 4.56 40-yard dash. However Gilyard has return skills and is more quick than fast.

Michigan State's Blair White could be another option. He ran a 4.53 40, did over 20 reps on the bench press and was a walk-on. He was an academic All-American with a 3.89 GPA in Human Biology. At 6-2, 200, he's big for a slot receiver, but that doesn't mean he couldn't fulfill that role. White is projected to be a fifth-round prospect.

SMU's Emmanuel Sanders caught 98 passes in June Jones's spread scheme, he ran an unofficial 4.43 40 and has return skills. He's also a late-round prospect.

Then there's the local Cal man, Jahvid Best. He ran a 4.33 unofficially at the combine and weighed in at 199 pounds. He's explosive, he's quick and fast. But if his college career is an indication, he might be too explosive for his body in terms of staying healthy.

Toby Gerhart might be the better prospect at 231, and he helped himself by running an unofficial 4.52. Another intriguing time was turned by Auburn's Ben Tate, a 4.45 at over 220 pounds.

Unfortunately, the 49ers might be looking for a smaller, quicker player in a draft that's filled with big receivers and running backs.

MORE TEBOW TIME: The overwhelming and exhausting following of quarterback Tim Tebow gets tiresome. Granted Tebow is an interesting story and was a tremendously productive leader. However as a draft prospect, he might not go until the third round. Saying that, Tebow reminds me of former Kentucky forward Jack Givens. Goose Givens dropped 41 points on Duke to win the 1978 NCAA championship game and then faded as a professional player. Givens wasn't particularly quick and measured only six-foot, five-inches, factors that made him fade as a professional.

Tebow made an impact at the draft Sunday morning, leaping 38 inches and recording a nine-foot, seven-inch long jump, both impressive. But Tebow didn't throw because his mechanics are currently under construction. The question is can Tebow quicken his delivery? He underwent an extensive analysis of his throwing motion in the off-season of his sophomore year and then tried to speed up his motion. The new mechanics lasted about five minutes until Tebow got into the heat of game action and then reverted back to his old habits.

Now he's doing a more extensive re-construction, but the fear is he'll still revert back. The second question is will it matter greatly? One scout I talked with said Tebow's bad mechanics are grossly overrated and that Tebow is accurate down the field.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | February 28 2010 at 11:55 AM

April whine

This year's special teams coaching prize was Bobby April. He was pursued by the Eagles, Redskins, Steelers and of course the 49ers. San Francisco lost out when April signed with Philly.

Moving on, here's an evaluation of the GMAC Bowl, which might have been the best bowl game of the season and it featured two draft-eligible quarterbacks in Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour and Troy's Levi Brown. LeFevour led the Chippewas to a 44-41 overtime win, despite missing a receiver in his second overtime drive.

Levi Brown - NFL draft scout has Brown listed as a seventh-rounder or a free agent. It must be the level of competition. He could also be a product of his another spread offense and he also had a dynamic receiver in junior Jerrel Jernigan.

In this game, he did miss throws, at least one a drive. But this strictly pocket thrower he also made some terrific passes and he has a motion that reminds one of Dan Marino. Brown also knows his spread offense well and he easily went to his second read; he's also capable off bisecting the defense with a well-thrown seam route.

Dan LeFevour - The guy has amassed some stunning statistics - His 150 touchdown passes are the most in NCAA history and his near 16,000 passing yards is second to Hawaii's Timmy Chang. More importantly, he has led eight fourth-quarter comebacks including one against Troy. In his final drive of regulation, he fired a spectacular seam route down to the 5-yard between defenders, that showed his brazen confidence under pressure. He moves well and quickly went to his hot receivers.

But again, will LeFevour end up like Chang, a system quarterback? It wasn't a good sign when CMU head coach Butch Jones took off for the Cincinnati head coaching job that LeFevour wasn't nearly as effective until the second half of the GMAC Bowl.

Bottom line - neither of these quarterbacks are as good as Nate Davis in my opinion and drafting either one of them would be a waste of a pick.

Troy defensive end Brandon Lang - At 6-4, 256, he could fulfill the role of pass rusher in a 3-4, and NFL draftscout projects him as a third-rounder. I only saw the game from the middle of the third quarter, but he didn't make much of an impact.

Troy outside linebacker Cameron Sheffield - This guy is intriguing. They had him covering receivers in zone and he did a decent job. He can also rush the passer. He wasn't the smartest player on the field - hitting a wide receiver late that drew a flag and then on the next play, he lost leverage on a short touchdown run. Nevertheless, he could fill a need, because the 49ers are short on outside backers, particularly those than can cover. Sheffield could also be available in the fourth or even fifth round.

CMU wide receiver Antonio Brown - The junior receiver amassed a whopping 403 overall yards with his receiving, kick returns and rushing in the Bowl win. Shortly after the game, he declared for the draft. Only 5-10, 180, Brown does possess game-changing speed and his ability to cut when he's in high gear is exciting. No one seems to know where he'll go, nevertheless, he could be a middle-round steal and fulfill the team's overall need for speed.

Other Notes: I caught a glimpse of the Patriots-Ravens game on NFL Network and had a second chance to look at New England guard Stephen Neal, and he's a really solid player. Nose guard Vince Wilfork DEMANDED a double team on nearly every play, which I don't think happens with Aubrayo Franklin. Wilfork spent a lot of time on the ground and Ravens runner Ray Rice was really successful because he was able to juke the linebackers that Wilfork freed up.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | January 14 2010 at 09:40 PM

A Second Look At Crabtree

Let's take a look at first-round choice Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech, a man who likely have a couple 100,000 words written about him before he takes his first snap in training camp. Crabtree's recent foot surgery will keep him out of the team's organized team activities and the 49ers are hopeful he'll be ready by the start of training camp. In fact, let's deal with question surrounding Crabby.

QUESTION ONE: The foot. The 49ers obviously don't believe the stress fracture will become a chronic issue. But the injury looked ugly, his ankle bent awkwardly while he tumbled out of bounds in a game against Baylor. The injury certainly proved his toughness. Despite needing surgery, Crabtree played in the Cotton Bowl in the loss to Ole Miss, but was often taken out of the game. He caught a season-low four passes for 30 yards, but did score on a 2-yard slant route, and in fact, that's where his strength lies in short routes against tight coverage.

QUESTION TWO: The entourage that apparently turned off Browns' brass in his visit to Cleveland has become an issue or accordingly to his former coach at Texas Teach Mike Leach, a non-issue. In a conference call, Crabtree said he had 16 people with him at the draft in New York, but he said they included family and one coach - his parents, four brothers, one sister, gaggle of cousins and two little girl cousins. Can the guy be blamed for bringing his family, if they were indeed all his family? Not only that, Leach said Crabtree is not a loud, self-absorbed sort typically associated with a posse. Leach stressed that Crabtree ran away from the spot light instead of seeking it. Texas Tech had to force him into interviews last year with big media outlets.

QUESTION THREE: Speed. The foot surgery precluded him from running a 40, but the Pro Football Weekly Draft Guide had a time of 4.55 time for him. Speed is such a minor consideration it's hardly worth a mention - Jerry Rice Anquan Boldin, etc, etc. Not only that, Crabtree more than makes up for any perceived lack of speed with his run-after-catch abilities.

QUESTION FOUR: Crabtree came from a pass-orientated scheme that inflated his numbers and never allowed the opposition to play bracket coverage against him. For this question, general manager Scot McCloughan didn't really have an answer. When asked, he talked about Crabtree's other attributes such as toughness and run-after-the-catch. But this is a real concern. Crabtree, for his part, said he faced all sorts of different coverages.

I was skeptical of this pick when it was first made, but the more information that comes out about Crabtree, the better he seems. He's obviously a special athlete, after being a highly recruited basketball star out of high school (Bobby Knight recruited him) and he was an excellent prep quarterback. The combination gives a valuable perspective. "When I was a quarterback ... I wanted a receiver where I could just throw it up and he could go get it," Crabtree said during the draft, "or if I threw a pass, I knew he was going to cut in front of that DB and not let the interception happen." He also loves the game and relishes the receiver role. Many football players, if they had a choice, would choose to play basketball if they had the talent. Crabtree eschewed basketball for football, and he relishes the receiver spot. "I said I wanted to play receiver as soon as I got to college, and I kept that with me and I'm never going to turn back."

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | May 04 2009 at 07:08 PM

Rooke Free Agents - Come On Down!

The 49ers have agreed to terms with a few players, according mostly to Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat:

Michigan State defensive end Brandon Long

Ohio State tackle Alex Boone

Georiga Tech cornerback Jahi Word-Daniels

South Florida guard Matt Huners

South Carolina cornerback Carlos Thomas

Word-Daniels missed half his senior season with a hamstring injury or he might have been drafted. Word-Daniels has the size 6-0, 197 to contend with the big corners in the division but his effort and tackling ability need work.

Boone has been arrested twice, once in 2006 and once in February for alcohol related issues. In the latest incident, which may have dropped him out of the draft, he reportedly had to be subdued by a taser after jumping on cars in the Los Angeles area. If Boone does become a 49er, he'll probably be their biggest player at 6-8, 330. He played left tackle as a Buckeye and struggled against top competition including Longhorn Brain Orakpo. He'll move to the right side more than likely with the 49ers.

Thomas has the physical attributes for NFL success: 5-11, 197, with a 4.37 40-yard dash time at his pro day. He played cornerback, wide receiver and returned kicks as a freshman.

Spartan Brandon Long created a small stir with his pro day. He ran a 4.61 40 and bench pressed 225 32 times. The guy looks like he doesn't have an ounce of fat on him; can the 49ers harness the athleticism to rush the passer? This guy will could push Jay Moore for a roster spot.

General manager Scot McCloughan said he hopes to sign 12 or more rookie free agents to challenge the status quo.

Posted By: Kevin Lynch (Email) | April 27 2009 at 09:33 PM