After his run-ins with former head coach Jim Harbaugh (who immediately turned around the University of Michigan’s football program), the San Francisco 49ers’ general manager Trent Baalke has felt his seat steadily get hotter.
Baalke has essentially whiffed on his last 33 draft picks, this can be seen evidenced by the fact that not a single pick since 2012 is still on the 49ers’ roster. The bouts with Harbaugh aside, this is an essential draft for Baalke, who has a good chance of redemption given the enormous amount of picks at his disposal (12) in 2016.
With the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams moving up to presumably get their quarterbacks of the future and with the 49ers holding the No. 7 pick, how the dominoes should fall in front of San Francisco is beginning to take firmer shape; making an examination and ranking of those prospects pertinent.
NO. 5: LAREMY TUNSIL, OT, MISSISSIPPI
Once thought to be a top-three pick, the reasoning for Laremy Tunsil beginning to slip are several and include the team’s needs in front of the 49ers, some injury history (torn biceps, fractured right fibula and a dislocated ankle) and a somewhat weak core and lower body. Thus, Tunsil may indeed still be available for Baalke at No. 7.
Tunsil was USA Today’s All-American and consensus No. 1 offensive tackle recruit coming out of high school in Florida. Despite being suspended due to largely unfounded recruiting violations by his step-father, Tunsil displayed: natural bend, outstanding balance, good pad level, good footwork/technique, natural kickslide and good ability to stop power rushers during his college campaign.
Having played in the SEC, Tunsil often faced and dominated NFL talent. He’s excellent at pulling as a tackle (which is fairly rare) and is a pass pro wonder — something that the 49ers could use at the tackle position. The reasoning for Tunsil being ranked at just No. 5 on this season’s top five first-round options is simple: the 49ers have other more pressing needs and Tunsil still will likely be nabbed up before No. 7 anyways despite the other needs of the teams in front of San Francisco.
NO.4: MYLES JACK, LB-RB, UCLA
UCLA’s Myles Jack is one of this year’s most intriguing top-ten draft prospects. An absolute specimen as an athlete as displayed by his ability and experience in playing all three linebacker positions as well as running back in the college game, his unique athleticism wasn’t lost on his college head coach (who also coached at the NFL level for years):
“You put him in the middle, and he’s going to make plays all over the field. Of all the athletes I’ve ever been fortunate enough to be around — just pure athleticism — there’s Michael Vick and Julius Peppers…Myles is at their level as an athlete” — UCLA head coach Jim Mora to ESPN
Beyond being just a freak athletically Jack is: explosive to the ball, plays with great pad level, is a smooth yet explosive mover, exceptional in coverage, can set an edge with surprising strength at just 245 pounds, has a repertoire of (seemingly) natural edge-rush moves and indeed can be a great goalline back given his quickness, power and balance as a ball carrier. He possesses the ability to play all linebacker positions as well as strong safety at the NFL level, something teams rarely see.
Jack would rank higher on this list if it were not for a torn right meniscus injury before his fourth start of his final season at UCLA, and how he subsequently handled it. Jack elected to leave his team and school immediately to focus on his NFL future, leaving little doubt why he was never elected a captain at a vital leadership position at UCLA. This may raise some red flags for teams.
Further, the likelihood of Jack being around at No. 7 is still rare given that the Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens all have pass-rushing needs — and each are ahead of San Francisco in this year’s draft order. Thus, No. 4 is as high as Jack goes on this list.
30 December 2015: Paxton Lynch (12) Memphis Tigers quarterback passes from the pocket during game action in the Birmingham Bowl between the Auburn Tigers and the Memphis Tigers at Legion Field in Birmingham, Al. The Auburn Tigers defeated the Memphis Tigers 31-10. (Photo by Greg McWilliams/Icon Sportswire)
NO. 3: PAXTON LYNCH, QB, MEMPHIS
While the Eagles and Rams are enamored in Carson Wentz and Jared Goff respectively, both teams might be missing the boat. Indeed, Memphis’ Paxton Lynch just might turn out to be the best quarterback in this year’s draft when all is said-and-done.
Lynch is the most intriguing movement-passer in the 2016 draft class and possesses very nice explosion in the zone-read scheme in getting to the edge — something that fits very nicely with Chip Kelly’s scheme. He registered the highest ball speed of any quarterback at this year’s combine in firing the ball 59 mph, but also has the ability to: put touch on the ball, vary his throwing motion’s length and release time to get ride of it quickly when need be, is superb on the rollout and in play-action.
For all of these reasons Lynch projects nicely into today’s NFL game, where movement at the quarterback position is becoming increasingly imperative given the state of today’s offensive lines.
With quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s confidence and desire to be on this team both shot, a long-term solution at quarterback is a definitive need for the 49ers — and contrary to him outplaying Kaepernick last season, Blaine Gabbert isn’t that. Lynch is still projected as a late first-round prospect by most scouts due to some issues with throwing the ball too flat, non-refined footwork and being an arm thrower.
For the 49ers to jump at Lynch this high would mean they’d have to be completely sold on him — which isn’t likely the case — leaving Lynch at the No. 3 spot.
NO. 2: RONNIE STANLEY, T, NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley is quickly climbing a lot of team’s draft boards. This despite not bench-pressing at this year’s combine due to a wrist injury and not performing the broad-jump due to a right knee injury (Stanley has had arthroscopic surgery on the same knee as well in 2014).
The reasoning for his ascension in the mind’s eye of a lot of NFL general managers is simple: Stanley projects to be an exceptional day-one pass-blocker; which is somewhat of a dying breed in today’s game given the difficulty in developing pass-blockers due to the new CBA. Stanley has natural bend, exceptional fluidity in his movement, is superb at getting to the second and third levels, is football smart and a proven leader.
Further, Joe Staley is set to man the left side of the line again in 2016 but Stanley played extremely well at RT before shifting to the left side with the Fighting Irish. The 2015 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year award winner has massive 10 5/8″ hands and great arm length at 35 5/8″. Despite his ample size and gifts, Stanely can’t be put as the No. 1 prospect for the 49ers because he tends to catch blocks, lacks physicality and the 49ers have more dire needs for top-tier talent in other areas at this spot.
NO. 1: DeFOREST BUCKNER, DE, OREGON
The perfect fit for the 49ers in their 30 front, Oregon’s DeForest Buckner would plug right in at defensive end for the crimson and gold.
Buckner is a unique athlete at 6’7, 291 pounds with the largest hands at this year’s Combine (11 3/4″). He was an all-state basketball player and a Chip Kelly recruit in college before the coach’s departure to the NFL. Further, he played opposite the 49ers’ 2015 first-round pick Arik Armstead in 2014 where he netted 81 tackles, 13 for loss, four sacks, four batted passes and a forced fumble.
He followed that season by winning the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and was a Hendricks Award finalist in 2015 where he put: 83 tackles, 17 for loss, 10.5 sacks and five batted passes together. Buckner already possesses his criminology degree and is was a two-time team captain, leaving little doubt regarding his intelligence and leadership.
With the departure of DE stalwart Justin Smith the 49ers have desperately needed someone at the position who can not only produce in pass-rush situations, but truly set the edge — and Buckner fits that need as perfectly as a team could hope for.
Projected to be a top-ten pick, and with Jack and Bosa likely already off the board — No. 7 is the perfect spot for Baalke to pull the trigger on Buckner.
Will Reeve is a podcaster and writer for FanRag Sports, Today’s Fastbreak, Today’s Pigskin, Indianapolis Colts Reporter for About.com, and has been featured on NBC Sports Radio and others. You can follow him on Twitter or connect with him on Facebook.
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