We went with a 5th round pick who seems somewhat redundant to what’s already on the 49ers’ roster.
There isn’t a pick that’ll be second-guessed in the NFL Draft. If there turns out to be a superstar from this class, two years from now, we’ll say, “Why didn’t the Titans just take him at No. 1?” Hindsight is 20/20. It’s easy to say you should have drafted Player X without knowing his background, medical history, or how a team graded him at the time.
So what are we going to do today? Good guess, play the hindsight game. In our defense, none of these players have played a single snap at the NFL level. We’re basing our decisions on pre-draft reports and our own biases.
Today’s question of the day is in the eye of the beholder.
What is a pick the 49ers should have made in the NFL Draft instead of one of their own picks?
Mykel Williams was universally loved. I had Walter Nolen rated higher than him. Still, I understand prioritizing a 20-year-old who is just scratching the surface over a player with similar questions surrounding his pass-rush ability and who doesn’t have the same clean character record.
In the second round, there isn’t a player selected after Collins, which makes me think the 49ers missed out on a promising prospect. Pair that with Collins’ being a massive need, and it might be the Niners’ best pick of the draft.
I would’ve taken Shavon Revel at the top of the third round. Yes, he’s coming off a torn ACL injury, but there were no other linebackers selected after Nick Martin, taken 75th overall, until the top of the fourth round. So, unless Martin was that much better than the rest of the linebackers selected after him, San Francisco likely didn’t need to spend a pick on a linebacker that early, regardless of need. Then again, taking a player coming off a serious injury isn’t exactly the best alternative.
My answer: With their second pick in the fifth round, the 49ers selected a defensive back from Kansas State. Marquese Sigle plays all over, looks the part, and has an athletic profile. However, in the games I watched, it seemed like he couldn’t cover either you or me. The secondary already has veterans who are special teamers. And yes, Malik Mustapha is expected to be sidelined for some time, but Sigle will need a specific role to play in the NFL, and I’m not sure that’s on Robert Saleh’s defense.
With the ability of hindsight, I would’ve selected Jordan Hancock, who was Ohio State’s nickel. Or gone Miles Frazier, a guard the Lions selected from LSU. The Bears selected Luke Newman in the sixth round. I believe he’ll end up starting in this league for a long time, so that’s my answer. That is the one area where the 49ers could have pounced on an offensive lineman instead of selecting a player who seems somewhat redundant in Sigle.
Where do you think the 49ers went wrong in the draft? Did they? Scroll down and share your thoughts in the comments.