With just one starting position left vacant from the year prior, there’s only so much instant production one can expect from the 49ers 2013 draft class.
Free safety was the sole vacancy for the 49ers heading into the draft. Pro Bowl starter Dashon Goldson left San Francisco for more affluent pastures in Florida.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Goldson to a five-year, $41.25 million deal. There simply wasn’t any way general manager Trent Baalke was going to improve upon that offer with such a deep safety class.
No, he decided to move up to No. 18 overall in the first round and land Eric Reid.
The former All American defensive back from LSU was the marquee target from the very beginning. Head coach Jim Harbaugh had coveted Reid since his recruiting days at Stanford.
After Reid, nearly all selections filled the need for quality depth behind established starters.
But that also doesn’t mean these prospects lack starting talent or are incapable of contributing in Year 1.
Let’s now evaluate the 49ers 2013 draft class and shed light on what type of production we can expect.
First Round (No. 18 Overall): Eric Reid, S, LSU
Reid is an outstanding downhill safety who inflicts punishing hits on opposing ball carriers.
The highly intelligent, high-intangible safety has above-average ball skills and handles coverage responsibilities in deep center field.
His 6’1’’, 215-pound frame, 33.5’’ arm length, 10’’ hands and 4.53 speed all lend themselves to creating a formidable, well-rounded defensive back.
Reid’s production in the NCAA ranks was certainly noteworthy. He amassed 199 tackles, 4.5 for loss, six interceptions, 17 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery over three seasons.
Those numbers are even more impressive coming from LSU defenses loaded with talent.
So, what can we expect out of Reid for the 49ers in 2013?
Manning the starting free safety position, Reid will play behind All-Pro linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman. The NFL’s preeminent inside backers are efficient tackling machines. They always rack up more than those on the back end.
Reid will also play alongside Donte Whitner. The strong safety operates more in the box and will generally accrue more tackles. His rookie counterpart, however, will have more chances2 for coverage stats.
At season’s end, Reid will have totaled 58 tackles, nine pass breakups and one forced fumble. He’ll also continue his yearly interception streak with two more for San Francisco.
Opponents will target Reid often in the passing game. The one area of weakness for the 49ers will provide the rookie with ample opportunities.
Round 2 (No. 40 Overall): Cornellius (Tank) Carradine, DE, Florida State
This is where the top-notch backups come into play.
Tank Carradine was one of the premier pass-rushers emerging from the 2013 class. An ACL injury suffered late in 2012 was the only reason he dropped out of the first round (has since been medically cleared).
Despite missing three games, he still managed 80 tackles, a whopping 13 for loss, 11 sacks and one forced fumble.
The 6’4’’, 276-pound physical specimen has an explosive burst both off the line and when closing in on helpless quarterbacks. He turns the corner very well and is adept at transferring speed to power.
Carradine is by no means a finished product. However, his athleticism, nonstop motor and ability to set the edge against the run are all tremendous qualities.
Sure tackling, brute strength and long 34.6’’ arms will further enable him to become a productive player in the NFL.
The 49ers will utilize Carradine behind Justin Smith as an edge rusher in both 3-4 and 4-3 looks. He’ll play roughly 15 snaps per game.
“Tank” will finish the year with 24 tackles, two for loss and six sacks. He’ll enjoy a successful rookie campaign as a player who flew entirely too far under the radar during the draft.
Teams who passed on him won’t be enjoying their stomach ulcers.
Round 2 (No. 55 Overall): Vance McDonald, TE, Rice
In Jim Harbaugh’s tight end-friendly system, having two quality men at the position is a must.
With the departure of Delanie Walker in free agency, the 49ers needed another jack-of-all-trades. They needed a big athletic tight end that could block and line up all over the gridiron opposite Vernon Davis.
That’s where Vance McDonald comes in.
McDonald was extremely versatile during his four years playing in the Conference-USA. He operated at the traditional in-line position, as well as out wide, in the slot and as an H-back.
Evidence of his receiving prowess lies in the 119 catches, 1,504 yards and 15 touchdowns that appear on his career stat sheet. Rice utilized more of a run-first system and was by no means a passing juggernaut, making McDonald’s production all the more impressive.
The one area that McDonald must improve is blocking. He’s just not in same realm as the 49ers’ elite blockers that dominate in a complex system.
But knowing the importance of the No. 2 tight end for San Francisco, the 6’4’’, 267-pounder will make valuable contributions to this offense.
He’ll bring down 12 catches for 185 yards and one touchdown.
In spite of the minimal stat production, McDonald’s 4.69 speed will serve as a threat to opposing defenses. And his mere presence will open up the field for the dynamic 49er pass-catchers around him.
Most importantly, he’ll allow Harbaugh to utilize multiple tight-end sets for the 49ers’ power run game.
Round 3 (No. 88 Overall): Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn
Round 4 (No. 128 Overall): Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech
Round 4 (No. 131 Overall): Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina
Underrated talent, high value and future star are all appropriate descriptors for this trio of prospects.
Corey Lemonier registered a monster year in 2011. He racked up 47 tackles, 13.5 for loss, 9.5 sacks, one fumble recovery and five forced fumbles. In other words, he was a total disruptive force in the backfield.
Lemonier’s production slipped by a fair margin in 2012. That said, the natural pass-rushing skills are still there. And the 49ers certainly recognized that.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will convert Lemonier into a 3-4 outside linebacker. His 6’3’’, 255-pound frame makes him a perfect fit for that role. He’ll provide great depth behind both Aldon Smith and Ahmad Brooks.
Expect a handful of tackles and perhaps a sack or two from Lemonier in limited action.
The 49ers then acquired a second-round prospect all the way down in the fourth.
Quinton Patton absolutely tore up the competition for two years at Louisiana Tech. He amassed 183 receptions for 2,594 yards, a 14.2-yard average and 24 touchdowns.
Patton not only led the WAC but was fifth in the nation with 104 catches, 1,392 yards and 13 scores in 2012.
The 6’0’’, 204-pound wideout is an exceptional route-runner with above-average ball skills. He has a knack for finding openings all over the field.
Unfortunately for Patton, the 49ers are loaded with depth at wide receiver. Michael Crabtree, Anquan Boldin, Mario Manningham, Kyle Williams and even last year’s first-rounder A.J. Jenkins (however dubious) sit ahead of him on the roster.
The one scenario in which he could see extensive playing time is if Manningham takes longer to recover from knee surgery and Jenkins development remains in limbo.
Otherwise, we wouldn’t expect anything more than modest numbers out of Patton in his rookie year.
Rounding out this trio is Marcus Lattimore.
A career-threatening collision that almost necessitated an amputation of his leg will have the dynamic running back red-shirting in 2013.
Easily a first-round pick before the injury, the former South Carolina product will serve as the heir apparent to Frank Gore.
It just won’t happen until 2015.
The 49ers can rest assured that they might have landed the best running back in the draft at No. 131 overall.
Round 5 (No. 157 Overall): Quinton Dial, DT, Alabama
Round 6 (No. 180 Overall): Nick Moody, LB, Florida State
At 6’5’’, 318 pounds, Quinton Dial is a massive run-stuffer suited for the interior of the defensive line. He’ll do just that as a rotational, yet necessary body for the 49ers.
The 49ers selected Nick Moody to bolster a faltering special teams coverage unit. He was exceptional in that role at Florida State. If he brings that S/T prowess to the NFL, coordinator Brad Seely will be one happy man.
Round 7 (No. 237 Overall): B.J. Daniels, QB, South Florida
Round 7 (No. 246 Overall): Carter Bykowski, T, Iowa State
Round 7 (No. 252 Overall): Marcus Cooper, CB, Rutgers
B.J. Daniels could serve as the Jim Harbaugh-coined “Swiss Army knife” for the 49ers. He has already seen action at quarterback, wide receiver, running back and returning kicks in offseason camps. The big-time talent will produce his greatest impact for this team as an STOW—otherwise known as Special Teams Offensive Weapon.
The 6’6’’, 303-pound Carter Bykowski can only hope to make an impact on the practice squad in 2013.
Last but not least, Marcus Cooper offers good size at the cornerback position (6’2’’). San Francisco’s depth chart, however, already features Carlos Rogers, Tarell Brown, Chris Culliver, Nnamdi Asomugha, Perrish Cox and Tramaine Brock.
Cooper is another inevitable practice squad member, but with much more upside than his seventh-round counterpart.
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