SB Nation - Curtis Taylor

Fans Will Be Watching LSU Defense

Richard Pittman — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:30:18 -0000

With the season fast approaching, I was trying to think of good topics to discuss to help you, the viewer, watch the right things and know what you're watching. Yesterday, I talked about the defensive line. Billy Gomilla helped me out and posted a nice piece on our wide receivers that actually used [gasp!] data. I was trying to come up with the next topic in this little pseudo-series, and I was thinking about the linebackers and the defensive backs, and the special teams units, and the reserves, and it finally occurred to me that the entire defense is one giant, barely differentiated topic of conversation that has been sadly neglected.

The whole defense is changing. Not only do we have a new defensive coordinator, but it is possible that literally none of the opening night starters from the 2008 season will be opening night starters at the same position in 2009. All four defensive line starters are gone, as are middle linebacker Darry Beckwith and free safety Curtis Taylor. Starting strong safety Harry Coleman is now starting strongside linebacker Harry Coleman. Former strongside linebacker Perry Riley is now weakside linebacker Perry Riley. Former weakside linebacker Kelvin Sheppard is battling Jacob Cutrera for the middle linebacker job and is backing up Harry Coleman at strongside. The two starting cornerbacks against Appalachian State in 2008 are now battling each other to start on the other side of Patrick Peterson in 2009. Former dime-back/linebacker/rover Chad Jones is now just a free safety. No one knows who the strong safety will be.

It's massive wholesale changes in personnel and in scheme. It's like starting over, and that's not a bad thing given the results last year, which were miserable on the defensive side of the ball.

I wish I knew what to tell you to expect. It's all a mystery for right now. I'll tell you what I'm looking for, but it seems so basic, like any fan could make the same list if they just sat and thought about it.

1. The pass rush, both in a base set and in a blitz. Last season, despite having one of the best sack artists in the conference along with a top 5 overall NFL draft pick on the defensive line, we pretty much failed to get any sort of a pass rush except when we sold out and brought in our "Express" package of 4 defensive ends, and we were still only 6th in the league in tackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. Even blitzes seemed to consistently fail to disrupt the opponent's passing game. This was a contributing factor to a miserable pass defense. This year, with [all together now] an entirely new defensive coaching staff, the most obvious place to look for immediate dividends is at the pass rush. You don't have to get sacks to have an effective pass rush. Making a quarterback throw the ball away is almost as good as a sack. A good pass rush can contribute to an interception or a tipped pass. A good pass rush can help you in so many ways, that it's no wonder our defense was so ineffective without one. I'm interested to see how we do in obvious passing situations, as well as how we do in less obvious passing situations.

2. Zone or Man? And who are the blitzers? John Chavis is definitely known as a zone guy, and I see no indication that he is going to change his general tendencies. The man knows zone. He has made his name on zone. Like most fans, I have a hard time getting excited about zone, but you don't go out and buy a Cadillac so you take it off-roading. Bringing in Chavis to run an aggressive man-to-man scheme unlike what he's had success with in the past would be foolish. Let the man run zone, but mix it up a bit too.

People misconstrue a zone. They think that playing a zone means playing passively, and that just isn't true. In a Chavis zone, the idea is to get the ball into the air and then to go get the ball. Chavis's defense picked off 17 passes last year and scored 4 defensive touchdowns off of interceptions. LSU's picked off 8, and did not score. Man defense is aggressive in the secondary before the ball is thrown. Zone defense is aggressive after it is thrown.

Plus, playing zone does not preclude blitzing. It merely changes how you do a blitz. Sometimes, you pull a defensive end back into a zone and overload the opposite side with rushers. That is, obviously, a "zone blitz" and if it works right you will have one offensive lineman not blocking anyone (essentially taking him off the field and forcing the offense to play with 10 players) while one or more rusher on the other side of the field comes free. If that's a speedy safety or a corner, all the better. With more speed on the field, I expect to see blitzes coming from a lot of directions.

3. Will we punish receivers? In a year that was frustrating in a lot of ways, one of the frustrating things that went relatively unnoticed was the fact that opposing receivers, and in particular the tight ends, could catch passes over the middle without any fear of taking a big hit. Case in point, the first play of this highlight reel of the game against South Carolina:

I think that's something that's going to change. The zone defense, with its aggressive-after-the-ball-is-in-the-air philosophy will make sure that receivers who go over the middle to catch passes have to pay a price for it. The linebackers and the safeties will be looking to light up some receivers. And if you watched Demetrius Byrd towards the end of last year, you know what getting hit hard can do to a receiver. It can make him not want to catch passes. Not all will actually act on that impulse, but the thought affects some receivers. Plus, it looks cool on TV.

4. Will players be rotated in and out as much? More? In 2008 and in previous years, LSU has fairly extensively rotated defensive linemen in and out of the game, but except for bringing in nickel- and dime-packages, linebackers and defensive backs remained more-or-less constant unless injury required a shift. I wonder if that will change. Will we see Brandon Taylor and Karnell Hatcher rotate at safety? Will we see Ryan Baker get an opportunity to play in the base defense in meaningful snaps?

5. Will Patrick Peterson, Perry Riley, and Chad Jones be as good as advertised? The question pretty much says it all, there.

5 Keys To A Successful Season, Part 4: The Revamped Secondary

Richard Pittman — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:30:08 -0000

I think everyone can point to the two biggest things that went wrong with the 2008 season. [Aside: I would say there were three things that went wrong; the two usually named things, and a very inconsistent pass rush.] In the coaches' quest to exorcise the demons of 2008, they have been forced to make a lot of changes to the secondary, which was, of course, one of the two things that went horribly wrong in 2008.

The opening game of the 2008 season saw a starting secondary of RCB Jai Eugene, FS Curtis Taylor, SS Harry Coleman, and LCB Chris Hawkins, with Danny McCray at the nickel and Chad Jones as sort of a utility player. Only one of those players was a senior, but there is no guarantee any of them will see significant snaps in the same role for the 2009 season.

The opening night lineup of the 2009 season will see Patrick Peterson at one corner position and Chad Jones at free safety. These are two very athletic and very promising players, but after this the spots are open for competition, and it is anyone's guess who will occupy the nickel and dime back positions, or if those positions will even exist as we currently understand them.

We have been over the secondary is great detail once before in this offseason,and I won't repeat those articles here except to the extent I already have. You can go back and read Part 1 and Part 2 of the Spring Preview: The Secondary series. Some of that information is quite outdated (Phelon Jones transferred and Harry Coleman is definitely a linebacker now). But for the most part the information we had back in March is still solid today, and we'll do a formal update on the position after Fall camp starts.

Suffice it to say that there have been wholesale changes in the coaching and in the personnel in the secondary. If one was being uncharitable, one might compare it to a game of poker in which we did not like the hand we were dealt and so we reshuffled the cards and dealt a new one. I prefer to think of it as learning from mistakes.

I don't know who will start at strong safety, but I was a HUGE fan of Karnell Hatcher's play in spot duty last year. The other prime candidate for the position is Ron Brooks, who got the most press of any up-and-coming player in the Spring. Danny McCray certainly isn't conceding the race, and he is the most experienced safety we have who isn't moving to linebacker. Plus he's actually well-suited for the role of strong safety, where he was not well-suited for his prior role as nickel back.

At corner it appears to be a battle between last year's starters, Jai Eugene and Chris Hawkins, but I would keep an eye out on true sophomore Brandon Taylor, who impressed the heck out of the coaches in practice as a true freshman and figures to be in line to improve as much or more than anyone on the team from last season to this season.

Whatever the personnel groupings, the unit absolutely has to play better than it did last year. I don't mean, "they have to play better in order for us to win." I mean there is no possible way they couldn't play better, as they played so poorly last year. Some of the worst passing teams in the conference looked competent against us. For example, Chris Todd of auburn went 17 for 32 for 250 yards against us (OK, he had 2 interceptions). Tyson Lee went 17 for 26 for 165 yards. Stephen Garcia went 14 of 26 for 215 yards.

Don't ask what the good passing teams did to us.

It's hard to do worse than that. Hopefully with more suitable personnel groupings and fresh coaching, the situation in the secondary will right itself. Taking Danny McCray off of the slot receiver almost can't help but improve the defense.

Offseason reports have Patrick Peterson and Chad Jones reportedly ready to blow up into the All-America calibre players they were recruited to be. I am always skeptical of offseason hype machines, but we will have to see. We should be finding out a lot more about this in the coming weeks. If those two are really that good at their respective positions, a huge negative could become a huge positive.

San Francisco 49ers 2009 NFL Draft Grades: The national media's turn

Fooch — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:05:34 -0000

Early yesterday we rolled out grades for the 49ers draft overall and by player. Naturally these are very arbitrary given that they have yet to don pads for the 49ers. They could do nothing, they could be superstars. However, it's practically required for a team blog to grade it's draft results. I'm sorry, I don't make up the rules. I forgot earlier, but big thanks to wjackalope for a feeee-nomenal graphic for this.

Accordingly, I thought I'd also go through and find some of the various draft grades given to the 49ers. It's amusing how all over the place some of the grades can be. We're sticking with primarily national folks as a baseline. Due to length, most are after the jump. Thanks to Dre for the FanShot of the Yahoo grade average article as I made sure to include those grades. One reason to take these with a grain of salt (among many other reasons), is because of lazy comments like this from Clark Judge under "Biggest Losers":

The San Francisco coaching staff. Good luck with Crabtree, fellas. At least when Terrell Owens was a rookie, he was humble. Try telling Crabtree what to do.

Mel Kiper:

GRADE: B+
Obviously the 49ers hit the jackpot with wide receiver Michael Crabtree falling to them at No. 10. Running back Glen Coffee gives the 49ers a nice one-two punch with Frank Gore. Getting inside linebacker Scott McKillop in the fifth round was a steal. Bear Pascoe is one of the best blocking tight ends in the draft, and the two LSU kids (Curtis Taylor and Ricky Jean-Francois) were great pickups in the seventh round.

Todd McShay:

Best pick: WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech (first round, No. 10 overall)
Worst pick: ILB Scott McKillop, Pittsburgh (fifth round, No. 146 overall)
Bottom line: While San Francisco would have liked to address needs on the offensive or defensive fronts with its first pick, it's impossible to fault the 49ers for taking in Crabtree, one of the top three players in this year's draft who fell to them at No. 10. Making it an even better decision is any concerns about Crabtree's character or how he interviewed leading up to the draft should be erased with Mike Singletary at coach. While the QB situation in San Francisco is less than ideal, Crabtree will allow the 49ers to see if they have the right QB in-house as he should only bring out the best in the existing signal-callers. As for Day 2, RB Glen Coffee is a good change-of-pace runner and McKillop is limited but solid versus the run and should contribute on special teams. Finally, there's nothing wrong with taking a chance on developing QB Nate Davis in Round 5.

Charles Robinson:

Positive: Landing Crabtree without moving up.
Negative: Going with a running back with their second pick.
Bottom line: B-.
It looks like a draft that might only produce one starter in the next year or two, but Crabtree could be a great one. Coffee was a head-scratcher in the third round, considering the plethora of needs in other areas for the 49ers. If Nate Davis’ learning disability can be overcome, he could be a steal in the fifth round.

USA Today:

GRADE: C-
WR Michael Crabtree fell to them and they grabbed him. They did not have much to work with after that, though, and they may not have done much with what they had. RB Glen Coffee shows few measureable NFL skills, does not approach what they have in Frank Gore. LB Scott McKillop is essentially Coffee's equal, though he excelled in combine workouts. Looks like a journeyman. QB Nate Davis joins a carousel, decent value in fifth round.

NBC Sports:

Grade: C

Details: Michael Crabtree was the No. 1 player overall on several teams’ value boards and a steal at 10th overall. But the Niners' draft fell swiftly from there. Glen Coffee was productive in 2008, but benefited from D-I's best offensive line and his legs are too skinny. LB Scott McKillop got run over at the Senior Bowl.

QB Nate Davis probably is only practice squad material at this point, and TE Bear Pascoe lacks the athleticism to be more than a blocking specialist. LSU safety Curtis Taylor was underrated after an injury-marred senior season, but DL Ricky Jean-Francois has always been overrated. One pick doesn't make a draft.

Fox Sports:

Everyone referred to Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree as a "diva," but on the field he was the best receiver in college the past two seasons with 41 TD receptions while averaging 120.3 yards per game. The 49ers are definitely not worried about his foot surgery for a stress fracture. GM Scot McCloughan made a solid decision in swapping his second-round pick for Carolina's first-round pick next year.

The 49ers took a flyer on Ball State quarterback Nate Davis, who has dyslexia, in the fifth round. Davis passed for 56 TDs vs. 12 INTs in his college career. Davis has an unusual grip on the football — he never holds it by the laces. Alabama running back Glen Coffee has a strong upper body, but he has to learn that he can't take on tacklers at the NFL level. Pitt linebacker Scott McKillop could be a steal in the fifth round. He has 211 solo tackles in 25 starts for the Panthers. Grade: B-

CBS Sports - Prisco:

Grade: C-

Best pick: I really like sixth-round pick Bear Pascoe. He is a blocking tight end who is a former quarterback.

Questionable move: Taking Michael Crabtree. That foot makes it a risk. So does his diva act.

Second-day gem: Fifth-round pick Scott McKillop is a feisty linebacker Mike Singletary will come to love. He will be a special-teams star.

I'm just not enamored with what they did.

CBS Sports - Rang:

Grade: A+
While everyone will rightfully focus on the selection of wideout Michael Crabtree with their first selection, the 49ers' ability to add a first-round pick in next year's draft (from Carolina), as well as fill holes at essentially every position, was the key to their draft. For a young team like this, depth is often the critical missing element toward turning a struggling team into a division winner. The 49ers added many of the pieces in 2009 to accomplish that goal with underrated talents at running back (Glen Coffee), linebacker (Scott McKillop), safety (Curtis Taylor) and defensive line (Ricky Jean-Francois). A young quarterback with legitimate talent in Nate Davis and a blocking specialist to pair with Vernon Davis in Bear Pascoe only made this draft that much more impressive.

Peter King:

For a team that hasn't picked a great receiver since Terrell Owens, Michael Crabtree's a welcome choice. He's 6-2, 215 pounds ("a faster Boldin,'' one personnel man told me last week) and he finally gives the 49ers some respect in the passing game ... Glen Coffee may play more than you think if Frank Gore can't hold up.

Clifton Brown:

Grade: D

They were fortunate to get Crabtree, who will make life easier for the quarterback. The rest of their draft did not bring much help. This is a rebuilding team with plenty of holes.

And there you have it. Waaaaaay too many draft grades.

San Francisco 49ers 2009 NFL Draft Grades

Fooch — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:00:15 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

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And so the 2009 NFL Draft is officially in our rear view mirror. Things got a bit heated at times (pretty much the entire time after the first round), but that's to be expected this time of year. Unless you're a Raiders fan, most teams' drafts leave some fans happy, some angry and some somewhere in between.

Naturally, the first thing we can do is grade the draft. I decided to wait a day so people could calm down and take a second look at the returns. Some of you will still be angry, but at least you've had a chance to sleep on it. Also, as you can see from the poll, we're including undrafted free agents in this group. While not part of the "draft class," they are a part of the San Francisco 49ers rookie class of 2009. Maybe they get lucky with some of them, maybe not. But we're including them anyways. On to the grades. A grade for the draft as a whole is at the end. And no pluses or minuses here. Just solid grades.

Michael Crabtree, WR - Grade: A
I realize the luck/Al Davis stupidity involved here. But sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. And in this case, the 49ers were exceptionally lucky. Crabtree was pretty close to #1 on my list of all players in the draft, and definitely #1 on the guys I wanted who I thought miiiiight slip to the 49ers. He's a gifted athlete who could be the 49ers #1 receiver before too long.

Obviously most any pick could be a bust, but there was simply no way the 49ers could pass up when Crabtree was dangled before them at #10. I think Michael Oher will end up having a very solid career in the NFL. Nonetheless, when it comes to what he brings to the table, he is no Michael Crabtree. Wide receiver was not a great need for the 49ers, but I won't even discount the grade because of that. He's the man and that's all there is too it.

Glen Coffee, RB - Grade: C
I'm not a big Coffee drinker but i actually like Glen Coffee. Based on what I've read and what some Alabama fans have told me (included in the above post), Coffee will be a very solid option for the 49ers as a backup running back. I like that he knows he can stand to put on about 8-10 lbs. That would put him at 6-0 and close to 220lbs. More importantly he loves to hit things and you know Singletary loves that.

The reason I discount this grade so much is that I'd imagine they could have had him a little later, or even gone with some other RB options late in the draft. Running back was a need for this team, in spite of what others might think. However, there were some serious players available here that left me a bit confused. In the end I can live with this pick because I do think the 49ers front office has some clue of what's going on (no snickers please). However, it was one that had me a little bit befuddled.

Scott McKillop, ILB - Grade: B
Barrows was pretty much on the money with this as he was pointing to McKillop and another ILB at this spot a few minutes before hand. People were screaming for Jamon Meredith as he was slip-sliding like crazy. The selection of McKillop resulted in a lot of Agggggghhhhhs. However, on reflection, people seem to be recognizing the value of the pick.

McKillop will start off as a special teams guy and a backup to Takeo Spikes. Jeff Ulbrich is running out of gas and is probably nearing the end of his 49ers tenure. Ulbrich could never snatch that Ted position, so now we've got another youngster who will get a crack at it. This is mostly about the future as McKillop is a sure tackler who probably has a good chance to eventually take over Spikes's position. Not a homerun pick but one that I view as very sound.

After the jump we wrap up the remaining four picks and undrafted free agents and give our overview.

Nate Davis, QB - Grade: A
The fifth round was all about looking to the future. The compensatory pick was used on a guy who might very well be a QB of the future. I was trying to decide between an A and a B and I just can't lower the grade. Nate Davis does have Alex Smith tendencies that we certainly don't want to see. The dyslexia is something that can be overcome in the NFL, but obviously is something to keep in mind.

And yet, I couldn't look past the wild productivity in college and the fact that he slipped into the end of the fifth round. Even if he doesn't end up as the long term answer, I like this pick no matter what. Over the last couple years Davis actually was considered a potential high NFL prospect. His draft stock slipped due to the dyslexia and probably the grip on the football. As a fifth round pick, this could end up being one of the steals of the draft.

Bear Pascoe, TE - Grade: C
I'm sure somewhere on Niners Nation I'm on record as being a fan of a tight end named Bear. He just sounds like a tight end and I fully expect him to ably fill the role of Billy Bajema, with maybe even a little receiving game thrown in. Sounds great for a late pick and I realize we can't complain too much about a sixth round choice. Maybe I'm being a bit too hard on the pick.

However, I kind of look at the sixth round as an opportunity to roll the dice on either character guys, or injury issue guys. In the end I'm perfectly fine with Bear Pascoe here because I am firmly convinced he'll contribute in the regular season. And yet, part of me wishes the team had been a bit more aggressive here. It's probably wanting to have my cake and eat it too, but such is life.

Curtis Taylor, S - Grade: B
I like this pick, in spite of the Mark Roman comparisons that were going on. Taylor seems like the type of guy you roll the dice on late in the draft. There are legitimate and obvious flaws in his game. However, when you know the flows, it can often be easier to fix them.

As a seventh round pick there is obviously no pressure on him to win a starting job. And yet, I think he'll give Dashon Goldson a fair amount of competition in training camp. What I found most interesting in his scouting report is that he's too aggressive, and yet he's not physical enough. I suppose I can see how that's possible, but it still sounds like an oxymoron somehow.

Ricky Jean-Francois - Grade: B
Where Bear Pascoe is a football name, Ricky Jean-Francois (RJF from here on out) is decidedly NOT a football name. I expect to see him smoking long cigarettes and insulting opponents with a thick French accent. Actually, he makes me think of Jean Girard from Talladega Nights.

However, RJF, like Taylor, seems like an upside guy that is worth gambling on in the 7th round. At 6-2, 295lbs he's probably a bit undersized for a nose tackle. However, I'd like to think he could pack a little weight on to his frame and possibly make some noise in that position. He's a bit taller than both Sopoaga and Franklin, but I don't know how his frame compares for adding such weight.

Undrafted Free Agents - Grade: A
I've included these as one group because I think the context of all the signings makes a little more sense. Thus far, they include Pannel Egboh (DE), Kory Sheets (RB), Alex Boone (OT), Jahi Word-Daniels (CB) and Carlos Thomas (CB). None of these guys is a home run hitter, or they would have gone in the draft. Question marks abound, but again, that's why they landed on the street.

It's waaaay too early to tell what will happen, but with a few extra pounds on his frame, I think Egboh could push Ray McDonald for a roster spot. McDonald has struggled in making his mark and with Kentwan Balmer and Demetric Evans getting their chances, the squeeze coud be on for Ray.

Kory Sheets was solid at Purdue, but he just doesn't seem to have the potential bulk that Coffee brings to the table. Sheets could find himself in a battle for Thomas Clayton's old practice squad spot. Meanwhile, you've got Alex Boone, who's had a few run-ins with the law. McShay projected him as a late fifth round pick, factoring in those character issues. So, just maybe, the 49ers might have a solid backup option. He'll be battling the likes of Joe Toledo and Jacob Bender for a roster spot, or maybe just a practice squad spot.

OVERALL - Grade: B
I'll bet good money a lot of folks disagree with me on this. I mentioned it in Since79's FanPost, but to reiterate, this was a very odd draft. It just had a weird feel to it, from top to bottom, even beyond the 49ers picks. Guys like Jamon Meredith were plummeting, and Al Davis was drafting guys not even in draft guides.

Beyond the Crabtree pick, the 49ers seemed to be drafting like a team just filling some depth needs, or more precisely, a playoff team with not a ton of concerns. That's certainly not the case and that is why many folks were getting furious. Personally, I wanted a Jamon Meredith or Duke Robinson. I would have liked a Shonn Greene.

However, when you factor in the undrafted free agents, this 49ers rookie class is very intriguing. I gave Coffee a C but that was more because it was a 3rd round pick, instead of a 4th or 5th round pick. You like to hit on those and it seemed like a bit of a gamble. However, I do like Coffee's upside as a backup RB. I don't think he's a guaranteed bust, like others.

People were surprised the team did not grab any offensive linemen or outside linebackers. While I don't know any more than any of you, I do think this indicates the team is obviously fairly happy with what they already have in place. Boone will get a chance to win a roster spot, but for now he's pretty far down the depth chart behind Smith, Snyder and Sims.

Finally, there's The Trade. I was amazed at the divide over this. Some love it, some hate it and very few are in between. I'm a fan of the deal. It cost some potential talent this year, but I like getting that extra first rounder next year. It's all a crapshoot in the end, so why not increase your odds of avoiding crapping out? If I didn't like this trade I would have definitely seen the point of giving the 49ers a C or a D given that it involved a 2nd and 4th round pick. However, I think the trade should prove beneficial in the long run, thus I maintain the B.

There is much much more to be said about this draft. Numerous questions are raised by the moves made this weekend. As long as this post is, I simply can't fit it all in. Over the course of this week and beyond, we'll have plenty of thoughts about what I think again many people would agree was a rather bizarre weekend.

Poll

What grade would you give the 49ers 2009 draft (including UDFA)?

A

636 votes

B

1072 votes

C

294 votes

D

44 votes

F

29 votes

2075 votes | Poll has closed

Curtis Taylor and Ricky Jean-Francois to San Francisco; Demetrius Byrd to San Diego

Richard Pittman — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:56:54 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

8 months ago: FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2008, file photo, LSU wide receiver Demetrius Byrd (2) breaks away from Mississippi State defender Tay Bowser (28) on his way to a touchdown during an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La. Byrd was in critical but stable condition Monday, April 19, 2009, after a car accident in Miami, and his agent said the NFL prospect was expected to fully recover. (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)

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Three Tigers were picked in the final round of the draft today as safety Curtis Taylor was picked by San Francisco, in what I would say was a bit of a surprise, especially considering Darry Beckwith, Demetrius Byrd, Marlon Favorite, Kirston Pittman, Brett Helms, and Ricky Jean-Francois had all not yet been picked. Favorite, Beckwith, Helms, and Pittman would not hear their names called at all. I find that to be a mild surprise in all cases, but especially with Beckwith who some thought would go as high as the second round.

Ricky Jean-Francois was the last Tiger selected, and he will join Curtis Taylor in San Francisco. Jean-Francois was an enigma at LSU, spending more time away from the field than on it for one reason or another, and not having the big season that was expected of him in 2008. He's exactly the kind of player who sometimes makes a better pro than amateur however, as he sometimes shows outstanding athleticism.

Between Taylor and Jean-Francois, San Diego picked wide receiver Demetrius Byrd, who probably would have gone a little earlier had he not gotten into a somewhat serious car accident earlier this week. Byrd will join former Tiger Craig Davis, but Byrd never played with Davis as Byrd was a JUCO transfer who came in after Davis left.

It is a big disappointment that Beckwith was not drafted. He came back for his senior season, but then lost time due to injuries and was not as productive as a senior as he had been as a junior. From his freshman season, he appeared destined to be a solid draft pick and I imagine he must be devastated at being overlooked.

In all, six Tigers were drafted, and that's a pretty nice number, but half of them were drafted in the closing round, and only one was drafted before the 5th round. With Favorite and Pittman not being drafted, it ends a long streak in which every regular starting defensive lineman at LSU was drafted into the NFL. I do not have the numbers, but the streak goes back a number of years, into the Lavalais, Spears, Hill era and perhaps beyond.

One is forced to conclude that the 2008 version of the LSU Tigers just were not all that talented, at least among the seniors. Between players being drafted lower than expected and players not being drafted at all, this was a rather disappointing draft for LSU, despite Tyson Jackson's surprise top 3 pick. The deficit spans the transition time between the Saban and Miles eras, as H. Johnson, Favorite and Pittman were Saban signees and Beckwith and Francois were Miles signees.

Clearly something was off this year, as I firmly believe that Beckwith, Favorite, and PIttman all would have been drafted had they declared in 2007.

With the 219th pick of the NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select Curtis Taylor, S, LSU

Fooch — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:01:43 -0000

With their first pick of the 7th round, the 49ers go with a safety, Curtis Taylor out of LSU. He was ranked 14th among all safeties at Scouts Inc. The folks at Draft Countdown had the following scouting report:

Strengths: Very good height and bulk with long arms...Excellent athleticism...A great leaper...Adequate speed with a burst to close...Nice instincts and awareness...Good range...Outstanding in pursuit...Recovers well...Is capable of delivering a big hit...Great special teamer...Still has upside.

Weaknesses: Not overly smooth or fluid...Is too aggressive at times...Needs to be more tough and physical...Isn't very strong...Should be better against the run than he is...Will miss some tackles...Poor hands and ball skills.

NFL Draft Scout (via CBS Sportsline) has a scouting report and ranks Taylor as the #10 free safety:

Positives: Long, chiseled frame. … Prototype size for the position -- rangy and athletic. … Reads the field well and reacts quickly to the action. … Good straight-line speed and range in coverage. … Has natural hands for the interception and times his leaps well to pluck the ball at its highest point. … Competitive. … Has long arms and strength to wrap up tacklers. … Flashes explosive hitting ability.

Negatives: Can be too aggressive and can be tricked by effective play-action. … Takes poor angles in run support and when attacking receivers in the open field. … Is not a physical intimidator. … Will go for the hit instead of the secure tackle or interception. … Tight in the hips and is best when coming straight into the action. … Lacks the change-of-direction agility to handle running backs or receivers one-on-one in the open field.

I couldn't come up with any YouTube video. For now, I'll have to do some more research but I'd imagine he's a guy who will compete with Dashon Goldson and Mark Roman (and I suppose Jimmy Williams as well). Obviously plenty more to come on the newest 49er.