As acting draft dude here at Niners Nation I should probably go on record with my official predictions on what the 49ers will come away with this weekend. Keep in mind, any resemblance to the actual outcome of the draft is purely coincidence. We (as in anybody who thinks they have the foggiest idea what might happen) are most likely all about to get our collective minds blown by what transpires for real.

1. Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss - OT is the most likely position here due mostly to the fact that there are 4 highly rated OTs and they can't all go in the first 9 picks. Mix that with the (F)ysical style of team Singletary is trying to put together and OT makes the most sense. Raji, Orakpo will most likely be gone while other defensive players like Brown and Jenkins seem to have fallen out of consideration at 10. So, OT it is, could be Oher or Smith, but I'll take the higher character/work ethic guy every time. And the 49ers were reportedly very impressed with Oher in a private visit. Crossing your fingers for Crabtree isn't completely insane.

Three teams drafting in the top-ten picks tell the National Football Post that Ole Miss OT Michael Oher will not fall past the 49ers at No. 10.

The 49ers reportedly "love" Oher and Mike Lombardi says he may go as high as Oakland at No. 7. The Packers would certainly give Oher a look at No. 9.

2. Larry English, OLB, Northern Illinois - I have finally talked myself into being okay with not taking a pass rusher at #10. If enough teams follow suit we could still get a good one in round 2. English is a beast at 6-2, 255 with a good burst, good strength for an OLB and great motor. Could become a Lamar Woodley type player with ten sack per year potential. Other possibilties are Connor Barwin and Michael Johnson or moving back into the 1st to get a falling Everette Brown (yes, please). DB, RB, OT (if we pass on one at #10) and a WR like Harvin, Britt, Nicks or Robiske are all possibilities as well.

3. Ramses Barden, WR, Cal Poly - I like Barden, but he is not without faults. It's possible that some team is in love with him and snatches him up in round 2, but I don't think it's very likely. We've discussed Barden many times, so enough about him. Today McCloughan mentioned he'd like to add a WR with speed, so maybe Barden doesn't fit the bill. This also might be the last chance to grab a starting caliber OT if someone like Phil Loadholt falls. CB, RB are again considerations.

4. Coye Francies, CB, San Jose State - I've been on the Francies bandwagon for a while now. Unfortunately for him, he only ran a 4.63 on the slow combine track. He still matches up well with size and quickness and had a good showing at the Senior Bowl. Can replace Donal Strickland on special teams and has potential for more. Again RB has to be considered, but there are just too many available to pass on these other positions.

5a. James Davis, RB, Clemson - Okay, here's your running back. Happy? This might be the best pick, value wise, to strike on a RB. I agree with the Scouts, Inc. mock draft and select Davis here. His stock has been falling, but he fits nicely with the description of what McSing is looking for in Gore's backup.

5b. Devin Moore, RB/WR/KR, Wyoming - The extra compensatory picks allow the 49ers to get creative. Moore certainly doesn't fit McCloughan's big man criteria at 5-10, 187, but he does give the 49ers a potential big play threat and return man. Wyoming's all-time leading rusher was snubbed for a combine invite, but threw down a 4.33 at his pro day.

6. Mike Reilly, QB, Central Washington - Another hold over from my mock in January. I liked him already and thought he would be a good developmental QB, but then came this little nugget from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, so you know McCloughan likes him too....second-tier?

"One of the coaches asked me that -- 'Coming from Division II, how is it coming to this combine?' " Reilly said this week. "I told him straight up, 'Hey, I think I'm the best quarterback in this year's draft.'

"I think I caught him off guard, because he looked at me kind of funny. Then I said, 'Hey, I'm not projected as a first-rounder. I'm coming from a small school. But if I don't have that kind of confidence, I'm never going to be able to compete at this level.' "

Score one for the big-armed quarterback from the little school in Ellensburg.

"You've got to love a kid with an attitude like that," said Scot McCloughan, general manager for the San Francisco 49ers.

But the 49ers rank players in three tiers, and they consider Reilly a second-tier player -- which puts him into the late third- to fifth-round category.

"I hear a lot of positive things about him," McCloughan said. "Our scouts think he's a pretty good prospect. Not a high-round guy, but a middle-round guy that's got some upside."

7a. Bear Pascoe, TE, Fresno State - Pascoe is your basic blue-collar type tight end. He won't do much in the passing game, but he can catch it if thrown his way. His calling card will be as a blocker. Solid replacement for former 7th rounder Billy Bajema.

7b. Michael Mitchell, S, Ohio - Mitchell is a sleeper safety from Ohio University. He's got great size (6-0, 221) and speed (4.45) and is a big hitter. Mitchell is unranked on a lot of draft websites. He's a guy who could impact special teams right away and has considerable upside.

Don't like it? Ask me tomorrow and I'll probably have a different opinion.

"The one thing about the NFL that is not going to change is, it's a big man's game. Over a 16-game schedule, the bigger team, the more physical team is going to pan out most of the time, especially in the cold-weather games."

-Scot McCloughan, 2006

"The “big back” would be someone who, if Frank were to get hurt, could come in and carry the load for two, four or six weeks. I don’t see a smaller back being that type of guy. We’re going to be a good team this year because we’re able to establish the run and come downhill between the tackles. With a smaller back, that is tough to do, especially for a longer period of time. We always look for good football players and that’s what we’ll continue to do, but you have to understand that this is a big man’s game. The big backs are going to survive in this league."

-Scot McCloughan, 2009

It's not that McCloughan has completely avoided assets like speed, as we've seen with players such as Vernon Davis, Manny Lawson, Patrick Willis, Josh Morgan, and Nate Clements. Size, however, did acompany speed in those cases. On the other hand, Kentwan Balmer, Chilo Rachal, Reggie Smith, Michael Lewis, Justin Smith and Tully Banta-Cain were never considered among the best athletes at their positions. What the later group did posses is, you guessed it, size. When Scot McCloughan must spend resources on a player, you can bet he'll err on the side of the big man.

Off the top of my head it's hard to come up many names drafted during the McCloughan era who did not matchup closely with the positional size prototype. Frank Gore was short, but certainly not undersized with his powerful frame. Brandon Williams, a 3rd round wide reciever out of Wisconsin in 2006, was listed as 5-11, 183. And there's my list. Yet I spent hours last April wondering how the 49ers could pass on DeSean Jackson, not once, but twice in favor of big uglies. I won't make that mistake again.

So, that should narrow down the shopping list a bit. You can throw away that mock with Jeremy Maclin or Percy Harvin penciled in. Who does that leave us with?

Big Man Mock Draft:
1. BJ Raji, DT (6-1, 337) ... Andre Smith, OT (6-4, 332) or Brian Orakpo, OLB (6-3, 263)
2. Sean Smith, CB (6-4, 214) ... Ron Brace, DT (6-3, 330) or Phil Loadholt, OT (6-8, 332)
3. Ramses Barden, WR (6-6, 229) ... Andre Brown, RB (6-0, 224) or Rashad Jennings, RB (6-1, 231)
4. Fenuki Tupou, OT (6-6, 314) ... Jasper Brinkley, MLB (6-2, 252) or Sebastian Vollmer, OT (6-8, 312)
5. Matt Shaughnessy, OLB (6-5, 266) ... Patrick Turner, WR (6-5, 223) or Jason Watkins, OT (6-6, 318)
6. Arian Foster, RB (6-1, 226) ... Alex Boone, OT (6-7, 328) or Javarris Williams, RB (5-10, 223)
7. Jamarko Simmons, WR (6-2, 231) ... Gartrell Johnson, RB (5-10, 219) or Marko Mitchell, WR (6-4, 218)

And that doesn't even include the future 1st rounder traded away to get Kansas State QB Josh Freeman (6-6, 248).

By now you've probably got an idea of who you'd like the 49ers to draft in two weeks. And you can bet the 49ers have their draft board pretty well pegged. It's time to go shopping. Don't like where you sit? No worries, the NFL Draft is a veritable flee market. One man's trash is another man's treasure. Let the games begin.

Here's a link to the full 2009 draft order. Below is a list of the 49ers pick with values in parenthesis. Those values are determined by the trade value chart made famous by Jimmy Johnson. It must be stated that this chart isn't a rule, but merely a tool. But the chart tends to be pretty accurate. For example, in 2008 the Saints traded #10 (1300 points) and  #78 (200) to move up to the Patriots #7 (1500) plus a 6th round throw-in at #164 (26.8). So, that's pretty darn close at 1500 for 1527 points. Later in the 1st round the Jaguars moved up to grab Derrick Harvey with the Ravens at pick #8 (1400) using their 1st #26 (700), two 3rds #71 (235), 89 (145) and a 4th #125 (47). That looks like a deal for Jacksonville, spending a total of 1127. The Ravens then moved back up with #26 (700) and #89 (145) to #18 (900) to draft Joe Flacco. Again, a slight edge in points goes to the team moving up, but somewhat close.

*Compensatory picks cannot be traded.

So you want to move up, do you? If you're looking at the top 3, that's gonna cost you a future 1st rounder along with #10 and maybe more if you're trying to get up to #2 or #1. When you add in the cost of signing a top pick, the idea gets even uglier. Picks # 10 and #43 add up to 1770, which gets you pretty close to the value of #4 at 1800. Depending on how the board falls, Seattle might be willing to play ball--but who would be the target there? I don't a match. If you want to dangle a 3rd rounder, you might be able to get up to #6 or #7, but again, for who?

The idea of trading down in the 1st round tends to be a more popular idea amongst 49ers fans (and fans of most other teams). San Francisco would obviously have to find a partner who wants to dance. Denver just traded Pro-Bowler Jay Cutler and could certainly  be in the mix for a QB, but I just don't see the Broncos as a match. Think about it, if you're Denver and a player like Mark Sanchez falls to Jacksonville at #8, why wouldn't they deal with them at #8 or Green Bay at #9? It wouldn't take much more, if any, to move up to #9 rather than #10. And SF is one of the teams Denver would actually want to get in front of to take Sanchez. If the 49ers are on the clock and Sanchez/Freeman is still available and McSing is willing to deal, then you know they aren't into that player enough to draft him, so why make a deal if he's not likely to be picked before #12? The only way they do business with San Francisco is if they believe another team is ready to strike a deal for #10 and Denver feels like they need to block it.

I'll dive into more trade scenarios after the jump. How does two 1st rounders sound?

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This is the time of year when you can't really believe anything you read. NFL GMs have set their draft boards and it stands to reason they would want to assure themselves a potential investment is of sound mind before sinking millions of dollars into him. So, you have to believe there is some level of interest in these players by the 49ers. There are a number of other reasons a team may bring certain prospects in for a private look, which I will get into in moment. 

After scouring every source I could find (here, here, and here are a few) there are about 20 names reportedly meeting one-on-one with the 49ers...so far.

QB: Mark Sanchez, Josh Freeman, Mike Reilly

RB: Chris "Beanie" Wells, Knowshon Moreno, Andre Brown, Donald Brown

WR: Michael Crabtree 

OL: Michael Oher, Andre Smith

DL:  BJ Raji, Jarron Gilbert, Tyson Jackson, Ziggy Hood, Pierre Walters

LB:  Rey Maualuga

DB: William Moore, Patrick Chung, Greg Toler

Looking at this list of prospects, three things jump out at me.

One...character concerns. Of the five players that have been projected at the #10 pick, four have questions about their mental make-up (Andre Smith, Michael Crabtree, Michael Oher and BJ Raji). Andre Smith's offseason has been well chronicled. People have questioned whether or Michael Oher can grasp intricate schemes. B.J. Raji failed a drug test and then there's this. And now we're hearing about off-field issues with Michael Crabtree. The fifth player, Mark Sanchez, would certainly warrant the same psychological examination as the 49ers gave Matthew Stafford. And, of course, you have to maintain that QB interest for potential suitors in trade.

Two...sleepers. Mike Reilly (like this guy and had Niners taking him in my first NN mock in January), Pierre Walters and Greg Toler might have a lot of people saying, "who's that?". This is the 49ers being thorough, getting a chance to see small school players who might get late round consideration and may not have been tracked closely during the college football season or have campus pro days.

Three...smokescreen! Where are the pass rushers and cornerbacks? Suspiciously absent from this list are names like Brian Orakpo and Everette Brown. Even names like Malcolm Jenkins, Aaron Maybin, Connor Barwin, Vontae Davis, Darius Butler and Larry English. It may not mean much. It may mean the 49ers really aren't thinking about a CB or OLB in the draft, but we all know that isn't the case. Or do we?

The 49ers are being sneaky...very sneaky.

Lets examine the first nine teams and who they might be interested in taking to better understand where the 49ers stand. What are the odds your favorite guy will be there when San Francisco is on the clock? And where can we expect heavy trade activity?

1. Detroit Lions - I've learned my lesson concerning what NFL teams will do with the #1 overall pick. I personally feel having the leagues worst record entitles you to drafting the best player. Some NFL GMs don't feel that way. They draft quarterbacks. A look around the Bay Area shows us Al Davis and the Raiders opted for the QB (Jamarcus Russell) over the best prospect in the 2007 draft and maybe best WR prospect ever (Calvin Johnson). With our own 49ers in 2005, as much as I wanted otherwise, McNolan wanted a face for the franchise. Lions do the same here, passing on the best player (Aaron Curry) for a QB. Stafford is the soup du jour.

The pick: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

2. St. Louis Rams - There's a few ways this pick could go. Most people tend to feel Aaron Curry is the #1 player in the draft, so he could certainly be the pick. This is also where Michael Crabtree starts to enter the discussion, but there are too many question marks for him here. QB is also a darkhorse here, but with Orlando Pace at the end of a great career, OT has to be the pick.

The pick: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

3. Kansas City - This is a no-brainer pick, if they keep it. You have to be pleased when the best player in the draft falls to you at #3. Curry becomes the Chiefs version of Patrick Willis. There could be some interest in this pick from other teams.

The pick: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

4. Seattle Seahawks - This is a tough pick to project. The Seahawks hold a lot of cards here. There are a handful of players that are worth taking here, but none really perfectly meet up with their most pressing needs. I wouldn't be surprised if Seattle is a hotspot for some trade activity. They could move up to get at Aaron Curry to replace Julian Peterson, or move down and get a target that fits need/value better. If they swap with KC, who could add the 2nd rounder they lack, the Chiefs could take Orakpo to fill their need for a pass rush (and transition to 3-4). Again, Michael Crabtree would have to be a consideration if the Seahawks keep the #4 pick, although they look fine with T.J., Burleson and Branch healthy. Charley Casserly has RB Chris Wells going here due to a conversation with Mora about wanting a strong running game. I'm going to take that "running game" comment from Mora to mean he wants to remain strong up front. Walter Jones is still with the team, but his days are numbered.

The pick: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

5. Cleveland Browns - Michael Crabtree is a consideration again with the rumors of the Browns shopping Braylon Edwards. I can't see that happening unless a deal for Edwards actually goes down prior to draft day. To me, the Browns have to grab a piece for their 3-4 defense. Need meets value here.

The pick: Brian Orakpo, OLB, Texas

Find out who the 49ers are left with after the jump...

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Do you remember when one of your buddies would hold three fingers up, like this, and say, "Read between the lines..."? That's what I feel like the 49ers are doing to me this offseason. It's hard to grasp exactly what McSing is up to. They've been interested in a lot of free agents, at a number of positions, but only landed a couple of reserves. I never really considered DE much of a draft need in the first place, so the addition of Demetric Evans just solidified that. Brandon Jones is more of a #3, like Jason Hill, so finding another talented starting WR is still a need.

So, I'll try now to read between the lines.

1. Offensive Tackle:  Upgrading the RT position seems to be priority number one. There has been some contradicting information this week, though. After Andre Smith's debacle of an offseason, his stock is all over the place. Most people seem to think he'll be available at #10. Matt Maiocco seems to think that 49ers scouts were impressed at Smith's Pro Day workout and would pull the trigger if he were available--man-boobs and all. Maiocco drops this little nugget on Sunday...

--Steelers free-agent tackle Marvel Smith received a contract offer from the 49ers on Friday. Obviously, it did not bowl him over. There is a strong chance Smith will continue to weigh his options for a while.

The physical must have gone well. It would be hard to believe OT could be the selection at #10 if Marvel Smith agrees to terms.

2. Outside Linebacker: I would have ranked the need for a pass rusher ahead of OT even though most don't see it that way. So, if the Marvel Smith deal gets done I will be crossing my fingers for Everette Brown or Brian Orakpo at #10. I'm still very afraid of Aaron Maybin, even though he apparently had a great showing at Penn State's Pro Day (so good people are whispering the S-word). There is enough depth that a nice player could be had at pick #43 if the right guy falls to #10 at another position. Everette Brown is still my guy as he is the best pure pass rusher and is more likely to be available due to his size (6-2, 256) counting him out for traditional 4-3 defenses.

3. Wide Reciever: Where's the potential #1 target? Josh Morgan was a nice surprise, but let's be real, we're talking about a guy with ONE career start. The only guy that makes sense with the 10th pick is Crabtree. There could be a nice player in round 2, however. Such as, Hakeem Nicks or Kenny Britt. And I'm glad to see the Ramses Barden bandwagon gaining steam.

4. Running Back: I am not on the Thomas Clayton bandwagon. In fact, I don't really get the facsination with this guy. He's just not that good. From everything the 49ers are saying, they agree with me. McCloughan has made it clear he will draft a #2 to go behind Frank Gore. I'm not sold that it needs to be a "big" back necessarily, but that seems to be what they're looking for, even though McCloughan leaves a ray of hope for a more explosive type runner in a 49ers.com Q and A:

I do not want to comment on another team’s player, but an individual who has the same skill set as Sproles has value not as just a running back, but a returner, receiver and running back. If we were able to find a guy with similar skills, we would definitely entertain that option. The "big back" would be someone who, if Frank were to get hurt, could come in and carry the load for two, four or six weeks. I don’t see a smaller back being that type of guy. We’re going to be a good team this year because we’re able to establish the run and come downhill between the tackles. With a smaller back, that is tough to do, especially for a longer period of time. We always look for good football players and that’s what we’ll continue to do, but you have to understand that this is a big man’s game. The big backs are going to survive in this league.

5. Cornerback: CB is the darkhorse position. Everyone is still talking about safety, but the team has made it clear, they're filling that need from within. And with the recent visits of veteran CBs, the 49ers are tipping their hand. Matt Barrows has finally written what I've been waiting to see--Reggie Smith is now a safety. Watch out for Darius Butler from Connecticut, if he's still there at #43.

6. Quarterback: If the 49ers were interested in Kurt Warner, then you know they're interested in upgrading the position, which they should be. It would surprise me, though, to see a QB selected in the first round, but it's not impossible. If we start to hear lots of talk about QB coming from the front office, you gotta believe it's a smokescreen to increase trade value of the pick. If they do go QB, we probably won't hear a peep.

I knew right away that Alex Smith would never be a standout quarterback in the NFL. The name just didn't work. Look over the list Hall of Famers. The names just pop out. Joe Montana, Warren Moon, Johnny Unitas, Fran Tarkenton, Bart Starr--I mean, the 49ers #1 pick in 2005 wasn't even the only Alex Smith in that draft. Our Alex would have had much better chances if he'd gone by his vampire name, "Attila of Whores" (I swear that's what came up).

So, let's take a look at the top prospects in 2009. Set aside the game film and scouting reports. Who just sounds like they can play?

QB: John Parker Wilson- How do you make a boring name sound cool? Add the middle name. You know Richard Anderson couldn't have pulled off MacGyver, but Richard Dean Anderson (bet you didn't know dude can sing too)? Now we're in business. Honorable mention: Rhett Bomar.

RB: Knowshon Moreno- Moreno's name is taken from his mother's name Varashon and father's nickname Knowledge. Honorable mention: Marlon Lucky.

WR: Darius Passmore- Mike Singletary probably isn't interested.

WR: Juaquin Iglesias- Nice to see Juaquin break the mold from the Iglesias family.

WR: Ramses Barden- Ramses II has been described as Egypt's greatest Pharaoh. Barden has some work to do if he wants to be called Ramses "The Great".

WR: Brooks Foster- I guess I'm running the spread offense. Gotta love a guy with two last names. Honorable mention: Quan Cosby.

OT: Phil Loadholt- Sounds like the type of guy you want to run behind.

OG: Augustus Parrish- Continuing the royalty theme.

C: A.Q. Shipley- As Quoted?

OG: Kraig Urbik- The more K's the better, IMO.

OT: Fenuki Tupou- Just fun to say (fen-UU-kee TUU-puu).

After the jump I'll reveal the All-Name Defense.

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Last week I examined some of the most likely bust candidates in the the 2009 NFL Draft. This week I'd liketo the look at the half-full glass of prospects. When it come to the NFL Draft, most of these young men have the talent to be as good as they want to be. When I think of a guy like Rashaun Woods--it hurts. I thought this guy was can't miss. He had no weakness in his game. But alas, he'd rather be fishing. The following is a few players that should not go the way of Rashaun Woods. And if they do, hopefully it's with the Rams or Cowboys. There were two OTs in the bust list last week. So, we'll start with two safer options at the position. 

Jason Smith, OT, Baylor:  Smith is a former tight end, and like our own Joe Staley, has become a massive man while maintaining his athleticism. He has a mean streak and by all accounts a great work ethic. Smith is probably the best player to come out of Baylor since Mike Singletary. With his mix of talent and drive, there is no reason Jason Smith shouldn't be a mainstay on the left side for whoever drafts him.

Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia:  In the 2008 draft, Branden Albert was among the best offensive line prospects. Albert was a first round pick, even as a guard he was chosen 15th overall by the Chiefs. The reason he was a guard? Because they had Eugene Monroe at left tackle. In my opion, Monroe is a better prospect than fellow Cavalier D'brickashaw Ferguson, who the Jets drafted #4 overall in 2006. Some players have a high ceiling, as does Monroe. He also has a high floor.

Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest: Curry is a rare prospect. He's the type where his scouting report just doesn't include a section titled "weaknesses". Curry got better every year at Wake Forest. His production is off the charts. Curry is described as a hard working team leader by his coaches. He got better every year and so did his numbers. At the combine, Curry threw down some silly numbers including a 4.56 40 yard dash. The Detroit Lions have a chance to draft the best player in the draft with the #1 pick in 2009. Curry is that man. Will they make the right choice?

Malcom Jenkins, CB, Ohio State: Some people are down on Malcolm Jenkins after running a 4.55 in Indianapolis. I'm not one of them. The great thing about a prospect like Jenkins is even if he falters at CB and the questions about his speed are warranted, he still has the ability to be a All-Pro safety. So, for all you poker players out there, he has an "out". If Penn State is "Linebacker U" then Ohio State is "DBU". Ohio State has produced a bevy of NFL defensive backs, like Shawn Springs, Antoine Winfield, Donte Whitner, our own Nate Clements and who can forget Ahmed Plummer? Jenkins is next  in line and hopefully is closer to Clements than Plummer. Did I mention he's a hard worker? I think I sense a trend...

Brian Robiske, WR, Ohio State: Robiske is just rock solid as you would expect a son of an NFL WR coach to be. He has good size, speed, strength, ball skills and runs crisp routes. Robiske may not be a flashy high upside prospect, but he is among the safest bets in the the draft to have a long career as a possesion WR.

Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina: Nicks is one of my favorite prospects in the draft. Not only is he a safe bet at wide receiver, but he also has some upside. At the combine, Nicks answered any questions about his deep speed by throwing down a 4.50 in the 40. Nicks' calling card has always been his pure hands and strong runs after the catch. Nicks profiles as  a #2 WR, but there are shades of guys like Anquan Boldin and Chad Johnson in his game. If Michael Crabtree is worth a top 10 selection with a similar skillset, then Nicks is a steal at the top of round 2.

How about it? Who are your safe bets in 2009?

NFL teams spend massive amounts of time and energy scouting the Draft. No expense is spared while trying to unearth hidden gems from college campuses across the country. So how can it be so difficult to see that big fat bust staring them right in the face? Let's take a stab at identifying some of those potential busts. I don't think all of these players will bust. In fact, I like some of them quite a bit, but they should be evaluated with caution. I'll try to keep it within the positions the 49ers are likely to be interested in on draft day.  

Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech: Crabtree had the biggest name and most hype of any prospect heading into the postseason, resulting in the #1 overall ranking on many boards. But there are a few things that don't add up. First of all, the offense he played in was a gimmicky spread system that hasn't produced any real NFL talent in the passing game despite lofty college numbers. If you're expecting Larry Fitzgerald or Anquan Boldin, the guys Crabtree is most often compared to, you might be dissapointed. His size, routes and ball skills are nowhere near where Fitzgerald was coming out. And he isn't the physical beast Boldin was. He's sort of a poor man's hybrid of those two guys.

That's not to say Crabtree isn't good, but guys like Mike Williams, Peter Warrick, Reggie Williams were held in high regard as underclassmen coming into the league and couldn't separate at the next level. Add his recent injury concerns and the potential lack of any workouts and you have a recipe for disaster. Heck, depending on how things shake out, he could actually become a steal. It would be hard not to pull the trigger if he fell to #10.

Andre Smith, OT, Alabama: There was talk Andre Smith could be in the mix for the #1 pick in the draft. The Combine squashed any of those thoughts. Smith is still a beast, but that won't overcome the major questions about his character and work ethic. Every one of these guys is supremely talented and most of them can be as good as they want to be. But you gotta want it. And that's one place the 49ers have been great at--adding high character players with a good work ethic. I'd be extremely surprised if Smith is even on McSing's draft board at this point--along with many other teams. Andre Smith could be in for a huge fall.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland: I never got the hype with DHB. He's fast--very fast. A 4.30 40 on a slow track at Indy is testament to that. To me, he's a one-trick pony whose value has always been tied to his straight-line speed.  I worry about his change of direction and route running ability. I wouldn't touch him in the first round with a 40 yard pole. Former Vikings draft pick Troy Williamson and former 49er Ashley Lelie come to mind. The only saving grace for DHB would be that his offense at Maryland was less than desirable for a WR and may not have developed or showcased his talents. Compare his lack of lateral quickness and ability to break tackles to the Crabtree video above or this Hakeem Nicks reel.

Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss: Questions about Oher's intelligence and passion for the game have damped his hype as the top prospect as his position. Add that to the fact that scouts are questioning not only whether he can handle left side, but if he may end up a guard and Oher will probably find himself outside the top 10. That said, all he's done in his career is dominate opponents when he locks on. The definition of a "boom or bust" prospect.

Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State: Came out too early, plain and simple. You have to wonder about his character and maturity. This may be a case of a guy who is a legend in his own mind. I mean, he didn't even start at Penn State for a full season. He ran a poor 40 at the combine and could be in for a big fall ala Ko Simpson a few years ago who fell to the Buffalo Bills in the 4th after being touted as a 1st rounder. Another Sophomore Koren Robinson left school too soon and even though the talent was there, the team who drafted him never saw the results.

The Quarterbacks: I have to be honest, 1st round QBs scare the bejesus out of me. Is Matthew Stafford on par with the Mannings of the world as a  #1 overall pick? Or is he (and his mediocre 57% completion rate at Georgia) just the highest ranked QB this year like Alex Smith was in 2005 and countless others who haven't lived up to the billing? Mark Sanchez has less film to watch than any potential 1st rounder I can remember. Josh Freeman is a case-study in how to waste a 1st round draft pick. Every mistake made at QB in the draft starts with a big kid and a rifle arm. Throwing a ball through the goal posts from the 50 yard line has nothing to do with playing NFL quarterback. The position is played from the neck up. Have I mentioned the lack of success for QBs who leave college early? How about the lack of success for QBs with a completion percentage under 60%? And the fast rising Pat White was so underrated he's become overrated. I've got no problem with White in the 3rd or later and developing him in a slash role. In fact, I thought that might be a little high when I put White there in my first mock draft. You can't deny his athletic ability, toughness, work ethic and ability to win. But it's looking now like White wont get out of the 2nd round as a pure QB. People are throwing away four years of film and judging him by how he threw one day in shorts--that's a mistake. Maybe the biggest factor with all these QBs entering the NFL is the time they have to make a decision and make a throw. Remember how easy it was torching the neighborhood kids in the backyard with your Nerf turbo when nobody was counting alligators?

Next time I'll take a look at prospects who are the safest bets in the upcoming draft. I'm interested to hear different takes on the guys I listed. Also, who redlines your bust-o-meter?

FOOCH'S NOTE: For new readers, a quick bio on briandean: He's the NFL Draft specialist here at Niners Nation. Brian currently works in sports talk radio and might be seen around the Bay Area at various indie rock hot spots--both on stage and at the bar. All you need to know about Brian is he once left his Community College baseball team to instead go on tour with his band.  So he is both extremely dedicated and completely unreliable.  In addition to his work at Niners Nation, Brian has worked as a freelance writer for KFFL.com, who you know for their "hot off the wire" content if you play Yahoo! fantasy sports.

Ah, the annual cattle call. What's not to love about the NFL Scouting Combine? I mean, there's nothing better than watching men run around in skin tight spandex shorts, right......right? Like the Winter Meetings for baseball fans, much is promised at this yearly summit, but much more is written about what might happen, than what actually happens. We all know the most important part of scouting a football player is if he's got a "good bubble". Am I the only one disturbed by how some of these NFL prospect profiles read?

In fact, these young men who participate in the Combine are more likely to hurt their stock than help it. It's no wonder the top Draft prospects don't do anything aside from weigh in and conduct interviews. In many cases, the best a prospect can hope for is to force teams to go back and watch more film. If you're already a top 10 prospect, that's the last thing you want teams to do. Thank goodness scouts are taking more stock in how they see players perform on the field rather than their computer numbers. You see, the eye in the sky never lies.

Take it from San Francisco 49ers area scout Ethan Waugh,

As soon as we are done watching film on a player, we put his name up on our board based on where we think we would select him in the Draft. In most cases, players do not move up and down very far on our board based on things that occur after these meetings. The Combine and pro timing days give us a better understanding of a prospect’s measured athleticism, medical background and his personality, but the most important thing is how well a player performs on film.

This is a common statement from NFL personnel people, even if it's not always the case. If the 49er brass hold true to Waugh's quote, it's a good thing, considering the biggest mistakes made on draft day are on players who measure in with great 40 times or big arm strength. So why the big deal about the Combine? Sure it's nice to see how high a guy jumps or how many times he can bench press 225 lbs. But what scouts are really looking for is a reinforcement of what they see on film. If a guy looks fast on film, they want to see a fast time. When Darren McFadden can't turn the corner on Patrick Willis on film, then Willis runs a 4.4 at the Combine, it all makes sense. When Kyle Boller can throw a ball through the goal posts from the 50 yd line from his knees, but can't hit the broad side of a barn on film, there should be a red flag.

It's been said that the NFL Combine acts as final exam and job interview all-in-one for these college athletes. That second part goes relatively unnoticed. It's the one aspect that you, I or TV cameras are never privy to, and it's probably the most important--interviews and medical exams. There's nothing like looking a man in the eye and seeing what he's all about, face to face. If a prospect blows it, that team might take him completely off their board. No bad habits, old cohorts, arrests, convictions, skeletons in closets, grandpa's hysterectomy, ex-girlfriends, parking tickets, candy stolen from babies,  arthritic knees or facebook photos will go unnoticed.

So, this weekend, when you're undoubtedly watching 24 hour coverage of the Combine on NFL Network, as I will be--remember, the most important stuff, you won't even get a chance to see.

I should take some time to introduce myself first. My name is Brian and I'll be doing weekly draft related articles here at Niners Nation, focusing mostly on how things look from a 49ers perspective. I currently work in sports radio. Hopefully I can use those connections to get some interviews or Q and A's with people a lot smarter than me. In addition to blogging about the 49ers and the draft, I have worked as a freelance writer for KFFL.com,  who you know for their "hotwire" content if you play Yahoo! fantasy sports. Enough about me, lets get to the nitty gritty.

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The draft board is shaping up in favor of the 49ers in 2009. The draft may not be top heavy with elite big-name players to excite the casual fan. However, there is a very good group of about a dozen or so prospects that  will be valuable and at least one or two of these guys will be available when the 49ers are on the clock at #10. Let's take a look at the 49ers team needs, how they stack up against the draft board or if that position should instead be addressed via free agency.

OLB- One word...Passrush! Lawson is fine on the strong side, but he's not an elite rusher. Haralson is a solid rotational guy, but he doesn't have the ability to take over a game. The lack of passrush is really the only thing holding this 49ers defense back from being one of the better units in the league. Look, I don't even care if the 49ers run ten players out there on 1st and 2nd downs. The run defense has been strong, but the defense must get off the field after 3rd downs. What bothers me is not only have opposing QB's had all day to throw, but McCloughan and Co. haven't identified this need as a priority in the past and added talent accordingly. That has to end now. Another roster spot is now open with the release of Tully Banta-Cain.

Luckily there are some pretty good options in 2009. I love that Singletary has stated the 49ers will be running a true 3-4 defense and not this wishy-washy, back and forth, 3-4/4-3 BS. Now they can focus on the 3-4, get the best personnel and run the best scheme with those players who fit. Everyone knows the primetime free agents like Suggs and Peppers, who are about to make serious coin. The draft is stocked with 3-4 OLB's as well. Fooch wrote a great scouting report on my favorite prospect Everette Brown. And if Brown is this year's DeMarcus Ware, then Brian Orapko is the Shawne Merriman. Both would be fine choices in the first round, but there is depth at the position too. Aaron Maybin, Larry English and Clint Sintim could all be factors from the middle of the 1st to mid 2nd rounds.

Verdict: 1st round. If the 49ers don't add one of the names above, the offseason will have been a failure. I have my doubts whether McCloughan wants to add a third premier contract on that side of the ball, so this looks like a need that will be addressed on draft day. It might not be worth the gamble to hope the right guy falls to round two.

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FOOCH'S NOTE 12:10PM: I threw up a FanPost earlier in the week requesting people interested in writing about college football.  A few folks responded and this is the first of those (I'll be in touch with the rest of you today).  Briandean has done some writing for KFFL.com as well as his own blog, discussing the draft as it affects both the 49ers and the NFL as a whole.  He's put together a mock draft with some intriguing picks I could get behind.
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Okay.  Senior Bowl week is over. The Combine is a month away.  It's time to take the information we have and put on our big hair . Things will undoubtedly change. For now, this is how I see it. How do you see it?

Passrush is the biggest need on this team and it's not even close. Luckily there are some nice prospects that fit the 3-4 scheme. Pressure will also be on McCloughan and company to add offensive playmakers, possibly a starting RT and overall depth.

1. Everette Brown, OLB, Fla St. - Brown is worth this pick from a value standpoint, but when you consider team need, nothing would help this team turn the corner like a top notch pass rusher. Demarcus Ware is the best comparable I can find to what Brown brings to the table (size/speed/body type, first step, motor, arsenal (including the lean to turn the corner and ability to dip or spin). And that puts him ahead of other guys who may be available including Raji, Orakpo, Oher, etc. I may be in the minority, but I'm okay with Adam Snyder at RT. An upgrade would be fine, but not at the price of another 1st round pick.

2. Coye Francies, CB, San Jose St. - Francies has the length/quicks that you just can't teach and proved he can play with the big boys at the Senior Bowl, even outshining bigger name CBs. Due to lack of exposure at SJSU, he'll probably go later than he should. A lot of people are talking about safety, but I see a young CB as the bigger need. With Reggie Smith, Goldson and newly signed Jimmy Williams (my fav is Smith) FS is covered. Spencer is a FA, Smith doesn't have the speed to play there and will eventually end up a safety and Walt Harris is nearing the end of a good career. After Clements, that leaves Tarrell Brown and....

For those of you worried about Francies' character, here's an article that chronicles his trouble at Oregon State which lead to his transfer to SJSU.

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