Rating The 49ers Draft: The Glass Analysis
We're going half full, then half empty.
The 2023 NFL Draft and all of its spectacle is now in the books, as well as the immediate wave of undrafted free agents (UDFA) signings. I’m no draft expert, so I’m not here to give a draft grade or pretend I know a lot (read: ANYTHING whatsoever) about the guys the 49ers drafted, but I do know what the team needs were going into the process, and I’m going to look at what they did and how that looks. And because I want to be all things, I’m going to take an optimistic AND a pessimistic view of this.
First, let’s look at what the team needs were going in. Like (checks notes) literally every other team, the 49ers needed reinforcement on the offensive and defensive line. Offensive line was perhaps more important with the departure of Mike McGlinchey, as they currently have Colton McKivitz penciled in as the starter, and he’s someone who has only done spot duty there since being drafted a few years ago. They also need defensive back depth both at cornerback and safety, and they’ve been looking for another tight end to take the load of George Kittle since the day he was drafted.
The team was also fairly strapped with picks - while they had 11 overall, they had none until three of the last four picks of the third round due to trades for Trey Lance and Christian McCaffrey in the last few years. Given that, let’s look at what the draft yielded:
Trey Lance (2021)
Christian McCaffrey (2022)
Ji'Ayir Brown, S, Penn State, Jake Moody, K, Michigan, Cameron Latu, TE, Alabama.
No picks
Darrell Luter Jr., CB, South Alabama, Robert Beal Jr., EDGE, Georgia
Dee Winters, LB, TCU
Brayden Willis, TE, Oklahoma, Ronnie Bell, WR, Michigan
The Optimists Reaction to the 49ers Draft:
Look, its impossible to NOT include Lance and McCaffrey in this analysis, and nobody who watched the team last year couldn’t agree that CMC is an absolute game changer in the Kyle Shanahan offense. He’s a cheat code, a mutant, a positionless talent, you name it. And without premium picks, the team did a great job of filling the biggest needs.
The secondary got Brown - draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s top ranked safety - in the third round, and added Luter Jr to help at cornerback. That second TE position? The team drafted two guys - Latu and Willis - and it’s likely at least one of them is the answer they’ve been seeking. Robert Beal Jr looks exactly like the speed edge rusher the team thought they had with Dee Ford years ago at a fraction of the price. And yeah, the team drafted a KICKER in the 3rd round, but he’s an absolute stud and should be the answer at a critical position for the next decade.
Yes, I’ve railed against using high draft capital on special teams players in the past, but without a fourth round pick, the team was looking at no real solution here aside from Zane Gonzalez who is no real answer. Seeing what happened with the Cowboys in the playoffs when their kicker completely failed them changes the game. Seal up the position and lets go!
While the team didn’t draft a lineman, they said - and heck, I believe them! - that there were no prospects that they graded ahead of McKivitz, Jaylon Brown or the other reserves on the team. Hey dog, that’s fair! Also, there are plenty of veteran tackles still available to sign. Guys like Donovan Smith, Cam Erving, Eric Fisher, Isaiah Wynn and others are just sitting out there, waiting for their phone to ring. The team can solve this problem.
The Pessimists Guide to the 49ers Draft
Sure, the team seems to have done a good job helping in the secondary, and folks like that edge rusher in Robert Beal. But … what about the offensive line? The 49ers had massive injuries to quite literally every quarterback who lined up under center last season, and let their starting right tackle leave in free agency. Are we really going to protect Brock Purdy with McKivitz? There were plenty of offensive linemen available like Blake Freeland of BYU and instead, the team drafted a kicker?
You know who the last kicker drafted before Day 3 was? Roberto Aguayo, one of the biggest busts in the history of the draft. You know who the best kicker in the league is? In the HISTORY of the league? Justin Tucker. Guess where he was drafted? OH…that’s right, he wasn’t. This is a completely irresponsible use of draft capital.
Cameron Latu was taken in the 3rd round - he had a 5th round grade from Lance Zierlein. Dane Brugler said he has the chance to be a backup in the league - that’s not what you’re looking for in the top 100 picks. Sure, the team has made the NFC Championship game the last two seasons, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need to draft good players with a chance to start! What’s going on here, boys?
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Clearly, the answer lies somewhere in between and I’ve pledged to not be so mad about the team drafting a kicker as I would have been just a few short years ago. It’s called growth, people.