49ers Trashed By Insider Over 'D'-Grade NFL Draft

The San Francisco 49ers draft was not well-received by at least one member of the national media.

NFL writer Gilberto Manzano gave the 49ers a final grade of "D" for their efforts in the recent three-day college draft. 

"To no surprise, the 49ers went heavy on defense with their draft class. They lost several starters in free agency, but the team might not have drafted the right players to immediately fill those voids," Manzano said. "Mykel Williams surprisingly went ahead of Jalon Walker, and perhaps he doesn’t have the same upside as James Pearce Jr., Shemar Stewart and Mike Green."

So, with respect to the first pick, it appears as though Manzano has an issue with the player, not necessarily with the position that was drafted.

But ...

"Then again, the 49ers might have seen something in Williams that wasn’t easy to spot after Williams played through an ankle injury last season," Manzano said. "But, this was a deep class for edge rushers. San Francisco also missed an opportunity to add an offensive lineman in the first round after losing Aaron Banks in free agency."

The 49ers could have drafted Alabama guard Tyler Booker to replace Banks, but it is hard to second-guess general manager John Lynch for taking a player with Williams' ability and character. Booker will be a great professional and the Dallas Cowboys made the right move by drafting him one spot later. 

Williams, however, fits in the scheme of the 49ers defense. This pick really should not be second-guessed to the point that it receives a failing grade.

Williams is hopefully a plug-and-play day-one starter who can play all three downs and is known to be a monster when it comes to stopping the run. He can also come off the edge and sack the quarterback.

The second-round selection of Alfred Collins, the big defensive tackle from Texas is viewed by many as stellar selection and fills a need. The 49ers lost a lot of talent along the defensive line in the offseason and those holes needed to be plugged. Collins is another day-one starter who can figure as a force to help stop the run, which the 49ers had a problem doing last season.

One pick that we thought was an possible steal was Jordan Watkins, a speedy wide receiver from Ole Miss who was grabbed in the fourth round. This was a great value pick for Lynch and if this works, he can come in and contribute right away on offense and on special teams.

Our view? The 49ers should be given more credit for the picks they did make, as opposed to being scrutinized for the picks they did not make. ... and a "D'' seems almost hyperbolic.