FanHouse JohnathanSullivan

San Francisco 49ers 2008 Draft Picks:

Round 1 (29): Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
Round 2 (39): Chilo Racal, OG, Southern Cal.
Round 3 (75): Reggie Smith, DB, Oklahoma
Round 4 (107): Cody Wallace, C, Texas A&M
Round 6 (174): Josh Morgan, WR, Virginia Tech
Round 7 (214): Larry Grant, OLB, Ohio State

The Good: Every pick was spent on a position of need, though I can nitpick a little. Racal was the draft's second-best guard and the 49ers desperately need some help there. Smith at one point was a solid first-round selection. He's talented and his versatility will allow the 49ers to let him roam the secondary. Balmer, if motivated, seriously addresses their need for a standout defensive end in the 3-4

The Bad: I'm not one of those people who has a lot of faith in Balmer. Some see him as an emerging player, I'm skeptical of a one-year star who was playing for a contract, but the jury remains out. I preferred Johnathan Sullivan over Wallace, though there's nothing wrong with that pick (plus, I'm an idiot). I don't think receiver was as big of a need as others were making it out to be, but I still think they should have addressed that and outside linebacker higher than they did. The team could have also stood to come out of the draft with a developmental offensive tackle.

The Grade: B+. Even though I feel like they really only nailed one pick -- Smith -- out of the park, their first five picks should all make the team and at least the first four will contribute. They did address their needs and improved them across the board. This isn't a flashy draft, but it's one that makes teams better.

Click here to read other Draft Grades.

The 2003 draft was supposed to be a big one for defensive tackles, and five were eventually taken in the first round. But they've largely flopped. The highest picked, Dewayne Robertson, has had a good career that falls short of expectations. Two have been disappointments (Jimmy Kennedy and William Joseph), and one a complete failure (Johnathan Sullivan). Kevin Williams is the only one holding it down.

That has been one reason defensive tackles have since been devalued in April. Some have also been known for not having (warning: scout speak) "a motor." Last year, Alan Branch had to deal with all of that and concern over stress fractures in both legs that didn't cause him to miss time. Branch was a top-5 selection in January, by April the Cardinals took him 33rd.

But the same couldn't happen to Glenn Dorsey and his strained knee, could it?

Gil Brandt, the former Dallas Cowboys executive and an analyst for nfl.com, said he expected Dorsey's knee to be heavily scrutinized by N.F.L. team doctors at the N.F.L. combine in February.
...
"I would imagine that there's some concern with his knee," Brandt said of Dorsey in a telephone interview. "The teams' doctors, 25 of them might say, 'There's nothing wrong with this guy. He's in great shape.' Seven might say, 'Well, I think he's a risk.'"

Dorsey is as of now a sure top-5 pick, maybe first. If he were to fall, it won't be out of the top 10. Still, I think that's highly unlikely. Teams begin to grossly overanalyze now, but this guy is for reals, and they'll all come to their senses.