Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Purdy: San Francisco 49ers use stockpile of picks to trade up and pick LSU safety Eric Reid at No. 18
13 views
Skip to first unread message
pause8cafe
Apr 26, 2013, 9:08:17 AM4/26/13
to
By Mark Purdy
Mercury News Columnist
Posted: 04/25/2013 09:31:12 PM PDT
Updated: 04/25/2013 11:46:33 PM PDT
SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers hardly made fireworks Thursday in the first
round of the NFL draft. But they did manage to light up a small
sparkler. Or perhaps it was a fizzy Roman candle, though not a fizzy
Roman candle previously unknown to mankind.
"This was a scenario we hoped to see pan out," said general manager
Trent Baalke after he made his strategic move, which occurred fairly
early in the evening.
Baalke used two of the team's 13 lower picks to work a deal for the
Dallas Cowboys' 18th spot and move up to select Eric Reid, a safety
from LSU.
At first blush, you can give the 49ers a thumbs up on the selection.
Reid was among the country's best defensive players last season.
Yet when trying to translate with certainty how draft picks will pan
out when they pull on real NFL equipment, never forget those important
words on the manufacturer's label: Safety not guaranteed.
Especially with safeties.
Moving up to choose Reid made sense. The 49ers do need someone at that
position to eventually -- or very soon -- replace departed Pro Bowl
free agent Dashon Goldson. So why not Reid? He played in America's
most superior college conference, the SEC. He therefore faced the
country's best college offenses on a weekly basis. Reid did well
enough to be named an All-American.
"He plays big in the big games," said 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, who
added Reid "has the ability to be" a starter this season.
Of course, that's been said before about other defensive backs -- with
mixed results. If you grade Baalke on the curve, he's done well a
talent evaluator. He was part of the team braintrust that chose
Goldson as a fourth-rounder in the 2007 draft. Yet the same braintrust
badly misfired three years ago when Baalke and then-G.M. Scot
McCloughan chose another safety among the top 50 picks -- USC's Taylor
Mays in the second round (overall No. 49).
Very quickly, the 49ers must have regretted that choice. Mays played
sparingly and was traded after his rookie year to Cincinnati for a
seventh-round pick. He has started three games over the past two
seasons for the Bengals, making little impact.
Reid is a different variety of safety than Mays, who was known as a
center fielder type who lusted after big hits -- but too often took
the wrong angle and whiffed or was penalized for an illegal one. Reid,
at 6-foot-1 and 213 pounds, has a reputation as more of a wrap-up type
tackler. That's significant at a time the NFL just passed a rule about
banning crown-of-helmet contact.
Baalke said it's always a challenge for rookie defenders to "learn the
angles at the NFL level" and adjust to the pro game's faster speed.
But he liked the way Reid played back in the deep secondary at LSU and
also could move up in the box to stifle runners at the scrimmage line.
"We feel good about his ability to insert and play a physical brand of
football," Baalke said.
The 49ers must feel very, very good about that. The other top-tier
safety available Thursday was Texas' Kenny Vaccaro, who was selected
15th by New Orleans. The 49ers obviously possessed enough trade booty
to move up and take Vaccaro if they wished. Instead, they passed and
waited three more picks before making the deal to nab Reid.
Afterward, Harbaugh confirmed Reid "was our top-rated safety" and that
his selection was "a unanimous decision."
Reid, in a conference call with Bay Area reporters, sounded like the
usual eager rookie trying to impress. He has some familiarity with the
Bay Area because his mother is a traveling nurse who has worked in San
Jose from time to time. Reid also must be a smart guy. He was
recruited by Stanford when Harbaugh was the head coach.
"I think I'm a very cerebral player," Reid said on the telephone,
which you can assess as either cockiness or confidence.
For now, let's go with confidence. Reid appears to be a good 49ers
fit. But you never know for sure about any NFL rookie until he lines
up on the same field with a bunch of NFL veterans and feels full NFL
contact. That won't happen for real until summertime. Lest we forget:
Last year's top pick, wide receiver A.J. Jenkins, arrived with good
reviews yet barely stepped onto the field during the 2012 season.
So, yes, lighting a sparkler is permissible after picking Reid. But
hold off on larger pyrotechnics until September. Plus, with Baalke
still holding 11 picks for the later draft rounds Friday and Saturday,
further firecrackers could be in the picture.
Contact Mark Purdy at mpu...@mercurynews.com. Follow him on Twitter at
twitter.com/MercPurdy.
Mercury News Columnist
Posted: 04/25/2013 09:31:12 PM PDT
Updated: 04/25/2013 11:46:33 PM PDT
SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers hardly made fireworks Thursday in the first
round of the NFL draft. But they did manage to light up a small
sparkler. Or perhaps it was a fizzy Roman candle, though not a fizzy
Roman candle previously unknown to mankind.
"This was a scenario we hoped to see pan out," said general manager
Trent Baalke after he made his strategic move, which occurred fairly
early in the evening.
Baalke used two of the team's 13 lower picks to work a deal for the
Dallas Cowboys' 18th spot and move up to select Eric Reid, a safety
from LSU.
At first blush, you can give the 49ers a thumbs up on the selection.
Reid was among the country's best defensive players last season.
Yet when trying to translate with certainty how draft picks will pan
out when they pull on real NFL equipment, never forget those important
words on the manufacturer's label: Safety not guaranteed.
Especially with safeties.
Moving up to choose Reid made sense. The 49ers do need someone at that
position to eventually -- or very soon -- replace departed Pro Bowl
free agent Dashon Goldson. So why not Reid? He played in America's
most superior college conference, the SEC. He therefore faced the
country's best college offenses on a weekly basis. Reid did well
enough to be named an All-American.
"He plays big in the big games," said 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, who
added Reid "has the ability to be" a starter this season.
Of course, that's been said before about other defensive backs -- with
mixed results. If you grade Baalke on the curve, he's done well a
talent evaluator. He was part of the team braintrust that chose
Goldson as a fourth-rounder in the 2007 draft. Yet the same braintrust
badly misfired three years ago when Baalke and then-G.M. Scot
McCloughan chose another safety among the top 50 picks -- USC's Taylor
Mays in the second round (overall No. 49).
Very quickly, the 49ers must have regretted that choice. Mays played
sparingly and was traded after his rookie year to Cincinnati for a
seventh-round pick. He has started three games over the past two
seasons for the Bengals, making little impact.
Reid is a different variety of safety than Mays, who was known as a
center fielder type who lusted after big hits -- but too often took
the wrong angle and whiffed or was penalized for an illegal one. Reid,
at 6-foot-1 and 213 pounds, has a reputation as more of a wrap-up type
tackler. That's significant at a time the NFL just passed a rule about
banning crown-of-helmet contact.
Baalke said it's always a challenge for rookie defenders to "learn the
angles at the NFL level" and adjust to the pro game's faster speed.
But he liked the way Reid played back in the deep secondary at LSU and
also could move up in the box to stifle runners at the scrimmage line.
"We feel good about his ability to insert and play a physical brand of
football," Baalke said.
The 49ers must feel very, very good about that. The other top-tier
safety available Thursday was Texas' Kenny Vaccaro, who was selected
15th by New Orleans. The 49ers obviously possessed enough trade booty
to move up and take Vaccaro if they wished. Instead, they passed and
waited three more picks before making the deal to nab Reid.
Afterward, Harbaugh confirmed Reid "was our top-rated safety" and that
his selection was "a unanimous decision."
Reid, in a conference call with Bay Area reporters, sounded like the
usual eager rookie trying to impress. He has some familiarity with the
Bay Area because his mother is a traveling nurse who has worked in San
Jose from time to time. Reid also must be a smart guy. He was
recruited by Stanford when Harbaugh was the head coach.
"I think I'm a very cerebral player," Reid said on the telephone,
which you can assess as either cockiness or confidence.
For now, let's go with confidence. Reid appears to be a good 49ers
fit. But you never know for sure about any NFL rookie until he lines
up on the same field with a bunch of NFL veterans and feels full NFL
contact. That won't happen for real until summertime. Lest we forget:
Last year's top pick, wide receiver A.J. Jenkins, arrived with good
reviews yet barely stepped onto the field during the 2012 season.
So, yes, lighting a sparkler is permissible after picking Reid. But
hold off on larger pyrotechnics until September. Plus, with Baalke
still holding 11 picks for the later draft rounds Friday and Saturday,
further firecrackers could be in the picture.
Contact Mark Purdy at mpu...@mercurynews.com. Follow him on Twitter at
twitter.com/MercPurdy.
stevev
Apr 26, 2013, 9:42:07 AM4/26/13
to
"pause8cafe" wrote in message
news:b4a56ed0-5a2a-43d5...@yb1g2000pbc.googlegroups.com...
I think Purdy hit the nail. They need help at safety...they need it now.
Not sure I accept that they could have moved up for Vaccaro (I think the
cost might have been too high). Apparently with Harbaugh's knowledge of
Reid, he was their choice and they got him. Nice job. Let's hope he can
play.
Next pick???? Jesse Williams (DT, Alabama) is available. So is Ertz. Both
were mentioned at possible first picks.
John Walsh
Apr 26, 2013, 10:55:16 AM4/26/13
to
On Fri, 26 Apr 2013 06:42:07 -0700, "stevev" <pobox...@gmail.com>
wrote:
Moved up for Reid and go the safety they wanted.
wrote:
skep...@aol.com
Apr 26, 2013, 2:50:03 PM4/26/13
to
On Apr 26, 7:55 am, John Walsh <jwalsh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 26 Apr 2013 06:42:07 -0700, "stevev" <pobox19...@gmail.com>
> Moved up for Reid and go the safety they wanted.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
They need a pass rushing defensive end, to replace Justin Smith, when
he needs replacing and to bring more pass rushing pressure.
> On Fri, 26 Apr 2013 06:42:07 -0700, "stevev" <pobox19...@gmail.com>
>
> - Show quoted text -
They need a pass rushing defensive end, to replace Justin Smith, when
he needs replacing and to bring more pass rushing pressure.
pause8cafe
Apr 26, 2013, 3:22:30 PM4/26/13
to
On Apr 26, 7:55 am, John Walsh <jwalsh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, 26 Apr 2013 06:42:07 -0700, "stevev" <pobox19...@gmail.com>
get the player.
John Walsh
Apr 27, 2013, 4:28:13 AM4/27/13
to
0 new messages