49ers Top 10 NFL Draft Successes: No. 8 - Lee Woodall, Outside Linebacker

by David Fucillo on Apr 20, 2011 11:00 AM PDT in NFL Draft

Our last selection for this top ten, Arnaz Battle, generated plenty of debate as plenty of folks took issue with his inclusion. Depending on how long the lockout drags on, I might try and figure out a way to put together our own community vote on this topic so everybody can have their say beyond just commenting.

Our number eight spot is filled by a 49ers linebacker that often flew under the radar. In the 1994 NFL Draft, the 49ers used their last pick in the draft, the 182nd overall pick coming in the sixth round, to select linebacker Lee Woodall out of tiny West Chester University. Woodall would last eight seasons in the NFL, with his first six coming with the 49ers.

While Woodall was not a super flashy player during his career, he was a guy I always thought of as a grinder type of player. His stats don't overwhelm you but he managed to put together two Pro Bowl appearances and an all-Pro selection in 1995. Throw in the fact that he started in Super Bowl XXIX and he had himself quite a solid career. It's fitting that I really don't have a ton to say about him. That would seem to be his career in a nutshell. When I watched those mid-90s 49ers teams he was always a guy that seemed to be in the middle of plays, but as mentioned above, his stats didn't always reflect that.

In yesterday's Arnaz Battle post we had a big discussion about the issue of production versus expectations. Lee Woodall did actually produce at a solid level, but I think the reason he's included on this list is because it's arguable how much was actually expected of him. I do believe you can consider both production and expectations when considering how successful a draft pick was in the abstract. For an NFL team it all comes down to production. If a sixth round pick produces only a little bit, it really doesn't matter that expectations were low. They're going to be gone. However, when it comes to our own rankings, I think we can consider both production and expectations.

49ers Top 10 NFL Draft Successess
8. Lee Woodall - 1994 NFL Draft
9. Arnaz Battle - 2003 NFL Draft
10. Andy Lee, Punter - 2004 NFL Draft

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Comments

Easily one of my favorite 49ers.

by Mullester on Apr 20, 2011 11:26 AM PDT reply actions

Where is Brian Jennings?

If not #8 he must be higher on this list.

by bignerd on Apr 20, 2011 11:28 AM PDT reply actions

Never

not a long snapper.

by Thor W on Apr 20, 2011 11:55 AM PDT up reply actions

Our punter and long snapper are our best draft picks!

Also, add Heitmann to that list if he comes back in the same form. Pretty much anyone who is not a core player rocks the house.

by asmithisaverage on Apr 20, 2011 1:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Willis isn't a core player?

by reedkrase on Apr 20, 2011 2:27 PM PDT up reply actions

Willis is the type of player you pick in the top 10 overall

Finding Gore in the 3rd round is about the best we’ve done lately.

by asmithisaverage on Apr 20, 2011 2:34 PM PDT up reply actions

he's a big part of Andy Lee's success

and should’ve been mentioned in that post, the two together are really a great combination.

by reedkrase on Apr 20, 2011 12:21 PM PDT up reply actions

After yesterday's somewhat heated debate concerning Arnaz Battle, I couldn't help but continue to think about the issues ...

I hate these damn shootouts … after all, we’re all rooting for the same guys. Then, I realized that I really didn’t understand what you were trying to “measure” … and, I’m still not sure that I do. But let me give it a whirl. By “best draft successes” you’re not looking at absolute production, but rather “relative production” … which I will define as “the extent to which a player’s actual production exceeded his expected level of production, given where he was drafted.” Am I anywhere close?

by 49erFanSince1950 on Apr 20, 2011 11:30 AM PDT reply actions

i do

I am very happy when a guy I drafted to basically be an extra body in practice turns out to compete with a guy that I drafted with the expectations to be a probowler. Its my expectations that depends on the success. Peyton Manning was expected to perform at a very high level, Tom Brady was expected to run the scout team.

by mcwagner on Apr 20, 2011 12:09 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

i do

by mcwagner on Apr 20, 2011 12:09 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

relativee production

That’s probably the best way to descrbe it. My personal belief is that we should factor in both production and expectations based on draft spot. My belief about Arnaz Battle’s expectations coming in and eventual production are also affected by my own subjective biases.

by David Fucillo on Apr 20, 2011 1:19 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

"expectations"

are an extremely subjective. still subjective but probably a little more in line with objective analysis is player performance relative to the value of the pick used on them. it was your “expectations” explanation that got me to strongly question your analysis of JJ Stokes so highly on the Bust list.

by allforfunnplay on Apr 20, 2011 1:30 PM PDT up reply actions

subjective

This list is entirely subjective. Anytime one person is deciding on this kind of thing without very specific benchmarks it’s very subjective. I’m not really trying to be super objective.

by David Fucillo on Apr 20, 2011 3:01 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

Woodal

was on of my favorite players from that era. Any sixth round pick that can start as a rookie on a super bowl winning team belong as an all time steal.

by Thor W on Apr 20, 2011 11:58 AM PDT reply actions

No arguing with Woodall being on this list

Woodall was a guy that found himself in the right place, at the right time and made the most of it. Kind of like his famous fumble recovery against the Bills in 1995. Sure Gary Plummer knocked the football loose and right to him, but Woodall didn’t just pick it up, he took it 96 yards for the TD.

Great pick in every sense, late round pick that way exceeds expectations, and made important contributions to a superbowl team to earn pro-bowl selections. Would have been just as happy with a late first round pick that had this type of production.

by reedkrase on Apr 20, 2011 12:35 PM PDT reply actions

6th round pick making an all-pro team sounds like an awesome draft pick for the niners

by ninersince94 on Apr 20, 2011 12:54 PM PDT reply actions

this is a good point

I understand the relative value factor in this list, but Woodall was a very good player in his own right. In fact, he could be higher on the list, given that he did earn all-pro and pro-bowl selections.

by MinerNiner on Apr 20, 2011 1:20 PM PDT up reply actions

and he looks like Evander Hollyfield

back in the 90’s when most of the league was running a 4-3 defense. Outside Linebackers were fast pursuit players who could also drop into short zone coverage. They almost played like extra short range Strong Safeties. Woodall was a poorman’s Derick Brooks who defined the Will OLB position in the 90’s.

by allforfunnplay on Apr 20, 2011 12:57 PM PDT reply actions

The 96 yd fumble recovery against Buffalo on Sunday night football was an amazing play. Definitely deserves to be here.

by HHKB Chris on Apr 20, 2011 1:34 PM PDT reply actions

I met Woodall one time

I met Woodall one time at the Great Mall in Milpitas in like ‘99 or ’00. I asked him for an autograph…I wish I hadn’t. I think a hand shake and a “I enjoy watching you play” is probably more appreciated by most players. Anyways, that’s my Woodall connection claim to fame.

by de la Riva on Apr 21, 2011 9:03 AM PDT reply actions