Hello everyone! Well I thought I would throw out my opinion of the ‘to sign or not to sign' Mike Wallace debate. Wallace was picked in the 3rd round of the 2009 draft. So I thought I would look at the last 5 players picked in the first round of the past 5 years, and see if any of them have had as good or a better start to their career.

I am actually doing the research as I write this, so I don't know what is going to come out... but oh well.

2011:
Mark Ingram - RB (474yards, 5TDS)
Gabe Carimi - OT (starting RT, got hurt 2nd game)
Muhammad Wilkerson - DE (49 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 safety, 1 forced fumble)
Cameron Heyward - DE (11 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 blocked field goal)
Derek Sherrod - OT (Did not start)

2010:
Jared Odrick - DT (23 tackles, 7 sacks, 1 INT, 1 forced Fumble)
Kyle Wilson - CB (62 tackles, 2 INTs)
Jahvid Best - RB (945 yards, 6 TDs, 774 Receving yards, 3 TDs)
Jerry Hughes - DE (21 tackles, 1 sack)
Patrick RObinson - CB (68 tackles, 3 INTs)

2009:
Eric Wood - C (33 starts)
Hakeem Nicks - WR (3,034 yards, 24TDs)
Kenny Britt - WR (1,765 yards, 15TDs)
Beanie Wells - RB (2,237 yards, 19TDs)
Ziggy Hood - DT (58 tackles, 5.5 sacks)

2008:
Antoine Cason - CB (229 tackles, 1 sack, 9 INTs)
Lawrence Jackson - DE (118 tackles, 17 sacks, 3 forced fumbles)
Kentwan Balmer - DT (hahahahahahahaha)
Dustin Keller - TE (2,559 yards, 15 TDs)
Kenny Phillips - S (231 tackles, 8 INTs)

2007:
Joe Staley - OT (awesome, pro-bowl)
Ben Grubbs - G (pro-bowl)
Buster Davis - WR (out of the league)
Greg Olsen - TE (2,521 yards, 25 TDs)
Anthony Gonzalez - WR (1,307 yards, 7 TDs)

Mike Wallace - 3,195 yards, 24 TDs

Now we can take away a couple of things from this:

1. None of the receivers taken made it to the pro-bowl (Wallace did in 2011)
2. Based on numbers alone, Wallace is better then all receivers. The closest is Nicks, who was also taken in 2009.
3. The 49ers had 1 awesome pick and 1 horrible pick. However they were during a different regime.
4. The 2 TEs taken have performed well in the league. (Coby Fleener anyone?)
5. Wallace is better than 96% of the players listed above and we should sign him (Staley is awesome)