2012 NFL Draft - Re-Mock for the Niners

I've gone back and done a re-mock of the 49ers picks in the 2012 NFL Draft. If you're going to grade the 49ers draft, you have to compare it to the decisions they chose not to make. I stick to the 49ers assumed existing boards -- I don't insert my own preferences in stead. I'm making three assumptions:

1. AJ Jenkins is the #1 WR on our board (after Floyd and Blackmon) and they don't like Stephen hill for some reason

2. we accept the trade Minnesota offered and we move back to #35 in exchange for #98. Baltimore would have taken Upshaw at #29 if they didn't trade the pick.

3. we still move back from #92 to #97 -- all other trades don't go down

So we end up picking at #35, #61, #97, #98, #125, #165, #199, and #237. So here goes:

#35 - DE Andre Branch, Clemson. I assume that AJ Jenkins goes to STL at #33. Branch is an excellent pass-rush selection at #35 that will create a dynamic pass rush along with Aldon Smith

#61 - WR Rueben Randle, LSU - Since we didn't take a WR with our first pick, we do so with our second pick. BPA - pass on James since WR is a bigger priority

#97 - RB Lamar Miller, Miami - instead of trading the pick, we take Miller at #97. Miller is a fast, explosive player that is a good fit for the team and provides high-end speed

#98 - C Ben Jones, Georgia - nice center/guard prospech who ended up going #99 to Houston.

#125 - FS Christian Thompson, South Carolina State - bigger and faster than Robinson.

#165 - LB Darius Fleming, Notre Dame - He still ends up being the #1 guy on our board.

#199 - OL Jason Slowey, Western Oregon - Still ends up being the pick because he's apparently very high on our board.

#237 - S Antonio Allen, South Carolina - we take a second safety because we have simply no depth

So here's a comparison of how we drafted vs how we could have drafted:

(actual)

WR Jenkins

RB James

OL Looney

LB Fleming

OL Slowey

S Robinson

LB Johnson

2013 3rd Round Pick

2013 5th Round Pick

2013 6th Round Pick

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(re-mocked picks)

DE Branch

WR Randle

RB Miller

C Jones

S Thompson

LB Fleming

OL Slowey

S Allen

2013 5th round pick

Comparing the two classes, a couple things stand out. First, WR Randle is taken at #61 because he's simply a steal at this point -- but we don't know how 'in love' Baalke was/is with James. He could have taken a RB and passed on Randle...we'll never know of course. Second, I'm assuming a LaMar Miller was high on the 49ers board. He's a track star guy like LaMichael so he would have made sense. Third, I'm assuming Ben Jones and Phil Blake were on the top of the 49ers Center boards.