FanPost

Drafting "Football Players"

So I'm sitting here at home watching the Heat play the Spurs, and, while I know that this is not a basketball thread, I have to say that watching Tim Duncan play makes me marvel at what a true "basketball player" he is. He excels as a passer, shooter, rebounder, shot-blocker, in the post, from the elbow, etc. (Let me also say that I am not a fan of either team but highly respect them both for being fundamentally sound organizations, much like the 49ers)

As I was watching, it made me think about how much Jim Harbaugh loves "football players," guys that can do everything: play defense, play offense, play special teams, catch, kick, block, and whatever else football players traditionally needs to do. Players like Isaac Sopoaga, Demarcus Dobbs, Will Tukuafa and Delanie Walker immediately come to mind. These guys were (and are) good because of their ability to contribute in a lot of different ways; basically, whatever the 49ers needed, they could ask one of those guys to do it.

It made me wonder: Which players available in this years draft are true football players, skilled at doing multiple things? Doesn't it seem that Harbaugh would lean toward drafting guys with multiple skills as opposed to ones who can do only one thing (no matter how good they are at it)? I'm really writing this to learn a bit more about who is available (I don't follow NCAA football much and therefore have limited knowledge of the actual skill sets of the guys in this year's draft).

Which players fit this mold?


This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.