The wrap of the 2016 NFL Draft meant it was time for draft grades. In reality, draft grades hold virtually no value immediately after the draft. I say virtually no value because they at least give us something to talk about. But for predictive purposes, I imagine throwing darts at a dartboard would have as much, if not more value.
One thing I do like every year is the GPA assessment from Football Outsiders. They took a look at various draft grades, and come up with a report card report that creates a GPA for each team. They used that, coupled with the best and worst grades, to figure out the variance of grades for each team.
The San Francisco 49ers ended up with one of the lowest GPAs, and also one of the highest variances among the grades. The team had a GPA of 2.29. Their highest grade was an A- from Doug Farrar. Their lowest grade was a D+ from Evan Silva. It should be no surprise that no team had a larger divide between their highest and lowest grades.
The 49ers ended up tied for fourth in most polarizing grades. The Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, and New York Jets were the top three. The 49ers were tied for fourth with the Tennessee Titans. Here is what FO had to say about the variance:
San Francisco's variance was almost entirely the result of Farrar's generous evaluation, as every other grader handed out a B- or worse. Farrar thought the Niners landed the draft's best defensive lineman in DeForest Buckner, but he also curiously saw Joshua Garnett as a strong value. Most graders panned San Francisco for trading back into the first round for the Stanford guard, especially given that they gave up a second-, fourth- and sixth-rounder in the deal. Silva also saw mid-round cornerbacks Will Redmond and Rashard Robinson as reaches, given that the former comes with injury questions and the latter with character concerns.
And for those wondering, here are the seven draft grades FO used. I've linked to each article, and pulled out the 49ers specific analysis.
Doug Farrar: A-
49ers GM Trent Baalke must have been grinning ear-to-ear when the Chargers reached on Joey Bosa at No. 3, leaving DeForest Buckner on the board. Buckner is the best defensive lineman in this class, and his versatility will add a ton to San Francisco's defense. And, the trade back into the first round to nab Stanford guard Josh Garnett will pay great dividends as long as Garnett can get the knack of Chip Kelly's preference for quicker, zone-based guards. Garnett is more of an agile mauler. Third-round cornerback Will Redmond would have gone higher in this draft based on pure talent, but injuries got in the way. LSU cornerback Rashard Robinson doesn't have a ton of starts either, but Baalke has never been shy about betting on upside. Louisiana Tech QB Jeff Driskel looked horrid at Florida, but he impressed after his transfer to Louisiana Tech. Florida running back Kelvin Taylor, the son of Fred Taylor, has the quickest feet of any back in this class. Watch out also for seventh-round cornerback Prince Charles Iworah, who looked like a shutdown guy against lesser competition. The 49ers have a nice combination of potential and first-day starters here.
SB Nation: C+
Best pick: Buckner - Sometimes the expected pick can be a good one, and that's the case with Buckner. The Calais Campbell comparisons are legitimate.
Questionable pick: Garnett - He may very well become the team's starting left guard, but they gave up a lot to get him in the first round.
The 49ers took a lot of steps in replenishing their roster with this year's draft. They started things out in Chip Kelly's first season with a familiar face for him in defensive end DeForest Buckner. It's hard to bet against his power and size up front. They moved back into the first round to take Garnett, and gave up a steep price for him. If he turns into a good starter, though, it won't matter as much. Will Redmond in the third round is the cornerback the 49ers need. He's had some injury issues, but he can make plays. If Rashard Robinson's talent can be turned into something, the 49ers got an excellent value with the No. 133 pick. He's a risk because of off-field issues, but he has size and athleticism that can't be taught. The 49ers got a good value in the fifth round with defensive end Ronald Blair. He's a quick and powerful player who San Francisco could push out to linebacker. The 49ers waited a while to target the position, but got a solid quarterback in Jeff Driskel. He has good pure physical tools.
Mel Kiper: C
I'm a fan of DeForest Buckner, but you expect to get a top-10 player if you're drafting in the top 10, and I thought the draft was just average thereafter. They used valuable draft assets to get Joshua Garnett, a player they clearly coveted, but that's a reach on my board. After that, I like the addition of Ronald Blair in the fifth round, but they did nothing at linebacker, and Jeff Driskel is a true project at quarterback. As well, I'm surprised they didn't get a wide receiver earlier than Aaron Burbridge in sixth round. There's a clear emphasis on finding some depth at cornerback and perhaps some developmental options on the offensive line, but even with the addition of two likely starters in Buckner and Garnett, this class was a bit disappointing based on the number of draft picks they had.
Pete Prisco: C
Best pick: I will go with their first one, defensive end DeForest Buckner. This kid has star potential. To land him in the sixth overall spot is a good pick.
Questionable move: Taking corner Will Redmond in the third round is a risk because he is coming off a torn ACL. He has talent, but that makes it risky.
Third-day gem: Fourth-round corner Rashard Robinson has a ton of talent. He just couldn't stay on the field. He had off-field issues that led to suspensions at LSU. This could be a boom pick for the 49ers.
Analysis: I love the pick of Buckner in the first round, but the rest of the draft has major questions. There are some real gambles in this group and trading back up to the first round to get a guard is questionable.
Rob Rang: B-
It wasn't long ago that the 49ers were the bullies of the NFC West, and it was commitment to physicality along the line of scrimmage which returned in the first round, with San Francisco nabbing the 6-foot-7, 291-pound DeForest Buckner at No. 7 overall and then trading back up for guard Joshua Garnett, giving the team the Defensive and Offensive Lineman of the Year, respectively, in the Pac-12.
The 49ers took the same double-down approach at cornerback next, nabbing former SEC standouts in Will Redmond and lanky press corner Rashard Robinson. Each comes with significant concerns, however, with Redmond coming off an ACL tear and Robinson kicked off of the team at LSU.
Of San Francisco's Day 3 selections, I'm most intrigued by former Appalachian State edge rusher Ronald Blair, who dominated at the lower level. Jeff Driskel struggled at Florida but he resurrected his career at Louisiana Tech and is an ideal match in Chip Kelly's offense, making him an intriguing late round selection for a club with plenty of questions at quarterback.
Evan Silva: D+
GM Trent Baalke got good value with Buckner, who was believed to be in consideration as high as San Diego's pick at No. 3. Baalke then made an odd-ball move to trade up for Garnett, costing fourth- (105) and sixth-round picks (178) in exchange for just a nine-spot jump. It's rare to see an NFL team trade up in the first round for an offensive guard, especially one with Garnett's athletic limitations. Redmond and Robinson are undersized, inexperienced projects at cornerback who weren't deserving of the draft capital Baalke spent. The Blair pick was probably Baalke's best from a value perspective, while Driskel is toolsy enough to bring to camp and perhaps stash on the practice squad. On a bad team like the 49ers, however, it was disappointing to see Baalke emerge with so few likely immediate contributors when he was working with 11 picks. The back-to-back cornerbacks figure to determine how this draft is viewed years from now. I can't say I'm optimistic about either.
The Sporting News: C
Buckner and Garnett were a terrific 1-2 punch of first-round picks to begin their rebuild as a much stronger, nastier team up front. They were smart to go after unheralded corners next, and Ronald Blair adds another pass rusher at Buckner's position. The volume then helped to give them more intriguing options for Chip Kelly's offense. If the potential becomes position, this could end up being an incredible class for them. But for now, collectively, let's call it average.