2007 NFL Draft - Predraft Coverage

updated on Apr 23, 2008 1:39 AM PDT

The 1981 draft is viewed by many as putting the 49ers over the top and cementing the dynasty for the rest of the decade. That draft produced Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright and Carlton Williamson among others.

There have been plenty of discussions lately about that draft and the potential for this year to fill a similar role. More importantly, this is widely considered the 49ers most important draft in nearly two decades. In looking at the upcoming season AND future seasons, the team has the opportunity to add 5-7 starters. Looking at various mock drafts, the team could add a starting inside linebacker, a starting 2/3 receiver, a defensive tackle a defensive end and potentially a couple of lineman for the post-Larry Allen era (and hopefully the upcoming post-Kwame era).

Combine a complete and solid draft with the free agent treasures and this is a team that could be set up for continued success well into the next decade.

Some of the ESPN info is protected by an Insider password. If you have something in particular you'd like to see that's protected, let me know and I'll see what I can do about getting the information to you. You can post a request on the site or email me (my address is located towards the top right of the front page).

Niners Nation Scouting Reports

Considering I'm a fan of promoting fellow SB Nation sites, we'll start with the various scouting reports my fellow writers put together.

General Draft Information

There are plenty of sites with quality draft information so this site is hardly a complete list. Rather, these are some sites and pages worth checking out.

ESPN 2007 Draft Center - If you yearn for Kiper and his coif, here's your spot. You can get everything from scouting reports to commentary on a variety of issues related to the draft. Pretty obvious though what you'll get here.

NFL.com 2007 Draft Center - As with ESPN's information, NFL.com provides all sorts of useful information, including a run down of every draft since 1982.

New Era Scouting - Matt, president of New Era Scouting is also a big time 49ers fan. As a sometimes scout himself, his site provides scouting reports on college and high school players. We'll be using New Era Scouting throughout draft day to get a better idea of the newest 49ers.

War Room Draft Guide - I recently discovered this site through New Era Scouting. Although part of a Wisconsin sports network, the Draft Guide is an alternative option for scouting reports.

John Morgan offensive line rankings - John Morgan from Field Gulls passed this little tidbit along. He created a unique set of rankings based on an accumulation of statistics and "conventional wisdom." This gives us one more option to consider when looking at potential offensive lineman.

Mock Draft Sites

Mock Drafts are certainly all the rage. The 1st Annual SB Nation Mock Draft has gotten us 3 rounds of mockery and some great conversation.

SB Nation Results(4/26/07):

1.11 - Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska
2.42 - Sidney Rice, WR, South Carolina
3.76 - Stewart Bradley, LB, Nebraska
3.97 - Marshal Yanda, G, Iowa

We joined forces with Draft Tek, a site that uses a computer model via Excel to simulate all 7 rounds. With daily updates, Draft Tek has become one of the most frequented sites for mock draft needs.

Draft Tek Results (4/26/07):