Earlier this year I was recruited to take part in a mock draft with the website No Logo Needed. After some back and forth, my pick came up last night and I decided to roll the dice on Everette Brown, the outside linebacker from Florida State. Guys like Brian Orakpo and B.J. Raji had already come off the table and I wasn't touching Andre Smith. Here's my analysis of the pick:
The 49ers have various needs this offseason, but unlike what some people are predicting, a first round QB is not one of those needs. The 49ers have a pair of outside linebackers, one of whom turned in a very solid season in 2008. Parys Haralson seems to have a legitimate future going forward as a pass rushing outside linebacker. Manny Lawson is an athletic freak, but he seems less inclined to rush the passer or more likely to be a guy in coverage and in a read position.
Although Everette Brown didn't have a ton of experience (only one season as a fulltime starter), he still racked up 23 sacks for his 3-year career. This pick is a really tough one for the 49ers because it seems like they're too high for guys like Oher, but they're too low for a BJ Raji. Andre Smith is plummeting and seems like too much of a headcase. If the first 9 picks go in the above order, I think the 49ers will battle themselves in trying to decide between Michael Oher and Everette Brown. What wouldn't surprise me is if the 49ers tried to move up from the second round into the late first round to grab the right tackle they need. They've shown no qualms about making those kinds of moves, so we'll see if they do so again.
I mention this now in part because I'm really not sure what the 49ers will do at this point with the 10th pick. Assuming they don't trade down, it really seems like Michael Oher would be a reach. As pointed out before, Andre Smith is plummeting and very well could be there in the second round, if we even wanted him then.
Parys Haralson is going to be a free agent after this season. If the 49ers don't work out an extension and he puts up big numbers, he could very well take a walk. If that's the case, would it be smart to have a second man ready to succeed him? Or do you pay big money to Haralson and hope that he and Manny Lawson are the answer?