A little over a year ago, the 49ers made an interesting selection with their second round pick. They grabbed USC guard Chilo Rachal in a pick that caught many folks off guard. My favorite comment has to be a drunken wjackalope:
I was passed out by the time we took what’s his face in the 2nd round. why not a receiver or groves? seriously.
A drunken wjackalope is fast becoming a draft day tradition around these parts.
The big question at that pick for 49ers fans was why not DeSean Jackson. Seeing as he was a Cal grad it's not surprising people were pining for him. Some of the comments in the draft thread above, prior to instituting our swearing policy, were definitely intense.
I bring this up now because looking at this a year later opens up some interesting questions. If Jackson had done nothing last year nobody would think about it anymore. Instead, Jackson was a big playmaker for the Eagles and saw his college game translate fairly well at the next level.
At the same time, Chilo Rachal didn't do too bad for himself. When he announced for the draft, most "experts" felt he really should have stayed for his senior year. However, health problems for his mom and dad forced him into the NFL. It was a shame for him, but in the end it's worked out on a football level.
Rachal's NFL career started with two inactives and six DNPs. However, not too long after Coach Singletary was promoted, Rachal was rotated into a pair of games, before starting the last six games of the season at right guard. While he certainly wasn't the best offensive lineman on the team, he definitely showed some big time ability. There has been discussion at times about moving him to right tackle, but if he sticks at guard, the 49ers could very well be set there for the foreseeable future.
Looking back is not the simplest task, given that DeSean Jackson might not have been nearly as good a wide receiver with the 49ers. Maybe the return game would have been there, but they got quality from Allen Rossum. Or maybe being around Isaac Bruce would have been better for Jackson long term. Who knows.
The question I pose is whether, with hindsight, you wish the 49ers would have drafted DeSean Jackson instead of Chilo Rachal. Factor in anything you want. You can assume Jackson would put up the same numbers, better numbers, or worse numbers. I'm just curious what people think, in light of the discussion a year ago.