2011 NFL Draft Results: 49ers Coach Jim Harbaugh And Stanford

As the 2011 NFL Draft moved along last weekend, I think most of us figured 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh would draft at least one guy from Stanford. In the post-draft press conference, Coach Harbaugh indicated the team had wanted to grab Owen Marecic but the situation never completely presented itself. Instead, the closest the 49ers came to drafting somebody even from the Bay Area was Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick.

Here is a rundown of the Stanford guys picked in the 2011 NFL Draft:

Sion Fua, DT -  Round 3, Pick 97
Owen Marecic, FB - Rd 4, Pk 124
Richard Sherman, DB - Rd 5, Pk 154
Ryan Whalen, WR - Rd 6, Pk 167

I wouldn't be surprised if the 49ers brought in some Stanford guys as undrafted free agents. After the jump I've posted a quick rundown of the Stanford players drafted and those still remaining as undrafted free agents.

In looking at the positions of the four players drafted, the only position the 49ers didn't address was defensive tackle. The 49ers have Ricky Jean-Francois under contract, are likely going to try and work out a long term contract with Aubrayo Franklin, and also have Isaac Sopoaga as an emergency fill-in. My guess is that the team was sufficiently happy at the nose tackle position and viewed Fua as too much of a luxury.

The team wanted Marecic but it just didn't happen. It's a shame as the team tries to figure out its long-term answer at fullback, but sometimes things just don't work out the way you want. Let's hope Bruce Miller figures out the fullback position, or the team finds an answer in free agency.

I think a lot of folks here were interested in Richard Sherman, but in seeing him mocked out, Sherman was going in the sixth and seventh rounds. After the 49ers grabbed Culliver in the third round, they grabbed safety Colin Jones in the sixth round and Curtis Holcomb in the seventh round. I find myself thinking that if Sherman had dropped into the sixth round, the 49ers would have pulled the trigger on him. It's pure speculation on my part, but it's what I'm thinking for now.

As for Whalen, I think once the 49ers grabbed Ronald Johnson in the fifth they felt they had done what they needed for the wide receiver position in this draft. It's not much more complicated than that in my head.

I don't know if that sufficiently answers this question for folks. And maybe some people weren't really concerned one way or the other about it. I was a little surprised, but in looking at each position, I suppose it's not really a big shocker. Do any of the available Stanford Cardinal football players jump out to folks as worthwhile undrafted free agents?