49ers Q & A: NFL Draft and Other Questions Answered

I thought I would reach out to 49ers nation via Twitter this weekend and see if you all had any questions going into a very exciting week. A lot of the questions I received were draft related for obvious reasons, but there were some other interesting ones about the teams I thought I'd field.

Below are some of your questions that I took some time to answer directly.

Will the 49ers draft a skill position in the first round?

-@ElvinPritchard

I think the 49ers front office is looking to add weapons to the offense specifically. I also believe they are in tune with how much value there is at guard in the second round. With how talented this draft class is, it seems to me that the 49ers would like to cash in on one of the available playmakers at the pass-catching position.

If they do land Fleener in the first round, do you see them addressing WR in the second or third round. I.E. Streeter or Jones?

Randy Moss is on a one-year deal, Delanie Walker is entering his last year and Mario Manningham is only in on a two-year deal. The 49ers know they have to add pass-catching weapons this year to smoothly transition them into more dominant roles when the current entrenched starters depart. The best way to do that would be to add a later round guy who has to work for a spot, but is talented nonetheless.

Tommy Streeter, Marvin Jones or Brian Quick would be a few of the wide receivers the Niners could look to add after the first round. And with this being a draft mostly about depth for the Niners, I want to believe they will certainly add at least one true wide receiver in this draft. And since I feel they will land Fleener in round 1, they'll have to grab one of the undervalued receivers later on. That's how I see it playing out.

Fleener would be a great pick. But where would that leave Walker?

-@EmPeee3

Good question. As most of us know, Walker is going to be a free agent after this next league year. The 49ers have lost guys like Joshua Morgan and Adam Snyder to teams who are realizing the kind of talent coming out of San Francisco. If the 49ers draft Coby Fleener, I think it's partly because they're preparing to maybe not have Delanie Walker back.

It's not that they don't value him and love what he brings to the table as a blocker and receiver, but the almighty dollar may bring him elsewhere. In that case, it'd be great to have Fleener going forward and the selection would no longer be viewed as a luxury pick.

What are the chances the Niners seek Mike Wallace from PIT?

-@Negrisimo36

Slim and none, in my opinion. First of all, at the moment, Wallace is tendered but has not signed anything with the Pittsburgh Steelers, therefor he could not be traded even if the 49ers were interested. The asking price is too high and the 49ers are draft stallions -- they know what they're doing. They will find someone else. The Wallace question should've been answered when the 49ers brought in Randy Moss. In a draft that is loaded with talented pass-catchers, it would be senseless for a strong drafting team to trade their first pick plus a boatload of money they don't have, for a wide receiver.

How much are the cheapest PCL's going to be at the new stadium?

-@bairth

A question much better to be answered by @JedYork.

Chances Alex Smith throws for 3,500 yards and 25 touchdowns?

-@spoussard

Honestly, it's probably not as crazy as most people think. We know the circumstances Alex Smith played under last year with an entirely new staff, playbook and shortened offseason, yet he finished with 3,144 yards and 17 touchdowns. He wasn't far from other of the milestones you mention, and they took things pretty slow to start the season. Not to mention, they've added more weapons to the offense in free agency and will look to add more in the draft.

The 49ers mentality is to keep getting better everyday, so if Smith yields any sort of noticeable improvement, it should be within the realm of the numbers you're talking about. We saw the kind of player he was capable of being in that playoff game versus New Orleans, so if that's the Alex Smith the 49ers are getting in 2012, I think the chances are high he hits those marks.

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