The 2013 NFL Draft is barely 12 hours complete, but that doesn't mean we can't start judging it! In reality, the value of a draft is determined years later, but we can at least look at what we "think" this all means on paper. ESPN's Mel Kiper puts together his own draft grades, and while many disagree with his opinions, I like the way he tries to structure them, looking at needs and value. He could be entirely wrong based on his supposed values of players, but it's at least a starting point.
Kiper gave the 49ers a B+ for addressing needs, a B for the value they got, and a B overall. It seems like his grades were most impacted by the 49ers decision to select Eric Reid. Kiper liked that they addressed safety, but he thought there were as many as five safeties who were better value. The 49ers, however, liked their specific guy, so we'll see who is proven right down the road. Here's a little more of what Kiper had to say:
Vance McDonald gives them needed depth at tight end with Delanie Walker gone, and Tank Carradine and Corey Lemonier were both good values. Quinton Pattonhas a chance to stick because he's a smart route-runner and finds ways to create separation. The 49ers also dealt to add picks into next year. I'd like this draft a little more if they got a safety I had rated higher, but they did well, just as you figured they would.
Rotoworld's Evan Silva gave the 49ers an A in his draft grades. He viewed this as the rich getting richer. He pointed to Reid and McDonald as potentially the only two "starters" out of this draft, but as he sees it, the rest of the 49ers class provides an assortment of value:
Carradine is a to-the-whistle edge rusher who along with Lattimore could be "redshirted" as a rookie due to knee woes, before emerging as plus 2014 starters. Patton is a silky smooth route runner with ball skills and insurance on contract-year No. 1 wideout Michael Crabtree. Lemonier might have been a first-rounder had he not played on such a bad Auburn team.
As we start to move forward, I thought I would post a poll on what everybody thinks of the 49ers draft haul. In a few years we'll take a look back at this and realize we were either spot on, or out of our minds.
Poll
How would you grade the 49ers 2013 NFL Draft class?
This poll is closed
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