Every year when free agency starts, I usually dig up videos of the San Francisco 49ers’ previous drafts for us to see some of those picks. The greatness that is modern technology lets us look back and laugh at analysts’ praise of future duds or their ridicule of future gems.
Youtube user Marvin49 collects the drafts every year and posts the videos up for everyone to see. This week, we’ll look at 2013.
After the 2011 draft (remember? The 2012 draft is a myth, a fable, a figment of our own imagination, no way that disaster happened), the 2013 draft rolled around and offered the 49ers a chance to get some new players.
The team had come off a heartbreaking loss in the Super Bowl to the Baltimore Ravens. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick had secured the starting job and Alex Smith was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for a pair of 2nd round picks. Those picks would go into a pool of what ended with 11 picks in the 2013 draft. To add to the draft issues, 49ers ballhawk, Dashon Goldson would depart in free agency leaving a huge hole.
And that hole is exactly what the 49ers zeroed in on. Trading up to 18th in a deal with Dallas, the 49ers selected LSU safety Eric Reid. Reid would go on to make his presence know immediately, getting his first interception in week 1 against none other than Aaron Rodgers.
For round 2, the 49ers began a new type of strategy that may have been a factor in costing Trent Baalke his job: The ACL All-Stars. FSU defensive end Tank Carradine was the preliminary member of this class, coming back from a torn ACL. Carradine was listed on many boards as a first round talent before he tore his knee up, and with the talk that he’d be ready by training camp, it was looked at as a value pick for the 49ers (Carradine would instead return for more surgery and not hit the field until the 2014 season). To round out the ACL all-stars, South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore was drafted in the 4th round. Had he not torn his ACL and MCL in the same game, Lattimore could have gone in the top 10 on some boards—he was that good. Instead, Lattimore would retire the following season.
Other highlights included then-fan favorite, Louisiana Tech wide receiver Quinton Patton who looked like a steal of a pick, being a 2nd round grade and going in the 4th (in hindsight, there’s probably a reason why he went that late) and recently extended Rice tight end Vance McDonald. And let’s not forget Alabama defensive end Quinton Dial who worked his way into a starting role on the 49ers. If he remains with the new coaching regime is something to watch.
Back to McDonald for a second, if you want a laugh, go to 6:50 in the video and listen to Trent Dilfer’s opening comments on the McDonald pick. I’m glad he knows the 49ers like McDonald, especially since they just drafted him five seconds ago.
As always, the DMCA biscuits from the NFL have this thing flagged, so many of you will have to go to YouTube to watch the video. Sorry, they just don’t like us showing free film that isn’t available. By any other means.
Pick Breakdown
Round 1 - Pick 18 - Eric Reid, FS, LSU
Round 2 - Pick 40 - Tank Carradine, DE, Florida State
Round 2 - Pick 55 - Vance McDonald, TE, Rice
Round 3 - Pick 88 - Corey Lemonier, LB, Auburn
Round 4 - Pick 128 - Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech
Round 4 - Pick 131 - Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina
Round 5 - Pick 157 - Quinton Dial, DT, Alabama
Round 6 - Pick 180 - Nick Moody, LB, Florida State
Round 7 - Pick 237 - B.J. Daniels, QB, South Florida
Round 7 - Pick 246 - Carter Bykowski, OT, Iowa State
Round 7 - Pick 252 - Marcus Cooper, CB, Rutgers