The San Francisco 49ers used last weekend's 2011 NFL Draft to address various areas of need on their roster. One of the 49ers biggest question marks was last year's inconsistent pass rush. The team addressed that right off the bat with Missouri pass rusher Aldon Smith. The team has been trying to figure out its quarterback position for close to a decade. They moved up in the second round to acquire Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick. They needed depth in the secondary so they grabbed Chris Culliver, Colin Jones and Curtis Holcomb.
San Francisco 49ers
PICKS
1. Aldon Smith, OLB, Missouri
2. Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada
3. Chris Culliver, CB, South Carolina
4. Kendall Hunter, RB, Oklahoma State
5. Daniel Kilgore, OL, Appalachian State
6. Ronald Johnson, WR, USC
7. Colin Jones, S, TCU
8. Bruce Miller, DL/FB, Central Florida
9. Michael Person, OL, Montana State
10. Curtis Holcomb, CB, Florida A&M
The decisions the 49ers made raised some eyebrows as few people expected the team to go with Smith at the seventh pick. The team brought in some highly talented football players with their draft picks, but the question for the 49ers is how long it will take to develop these players. For now, the media isn't exactly giving the 49ers the benefit of the doubt. While they're getting some B grades, it's mostly lower Bs and high Cs in the NFL Draft grades. I guess maybe that could qualify as the benefit of the doubt then.
We'll be here with a variety of updates on the 49ers 2011 NFL Draft selections. We'll take a look at scouting reports on each player, first year projections, and other assorted details. For more on the NFL Draft, join Mocking The Draft and browse SB Nation's 2011 NFL Draft hub. And of course, check out live discussion of 49ers picks at Niners Nation.