With the 2012 NFL Draft just under three weeks away, teams will really start to cull down their boards and clean up their rankings in preparation for the impending madness. Medical reports, scouting reports, character reports - all these things are taken into account along with game-tape and measureables, then combined with team-specific needs - to help to give front-offices the best chance to hit on all their picks.
Because we can't see team rankings, we must rely on our own scouting reports and analyst coverage to form our opinions on players. When it comes to that kind of thing, one of the most respected commentators and writers out there is NFL Network and NFL.com's Mike Mayock. Because the 49ers have been fairly commonly linked to wide receivers and tight ends with their first pick - here's a look at Mayock's rankings at each of those positional groups...
Wide Receiver
1. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
2. Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
3. Kendall Wright, Baylor
4. Stephen Hill, Georgia Tech
5. Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina
Tight End
1. Coby Fleener, Stanford
2. Dwayne Allen, Clemson
3. Orson Charles, Georgia
4. Ladarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette
5. James Hanna, Oklahoma
A great many mock drafts of late have been projecting Stanford's Coby Fleener to the Niners as a complementary weapon to Vernon Davis and another receiving target for Alex Smith. That said, because it's impossible to guess how the draft will ultimately play out, it may be a good idea to get to know a few more of these players. See the rest of Mayock's positional group rankings at NFL.com.
For more on the 49ers, make sure you head to NinersNation and join in on the discussion.
