After the 2012 NFL Draft, San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke made it clear that they had no "needs" list they were working off of. They felt their 2012 team was plenty strong as-is, so they were simply trying to pick up as many talented players as possible for the long term. That strategy didn't go a long way toward impressing the draft evaluators, however.
Sports Illustrated has released their complete grades for the 2012 NFL Draft. Here is how the 49ers fared:
San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers made WR A.J. Jenkins a shocking pick at 29, then grabbed LaMichael James at 61 — James has home-run potential, but the 49ers already have a crowded backfield with similar players. OL Joe Looney’s an injury concern, and LB Darius Fleming has a long way to go to be a productive NFL player. Grade: D
The 49ers seem poised to make another run at the playoffs even without factoring in their draft picks, so the team may have the last laugh this year.
For more discussion and analysis of the San Francisco 49ers, please head over to Niners Nation.
