2012 NFL Draft: Draft Steals That Could Fall to San Francisco 49ers at No. 30

The 2012 NFL Draft will be no different from any other draft, in that talented football players will fall to a further pick than they rightfully should. For the teams that passed on them, it's often a mistake they regret, but for the teams that land them, it's a great achievement.

Day one of the draft will be interesting because this class is so loaded with talent, it could go almost any way. On top of the first-round talent, later-round talents are going to be selected in the first, occupying first-round slots because of needs, misconception of their physical ability and draft gossip.

The 49ers are a solid organization with some leeway in the first round to do a few things with the 30th overall pick. In the following slides, we will introduce a couple players that could fall to the 49ers in the late first, who San Francisco might not be able to pass up.

Michael Brockers, DL

Virtually every draft year, something unusual happens where a talented player falls because of draft needs, moves and other various reasons. It is very possible that one of the most talented defensive lineman in the draft falls to the 49ers late in the first round.

LSU's Michael Brockers is an extremely talented, hard-nosed football player from an NCAA program that prides itself on defense. Brockers was one of the top-performing defenseman for the Tigers in an ultra-competitive SEC division.

Even though the on-the-field performance would say Brockers goes high, multiple defensive line prospects have leaped ahead of him for whatever reasons. Dontari Poe (Memphis), Fletcher Cox (Mississippi State) and Jerel Worthy (Michigan State) have all received a lot of praise and could all very well be drafted ahead of Brockers.

In some NFL mocks, I've seen Brockers fall as far as the 27th overall pick to the New England Patriots, so if he could fall that far, why not three more spots to San Francisco? Looking for the heir apparent to Justin Smith and more depth along the defensive line? Look no further than Michael Brockers.

Janoris Jenkins, CB

Janoris Jenkins, talent-wise, is a top-10 draft pick, if not a top-five. The fact that Jenkins has gone through as much as he has, and is still a legit first rounder says a lot about his game-day ability. In most mocks, LSU's Morris Claiborne is the number one available corner and fifth-overall pick to Tampa Bay. Personally, I would rather have Jenkins.

I think Jenkins is an all-around better playmaker individually, with a higher football IQ and something to prove. He's got great speed and soft hands for a corner. Over his NCAA career, he has been able to morph his game accordingly to the wide receiver he is facing that week.

At Florida, he had great success covering some of the best wide receivers in college football, which means a lot to a cornerback who is transitioning to the highest level of competition. He is fearless and I can't seem him being overwhelmed or intimidated by any receiver in the league. He has confidence.

If Jenkins is going to fall, it's going to be because of his off-the-field issues with two marijuana-related arrests. Something else that could slightly affect his draft stock is that he openly admitted to continued use of the substance after transferring to Northern Alabama.

But I believe Jenkins has something to prove, and talent-wise, he is the absolute steal of the 2012 NFL Draft if he falls to San Francisco. So much so, that the 49ers wouldn't be able to pass him up. A group made up of Carlos Rogers, Tarell Brown, Chris Culliver, Janoris Jenkins, Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner would feasibly match the talent and ability of the 49ers front seven.

Stephen Hill and Coby Fleener, WRs

This slide is a two-part, as more often than not, the two of these players have been connected to the 49ers at the end of the first round.

They are two tremendous pass-catching talents with great upside. In my eyes, Coby Fleener is the second-best wide receiver in the draft, and while that comment may draw scrutiny, it's tough to disprove. Fleener is the biggest pass-catching option in the draft, with 4.4 speed and maybe the softest hands in the draft. Yet, for a litany of erroneous reasons, like "he's a tight end," "Andrew Luck was his quarterback," and so on, Fleener's been a second-rounder in a lot of mock drafts.

But if the Stanford playmaker falls to the 49ers at No. 30, and I expect he will, I think San Francisco takes him.

Stephen Hill is another very talented player who could be picked as high as the teens or fall to the end of the late-first or early-second round. He doesn't have a great deal of numbers or game film, but his physical attributes and potential make him a first-round talent.

For a lot of reasons, Hill would be a great pickup for the Niners. They need a big, fast playmaker at the wide receiver position for the long term and Hill could be that player. With the coaching staff the 49ers have, it could be a real steal for them if the Georgia Tech product fell to them at No. 30.

In Closing

The 49ers are used to picking in the top 10 or 15 with how they've performed over the years, but it's a new era. Instead of worrying about picking a potential draft bust in the top 10, the 49ers will have their radar tuned into finding a steal late in the first round.

I believe Trent Baalke is up to this task and I can't wait to see what kind of results he yields in his second year paired up with head coach Jim Harbaugh. The 49ers war room will likely be ready by the time their pick rolls around, and I could see any one of the aforementioned players being available when it does.

Michael Brockers, Janoris Jenkins, Coby Fleener and Stephen Hill are all viable choices for the 49ers at No. 30, and are all great talents. Each one of these players could go overlooked but have the upside to be great at the next level. We'll be counting on the 49ers front office to know which one.

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