Assessing the 49ers' 2014 Draft Class at the Midway Point of the Season
The San Francisco 49ers were widely considered to have recruited well in the 2014 NFL draft, adding 12 players to a roster already well stocked with high caliber players.
At 4-4, the Niners face a difficult fight to reach the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, with injuries and struggles on the offensive side of the ball hampering their push for a sixth Super Bowl title.
But, with eight games in the books, how are the 49ers' rookies adjusting to life in the pros?
For Brandon Thomas, Keith Reaser, Kenneth Acker, Kaleb Ramsey and Trey Millard, all of whom are nursing long-term injuries, that question cannot be answered. However, the other seven of San Francisco's draft choices have all seen a decent amount of playing time.
So are those seven living up to expectations? Here I analyze their performances through the first eight weeks of 2014.
Jimmie Ward
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There was some surprise when the Niners opted not to trade up, despite their plethora of picks, and take Northern Illinois safety Jimmie Ward in the first round.
In spite of concerns over Ward's 5'11", 193-pound frame, the 49ers have displayed significant faith in the rookie by deploying him as their starting nickel cornerback.
That faith looked misplaced when the 23-year-old gave up three touchdowns to Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who took advantage of Ward's size to guide the Bears to a 28-20 comeback win in San Francisco's home opener at Levi's Stadium in Week 2.
Arizona Cardinals rookie speedster Jon Brown also caused Ward substantial problems a week later in a 23-14 loss to the Niners' NFC West rivals and, although he has not endured a game as difficult as his showing against Chicago, it is fair to say that Ward has yet to hit the heights he may have hoped to in his maiden NFL season.
A playmaker in college who had seven picks in his final campaign with the Huskies, Ward has yet to really showcase the ball skills that helped convince the 49ers to use their top pick on him, registering just two passes defensed in the seven games, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), both of which came against Arizona.
It is worth remembering that Ward is adjusting to a position that is not his favoured role in a league that is a world away from the MAC conference that he competed in during college. Yet midway through his first NFL campaign, Ward appears to be struggling to get grips with life in the pros.
Carlos Hyde
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Ward may have been the Niners' top pick but second-round selection Carlos Hyde was by far their most exciting choice of the 2014 draft.
After posting over 1,500 yards and 18 total touchdowns in his final year with Ohio State, running back Hyde headed into the pros with considerable hype. In the touches he has received this season, the former Buckeye has shown flashes of why he received such lofty billing.
Hyde, playing as a deputy to the 49ers' all-time leading rusher Frank Gore, scored a touchdown in the Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys and added a second against Arizona.
A physical, downhill runner who appears the perfect heir to Gore's mantle in San Francisco, the frustrating thing for Hyde must be that he has not seen the ball more.
That is not because of any kind of lack of belief in Hyde's abilities but rather an apparent confusion on the part of offensive coordinator Greg Roman over the offensive identity of the 49ers, who have long been a run-first team.
Roman was criticised for not handing the ball to one of his two backs down by the goal line in the final seconds of the Niners' stunning 13-10 loss to the St. Louis Rams. While it remains to be seen whether Roman will go back to a run-heavy offense in the second half of the season, what is clear is that in Gore and Hyde they have the players capable of hurting teams with the ground game.
Hyde is undoubtedly the future of the Niners' rushing attack, how quickly that future arrives will depend on Gore's play and how Roman approaches the final eight regular-season games.
Marcus Martin
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Marcus Martin's career with the 49ers got off to an inauspicious start as the rookie center suffered a dislocated kneecap in preseason, leaving him to watch from the sidelines as Daniel Kilgore assumed the starting role at the head of the line.
In his first season as a starter, Kilgore filled in remarkably well for Jonathan Goodwin, who the Niners let go in the offseason, but he saw his campaign brought to an end in the Week 7 defeat to the Denver Broncos when he sustained a broken bone in his left leg.
With Kilgore on injured reserve, third-round pick Martin was handed his first NFL start versus the Rams. However, despite his relatively solid play, the former USC Trojan's performance will unfortunately be remembered for the bobbled snap exchange with Colin Kaepernick that led to a fumble on the St. Louis one-yard line in the final seconds and cost the Niners victory.
The test for Martin will be to bounce back from that disappointment and lead an offensive line that has struggled markedly in pass protection, in the which the Niners are ranked at No. 31 in the NFL by Football Outsiders.
San Francisco can ill afford many more setbacks in their push for the postseason and, with the O-line needing to make quick improvements, Martin's play down the stretch is likely to be pivotal to the 49ers' fortunes.
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Chris Borland
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Many had concerns over inside linebacker Chris Borland in the pre-draft process.
The former Wisconsin Badger was criticized for his diminutive stature, small arms and apparent lack of athleticism, per Rob Rang of CBS Sports. Those issues did not stop the 49ers from taking him in the third round, with San Francisco general manager Trent Baalke, per Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle, describing the 5'11" Ohio native as a 'baller'.
And, filling in for the injured All-Pro Patrick Willis, Borland has begun to justify that assessment, making a magnificent 18 tackles in the loss to the Rams.
Despite those impressive numbers, Borland was dissatisfied with his performance last Sunday, lamenting his missed coverage assignment in the second quarter that led to a 21-yard touchdown for Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt.
"I blew (one) that cost us a touchdown and may have cost us the game. They ran vertical routes to my right and a drag to my left, and I thought I had help, but I should have known I didn't (have help) to the outside. So the drag, I should have covered it.
"
With Patrick Willis seemingly doubtful for Sunday's clash with the New Orleans Saints due to a toe injury, Borland must try to avoid similar mistakes against one of the best signal-caller's in the league in Drew Brees.
In the long run it is difficult to see Borland featuring when Willis and NaVorro Bowman are healthy, however, with his nose for the football and maturity to recognize his errors, the 23-year-old looks to have what it takes to develop into a more than capable deputy.
Bruce Ellington
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Bruce Ellington's first year in the NFL can already be considered something of a success in that he has secured a consistent role with the team.
The wide receiver, selected in the fourth round out of South Carolina, capitalised on a preseason injury to LaMichael James to become the 49ers' primary return man, and he has performed to a decent level so far in 2014.
Ellington is ranked at No. 8 in the NFL in kick return average, per ESPN.com, carving out 26.3 yards per return through the first eight games, although he has been unable to break off a significant run back this term.
A 38-yard return marks Ellington's longest of the season, with the former basketball player unable to really showcase the speed he displayed in an impressive final year with the Gamecocks.
Away from special teams Ellington has hardly been showcased as an offensive threat, save for a garbage-time touchdown in the heavy defeat to the Broncos, but that is hardly surprising given the depth the 49ers have at receiver.
Solidifying the role of return man represents a decent start to Ellington's pro career, the goal now must be to try to earn further offensive playing time and prove that he can be an asset to the passing game going forward.
Dontae Johnson
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In limited action, fourth-round cornerback Dontae Johnson has demonstrated quality that suggests he could develop into a solid player at the NFL level.
Injuries in the secondary have pressed the former North Carolina State defender into action and, for the most part, he has risen to the challenge.
Johnson performed well in the season opener with Dallas, successfully defending two passes and helping keep one of the league's most potent offenses largely in check.
The 22-year-old also impressed in the Week 6 win over the Rams, registering his first NFL interception and taking it back for six to cap off the 31-17 victory.
It is still early in his career, but the intial signs are good for the 6'2" Johnson who, with his long arms and substantial frame, could finally fulfil the role of the big physical corner that the back end of the Niners' defense has been lacking for some time.
Aaron Lynch
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At this stage of the campaign, there can be no doubt that Aaron Lynch has been the 49ers' most impressive rookie so far.
Taken with a fifth-round pick despite supposed character concerns after transferring from Notre Dame to South Florida, Lynch has surpassed offseason expectations and has proven extremely valuable to a Niners' pass rush that has struggled without the suspended Aldon Smith.
Through eight games, Lynch has two sacks, four quarterback hits and 13 hurries and is ranked at No. 11 among all 3-4 outside linebackers in the NFL by PFF.
Lynch has been deployed primarily as a pass-rusher in San Francisco's nickel defense but his abilities as an every-down backer will be tested severely on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints if he is plugged in as the starter in reserve of the injured Dan Skuta on the right-hand side of the Niners' 3-4 base unit.
It will be interesting to see how Lynch performs as a starter but, regardless of his play in New Orleans, the 21-year-old has the burst and power to be an important part of the Niners' defense for years to come.
San Francisco's pass rush may have been disappointing in 2014, however, with Smith—who is to return from his ban next week—and Lynch likely to form an exciting tandem going forward, the 49ers should have plenty of success pursuing the quarterback down the stretch.
Undrafted Free Agents
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It is relatively rare for undrafted free agents to make the 53-man roster of an NFL team but two have featured for the 49ers this season.
Center Dillon Farrell came in and filled in when Kilgore sustained his injury in the hammering at the hands of the Broncos, while special teamer L.J. McCray made the team against all the odds coming out of tiny Catawba college. Although his performances have not been entirely up to scratch in the first half of the campaign.
Injuries have forced more of the Niners' rookies into action but what should be treated as a positive by the San Francisco coaching staff is that they are getting plenty of production out of their first-year players, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
Of course it remains too early to judge an entire draft class on just half a season's work, yet the early indications are that this 2014 group, given its early contributions, could be one of the more productive of recent years.
Collegiate statistics courtesy of Sports Reference.
Nicholas McGee is a San Francisco 49ers Featured Columnist based in Leeds, England. Follow him on Twitter @nicholasmcgee24.
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