Mid-Round NFL Draft Targets Who Could Start in Year 1 for the 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers got production out of their mid-round picks from the 2014 draft.

General manager Trent Baalke did an excellent job at finding talent in Rounds 3-5 last year, with the ability of those rookies coming to the fore in a season that saw San Francisco rocked by injuries on both sides of the ball.

Inside linebacker and third-round pick Chris Borland was named to the All-Rookie team following a fantastic maiden campaign in which he proved to be a playmaking machine in the absence of All-Pro duo Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman.

Outside linebacker Aaron Lynch quickly showed himself to be a fifth-round steal as he contributed consistently as a pass-rusher. Fourth-round choice Dontae Johnson received plenty of work at corner and, although raw, appears to have the tools to develop into a solid NFL player.

On the offensive side of the ball, Marcus Martin—taken in the third round—was somewhat disappointing after being plugged in as the starting center in place of the injured Daniel Kilgore, although fourth-round wide receiver Bruce Ellington contributed in the return game and was a versatile offensive weapon in the final weeks of the season.

Will the Niners be able to get the same kind of results out of their 2015 class. Here I break down the best way to make sure they do by identifying the mid-round targets ready to make an immediate impact in the pros.

Tony Washington

Doug Benc/Associated Press

One area in which the 49er defense should excel in 2015 is in rushing the quarterback.

San Francisco was No. 21 in sacks in 2014, finishing the season with just 36. However, that number figures to increase next season given the talent it should have at its disposal.

In addition to outside linebackers Aldon Smith and Aaron Lynch—who had six sacks in his rookie year—the Niners should also have Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman back in the fray. Willis and Bowman are two of the better interior rushers in the league. With Chris Borland establishing himself as a playmaking defender in their absence in 2014, San Francisco should have plenty of players capable of putting opposing quarterbacks under pressure in 2015.

However, the 49ers could lose Dan Skuta in free agency and may let Ahmad Brooks—ranked as the No. 42 3-4 outside linebacker in 2014 by Pro Football Focus—leave the team to save cap. Brooks is coming off a year that saw him report to training camp overweight, per Grant Cohn of The Press Democrat, and have a sideline spat with now-head coach Jim Tomsula during the Week 11 win over the New York Giants, according to Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee.

Those prospective departures would leave the 49ers with a disticnt lack of depth at the outside backer spot, which could at least partially be addressed with the acquisition of Oregon's Tony Washington.

A versatile defender who has regularly demonstrated the ability to rush the passer from a two- and three-point stance and has experience of dropping back into coverage, the productive Washington recorded 12.5 sacks in his last two seasons with the Ducks.

CBSSports' Rob Rang points out that Washington, at 6'3" and 250 pounds, could benefit from gaining strength as a pass rusher. Yet his numbers and evident love for the game—he played at the East-West Shrine Game less than a week after Oregon's national championship loss to Ohio State—should be enough to convince NFL teams he is worthy of a mid-round choice.

Viewed as a fifth- to sixth-round pick by NFLDraftScout.com, Washington could well be available when the Niners pick at No. 15 in Round 5, and it would be a wise move to pick up a player with his mentality and ability to produce on a consistent basis.

Henry Anderson

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

With Justin Smith leaning toward retirement, according to NFL Media's Alex Flanagan, and the Niners having released Ray McDonald in December, the defensive line stands as one of San Francisco's most pressing offseason needs,

The 49ers will appear to have little in rotation behind Tank Carradine and Quinton Dial should Smith decide to call it a day. However, they could acquire a player capable of immediately slotting in on the defensive front in the form of Stanford defensive end Henry Anderson.

Anderson was a playmaking machine during his career with the Cardinal, racking up 63 tackles and eight sacks in his final season in Palo Alto. Operating in Stanford's 3-4 defense, Anderson was stout against the run as well as the pass.

Quick off the snap and impressively powerful, the 6'6" and 295-pound Anderson has the tools necessary to be a force in the backfield and has proven adept at shaking off blockers and using his long arms to bring down ball-carriers. Combine those attributes with a relentless motor, and Anderson projects as a strong fit for a defensive unit that has built its success around strength in the trenches.

There may perhaps be some concern over a knee injury that forced Anderson to miss six games during the 2013 campaign. However, with NFLDraftScout grading him as a prospective third- or fourth-round pick, it would be an astute move from the Niners to ensure the Atlanta native continues his career just over 12 miles down the road from Stanford Stadium.

David Cobb

The 49ers have drafted a running back in each of the last four years but, due to doubts over Frank Gore's future, may need to again in 2015.

Gore is set to become a free agent for the first time in his NFL career, and his prospective departure from the Niners would leave 2014 second-round pick Carlos Hyde as the incumbent starter ahead of Kendall Hunter.

Hyde is the heir apparent to Gore and impressed in his rookie year. Yet, if Gore does go elsewhere, it would make sense to take advantage of a deep running back class and add a player capable of challenging the former Ohio State Buckeye for the starting role.

And one player capable of pushing Hyde for the job is Minnesota's David Cobb. Regarded as a third- or fourth-round prospect by NFLDraftScout, Cobb fits the mould of a 49ers tailback, as B/R's Matt Miller recently pointed out.

With a compact 5'11" and 229-pound frame, Cobb—much like Gore—is able to take advantage of smaller holes that other runners perhaps cannot and has the leg drive and determination to break through tackles on a consistent basis.

Cobb combines his impressive power with the intelligence and vision to make the most of the meager holes opened up for him by the Golden Gophers offensive line in a 2014 season that saw him set the program's single-season rushing record with 1,626 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.

The only slight against Cobb, who also excels as a receiver out of the backfield and has displayed improvement as a pass protector, is that he does not have the explosiveness of some of the elite prospects in the class.

While an apparent lack of dynamism is an issue, Cobb possesses the overall skill set NFL teams are looking for at the position. A strong week at the Senior Bowl, where he gained 77 rushing yards, will have only boosted his stock.

He may not regularly break off 50-yard runs, but Cobb has the tools to immediately produce at the next level as a chain-mover on the ground and through the air and should be a player of great appeal to San Francisco.

Vince Mayle

Kevin Clifford/Associated Press

For most, wide receiver is the top priority for a 49er team that struggled markedly in the passing game in 2014.

Michael Crabtree and Brandon Lloyd are due to become free agents, leaving Anquan Boldin and Stevie Johnson—a potential cap casualty—as the Niners' top two receivers. Both Boldin and Johnson are good possession-type wideouts; however, the 49ers do not have a player capable of making splash plays down the field.

For a team with a quarterback with the arm strength of Colin Kaepernick, the lack of a proper deep threat is significant, but the 49ers do not necessarily need to go out and address the issue in the first round. Instead, they could wait until as late as the fourth round and grab a wideout who has the ability to transform their passing attack.

Washington State's Vince Mayle—given a fourth-round grade by NFLDraftScout—enjoyed a breakout season, making 106 receptions for 1,483 yards and nine touchdowns. At 6'2" and 219 pounds, Mayle has the size and leaping ability to go up and catch the ball at its highest point and has proved to be dangerous in the the open field with the ball in his hands.

Indded, Mayle combines his imposing frame with deceptive speed and quick feet to make defenders miss and consistently turn short-to-medium plays into big gains with yardage after the catch.

Mayle did have occasional problems with drops in his final year with the Cougars. But, while he does not have the explosion of some of the top receivers in the class, the Natomas, California, native possesses the talent to become an immediate contributor for the 49ers should they opt to take a chance on the former basketball player.

Eric Rowe

The 49ers have a need at the cornerback position, an area where they could be depleted by the potential departures of prospective free agents Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox, both of whom enjoyed strong seasons in 2014.

San Francisco should also have cause for concern at free safety following starter Eric Reid's third concussion in two seasons. However, it could go some way to addressing its depth at each position with the addition of Utah defensive back Eric Rowe, rated as a fourth- to fifth-round prospect by NFLDraftScout.

After earning All-Pac-12 honors as a three-year starter at free safety, Rowe showcased his versatility by moving to corner to aid the Utes following the exit of Keith McGill in the 2014 draft. Rowe's transition to his new role was a relatively successful one as he recorded 12 pass deflections and an interception that was returned for a touchdown against Washington State.

At 6'1" and 204 pounds, Rowe has a great frame for the NFL and also possesses decent speed for the position, with Utah clocking him at 4.39 secs in the 40-yard dash, according to CBSSports' Rob Rang.

In addition to his impressive physical tools, Rowe looks extremely solid in coverage, jamming receivers a the line of scrimmage with his hands, which he uses to great effect to disrupt pass attempts and take balls out of the grasp of opposing wideouts.

Rowe has also proved proficient at preventing receivers from gaining inside leverage and is rarely boxed out on routes over the middle. There are, however, doubts over his ball skills after a college career that saw him post just three interceptions in four seasons.

Susceptible to double moves, Rowe's recovery speed can also be called into question, but there is plenty of upside to this aggressive and adaptable defender. It remains to be seen whether he would be a better fit as a safety or corner in the NFL. Yet with his experience in pro-style coverage schemes at Utah—as pointed out by Rang—Rowe figures to be a useful asset for a 49er defense in need of extra resources in a secondary ravaged by injuries last season.

College statistics courtesy of Sports Reference.

Nicholas McGee is a San Francisco 49ers Featured Columnist based in Leeds, England. Follow him on Twitter @nicholasmcgee24.