5 Late-Round Sleepers Who Would Be Perfect for San Francisco 49ers
Rounds 1 through 4 will likely be the primary target positions in which the San Francisco 49ers look to add prospective talent in the upcoming 2015 NFL draft.
But the 49ers will boast nine picks this year—five of which will be in Round 5 or later, per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area.
Barring trade-ups and other transactions, over half of San Francisco's 2015 draft class will be late-round selections. While not necessarily as heralded, these sleeper picks can often prove to be the proverbial diamonds in the rough.
Take last year's Round 5 selection of linebacker Aaron Lynch as a prime example.
So which late-round fliers might wind up being perfect fits for the 49ers in 2015 and beyond? There are usually some under-the-radar selections that could prove to be impact players at some point down the line.
Let's dive deeper into this possibility and examine five prospects that could have a positive impact for San Francisco.
Miles Dieffenbach, OG
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The 49ers are going to be faced with some uncertainty along their offensive line in 2015. Left guard Mike Iupati will likely depart via free agency this offseason, and fellow guard Alex Boone is a free agent in 2016.
While San Francisco has young players like Marcus Martin and Brandon Thomas lurking in the shadows for a full-time role, the bolstering of the O-line will be a need the 49ers have to address at some point moving forward.
One late-round target could be Penn State's Miles Dieffenbach.
The 6'3", 303-pound lineman has a tough skill set, which Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com describes as being strong and gritty.
Dieffenbach does have some injury history, which has possibly thwarted his draft stock to an extent. But with the question marks surrounding the O-line, a fifth-round selection—where Dieffenbach is projected per NFLDraftScout.com—wouldn't be a bad target for this talented lineman.
Sean Mannion, QB
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Quarterback Colin Kaepernick will be the 49ers' signal-caller in 2015.
But who fills the void behind him?
San Francisco may elect to target a backup quarterback in the latter rounds of the draft. One potential fit is Oregon State's Sean Mannion.
Mannion passed for 3,164 yards on 282 completions, posting 15 touchdowns against eight interceptions during the process.
The 6'5", 227-pound prospect has good pocket presence and the ability to read defenses, per Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com. He was also a three-time captain for the Beavers, so the leadership element is also there.
Projected as a fifth-round pick, the 49ers could solve their backup needs at this position with a selection of Mannion.
Shaquille Riddick, DE
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San Francisco is also in an uncertain situation as it faces the potential loss of veteran defensive end Justin Smith this offseason.
Smith has hinted at retirement and, combined with the release of fellow end Ray McDonald, the 49ers may be faced with an entirely different look along their defensive front.
The 49ers could move to a 4-3 defense under head coach Jim Tomsula in 2015. But the need to add some pass-rushers behind linebackers Aldon Smith and Aaron Lynch would be worth a late-round investment.
West Virginia defensive end Shaquille Riddick posted seven sacks and 23 solo tackles in 2014. Projected as a sixth-round pick by CBS Sports, Riddick has a skill set that utilizes his 6'6", 242-pound frame to the best advantage possible.
"He is quick off the snap and gets upfield in a hurry with an on-field motor that is never idle and a competitive demeanor that pops on film. Riddick is a balanced athlete with a flexible lower body and the natural bend to use his long arms while winning the edge vs. offensive tackles. He has active hands to swat blockers' limbs, but his functional strength is a strong concern as he makes the jump to the FBS-level. Although he's played at a lower level of competition, Riddick shows excellent ball awareness with zero give up in his play style, showing not only All-Big 12 potential, but also intriguing NFL upside.
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With the 49ers needing some depth along their D-line in future seasons, the addition of Riddick could provide a solid upside without investing an early pick.
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Quandre Diggs, CB
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At 5'10" and 195 pounds, Texas cornerback Quandre Diggs obviously lacks the ideal size to play in an NFL defensive backfield.
Such is the reason why CBS Sports projects him no higher than a fifth-round pick.
But where Diggs doesn't fit the profile according to his size, he more than makes up for it thanks to his solid playmaking and ball-tracking skills.
Diggs made 47 solo tackles and posted three interceptions and two sacks in 2014. His efforts received some compliments from Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com, who wrote:
"A four-year starter, he has 36 career starts under his belt with excellent experience playing both inside and outside, often moving inside as the nickel corner on tape.
Diggs has good, not great, size and speed for the position and shows natural field and ball awareness, keeping his head on a swivel and his anticipating route combinations. ... [He] is arguably the top defensive back in the conference.
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San Francisco has gotten away with undersized corners before. While size is nice, the ability to track balls and be in the position to make plays trumps height in most situations.
The reason why adding a player like Diggs makes sense is the potential free-agent departures of cornerbacks Perrish Cox and Chris Culliver. Young defensive backs like Dontae Johnson, Jimmie Ward, Keith Reaser and Kenneth Acker are also in the mix, but adding some additional help to what was a depleted position in 2014 certainly wouldn't hurt.
Jordan Taylor, WR
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The 49ers will likely look to alleviate their needs at wide receiver in the draft's early rounds. But it isn't impossible that they'll add another wideout later in the draft when considering some of the question marks facing the team in coming seasons.
This opens up the possibility for a late-round wideout who offers a different skill set to what the 49ers hope to achieve on offense. While speed is a necessity for their primary receiving prospect, size could be another factor in drafting another.
San Francisco's red-zone offense was another aspect that struggled in 2014. Adding a 6'5", 210-pound wideout like Rice's Jordan Taylor in Round 5 or 6 might be an interesting approach.
Taylor posted 54 receptions for 842 yards and seven touchdowns in his senior season with the Owls. His total receiving yards ranked fourth in Conference USA, and that production could add some bulk to a position within the 49ers that will be seeking some long-term answers.
This tall-bodied prospect is projected as a late fifth- or early sixth-round selection by CBS Sports, which makes him a perfect target for one of San Francisco's three picks during those two rounds.
All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference and Sports-Reference unless otherwise indicated. Supplemental draft information courtesy of CBS Sports.
Peter Panacy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers. Be sure to check out his entire archive on 49ers news, insight and analysis.
Follow him @PeterPanacy on Twitter.
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