2015 Draft Sleepers Who'd Fit Perfectly with the San Francisco 49ers
Some of San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke’s best draft picks have been sleepers he picked in later rounds.
He picked outside linebacker Aaron Lynch in the fifth round last year. Lynch was the 49ers’ best pass-rusher last season, and he is the heir apparent to Aldon Smith if Smith signs with another team in the offseason next year.
Baalke also drafted defensive end Quinton Dial and center Daniel Kilgore in Round 5. Kilgore is the Niners’ starting center, and Dial is first in line to replace Ray McDonald as the Niners' starting 5-technique.
Baalke’s best pick ever might have been fullback Bruce Miller. He was a defensive end in college, and Baalke got him in Round 7. Somehow, Baalke identified in Miller the traits to become an elite fullback. That’s exactly what Miller became.
Baalke has a knack for finding sleepers. Here are five he might consider picking in the upcoming draft.
Justin Hardy, WR, East Carolina
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The 49ers might be able to find a replacement for wide receiver Anquan Boldin in Round 4.
Boldin is an all-time great receiver, but he’s limited. He’s a situational threat, not a deep threat nor a threat to convert a third-and-long—he’s too slow. But he’s one of the best third-and-medium receivers in the NFL, especially when he lines up in the slot.
Boldin is a possession receiver. He keeps the chains moving, makes tough catches over the middle, knows the open areas in zone coverage and has huge hands and terrific body control to twist and turn for poorly thrown passes.
Former East Carolina wide receiver Justin Hardy has those qualities. He’s one of the best possession receivers in the draft.
He will fall to Round 4 because he might be too short (5’10”) and slow (4.56-second 40-yard dash) to play outside in the NFL. But he will be a go-to slot receiver on third-and-medium, just like Boldin.
Marcus Hardison, DT, Arizona State
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If the 49ers believed that Tank Carradine could replace Justin Smith at defensive tackle, they wouldn’t have signed Darnell Dockett.
The Niners spent a second-round pick on Carradine in 2013 even though he tore his ACL a few months prior to the draft. The Niners clearly hoped that he could replace Smith in a couple of years and that the injury wouldn’t affect Carradine long term.
A couple of years have passed, and Carradine still hasn’t regained the explosiveness he had in college. He is not a viable replacement for Smith at this time. Carradine might never be a viable replacement.
Dockett is a short-term replacement. He turns 34 in May and is under contract for only two seasons. The Niners need another defensive tackle.
They should check out former Arizona State defensive tackle Marcus Hardison. He’s a lot like Carradine, minus the surgically repaired knee.
Both Hardison and Carradine played two seasons of junior college football before playing two seasons of Division I football. And both of them dominated as seniors—Carradine had 11 sacks and 13 tackles for losses in 2012; Hardison had 10 sacks and 15 tackles for losses in 2014.
Hardison didn’t play much during his junior season, so teams might think he’s a one-year wonder. He should be available in Round 4.
Craig Mager, CB, Texas State
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When it comes to drafting cornerbacks, Baalke seems to value physical attributes over college production.
In other words, Baalke doesn’t seem interested in the hot cornerback prospects that draft experts expect teams to select in Round 1 or Round 2. Baalke has never drafted an outside corner before Round 3. Baalke trusts his coaches to develop good athletes into good cornerbacks.
Former Texas State cornerback Craig Mager is one of the most athletic corners in the draft. Compare him to Indianapolis Colts cornerback Vontae Davis, one of the best corners in the NFL and a first-round pick in 2009.
Mager: 5’11”, 201 pounds, 4.44-second 40-yard dash, 38-inch vertical leap, 130-inch broad jump, 6.83-second three-cone drill, 4.07-second 20-yard shuttle, 17 reps on the bench, 29 ¾-inch arms, 9 ¼-inch hands.
Davis: 5’11”, 203 pounds, 4.40-second 40-yard dash, 36-inch vertical leap, 125-inch broad jump, 6.74-second three-cone drill, 4.07-second 20-yard shuttle, 25 reps on the bench, 30-inch arms, 9 ¼-inch hands.
Mager clearly has the athleticism of a first- or second-round pick, but he needs a season to develop his technique. He probably can’t start right away. He should be available in Round 5.
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Mario Alford, WR, West Virginia
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Former West Virginia wide receiver Tavon Austin ruined Mario Alford’s draft stock.
Austin was the eighth pick in 2013. He was one of the most athletic players in that draft. Alford might be even more athletic than Austin is.
Alford: 5’8 ½", 180 pounds, 4.27-second 40-yard dash, 34-inch vertical leap, 121-inch broad jump, 6.64-second three-cone drill, 4.07-second 20-yard shuttle, 13 reps on the bench, 31 ¼-inch arms, 9 ⅜-inch hands.
Austin: 5’8 ½", 174 pounds, 4.34-second 40-yard dash, 32-inch vertical leap, 120-inch broad jump, N/A three-cone drill (didn’t participate), 4.01-second 20-yard shuttle, 14 reps on the bench, 30-inch arms, 9 ⅛-inch hands.
If Austin had success during the first two seasons of his career, teams might be more interested in Alford. But Austin has been a disappointment—the St. Louis Rams still haven’t figured out how to use him. And now, teams seem to be hesitant to draft another small receiver from West Virginia.
Draft experts expect teams to wait until Round 6 or Round 7 to take Alford. If the Niners take him, he will be the fastest player on the team. He can return kicks and compete to be the No. 3 receiver. He will be a late-round steal.
Bryan Bennett, QB, Southeastern Louisiana
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Former Southeastern Louisiana quarterback Bryan Bennett is another victim of bad timing.
If he had entered last year’s draft, some team might have taken him in the middle rounds. His playing style is similar to Johnny Manziel’s, who was a first-round pick last year. Both quarterbacks are quick athletes who ran spread offenses in college.
Manziel flopped in his rookie season. His passer rating was 42. Now, teams seem disinterested in quarterbacks who come from spread offenses—quarterbacks like Manziel and Bennett.
Manziel might never succeed in the NFL, but Bennett has a chance to be special.
Bennett is a better prospect than Manziel was. Bennett has a stronger arm, and he isn’t afraid to stand in the pocket—Manziel scrambles before he should.
Bennett also made difficult downfield throws into tight windows in college. Manziel didn’t. Manziel threw passes in the general vicinity of all-world wide receiver Mike Evans, who caught practically everything. He made Manziel look better than he was.
Bennett never played with an all-world wide receiver. He had to throw precise passes, or they would be incomplete.
Despite all of his good qualities, Bennett might not get drafted. His style of play is out of fashion. But the Niners need an athletic quarterback. If Colin Kaepernick gets hurt, Bennett can run the same plays Kaepernick runs.
The Niners should sign Bennett as an undrafted free agent. With good coaching, in a few years he could become one of the best quarterbacks from this draft.
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