Identifying the Ideal Fit at Each Position of Need for San Francisco 49ers

With the 2015 NFL draft finally upon us, San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke will have finalized his draft board and will be ready to select the players he believes are capable of helping a team looking to rebound following a disappointing 2014 season. 

The Niners have a number of needs on both sides of the ball and, even at this late stage, there is no real telling in what direction Baalke will go with the No. 15 pick. San Francisco still needs a wide receiver and could use help on both sides of the trenches, as well as at linebacker and in the secondary.

With so many issues to address, Baalke is in a position where he can select the best player available with each of the team's nine selections in this year's draft.

But who are the players most capable of filling those needs? Here I break down the players who best fit the Niners scheme and the mould that Baalke has favoured in previous drafts. The following players are also most likely to be available at San Francisco's spot in the middle of the first round.

Wide Receiver: DeVante Parker

Despite the addition of Torrey Smith in free agency, the 49ers still have a clear need at the wide receiver position. The departures of Stevie Johnson, Michael Crabtree and Brandon Lloyd have left Bruce Ellington, Quinton Patton and Jerome Simpson (another free-agent acquisition) as the only wideouts beyond the expected starting duo.

Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com reported that Baalke will not be pressured into drafting a wide receiver, but should Louisville's DeVante Parker still be in play when it gets close to the Niners' turn to pick, then they will have to consider a player who is a perfect fit to become a future No. 1 receiver in the San Francisco offense.

In Smith, the Niners have signed someone who can stretch the field as a deep threat to play across from a receiver in Anquan Boldin, who excels underneath and in contested catches. Parker can win in both those areas. He is not a burner, but he uses his quick feet off the line to gain a step on the receiver.

Parker also tracks the ball well on deep routes and has the size (6'3", 209 lbs), leaping ability and body control to make the tough, contested grabs.

Parker has an impressive catch radius and, according to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, had just three drops since 2012 and was productive in producing yards after the reception on underneath routes.

The main concern surrounding Parker is his lack of experience against press coverage. However, physicality against NFL corners is something he could pick up from a seasoned veteran like Boldin.

Also, with Amari Cooper and Kevin White likely to be gone in the top 10, Parker is the guy who should be at the top of the Niners' board and a player they must consider moving up a few spots for if he is in play toward the middle of the first round.

Tight End: Maxx Williams

After getting nothing from Vernon Davis in 2014, there is doubt over how long the 49ers' starting tight end, who is a free agent in 2016, will remain with the team.

Unless Davis puts up spectacular numbers in 2015, then it is fair to assume the Niners will allow the 31-year-old to test the market. Baalke drafted running back Frank Gore's replacement last year in Carlos Hyde, and there is a good chance he could move to bring in Davis' successor in this year's draft. 

Should he look to do so, then the best option is undoubtedly Maxx Williams of the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Williams caught 36 balls for 569 yards and eight touchdowns in his final collegiate season. He did so while showcasing many of the same traits that have made Davis a success for much of his career.

Although Williams does not possess the same explosion that Davis does—or once did, depending on your point of view—he wins with consistent displays of superb athleticism.

Williams demonstrates the body control and leaping ability to make incredible grabs, and he is able to beat linebackers and safeties for speed and can overpower and hurdle defenders once he gets the ball in open space.

Williams, at 6'4" and 249 pounds, is a significant red-zone threat and has shown versatility by lining up in-line and in the slot. He does not excel in generating any sort of push as a run-blocker, but in terms of a pure passing threat, there is not a better tight end in the class.

San Francisco obviously has more pressing needs than tight end, but with Williams potentially available in the second round, do not rule out the Niners taking a player who is the ideal fit to take over the mantle from Davis.

Offensive Line: La'el Collins

San Francisco's offensive line had long been one of its strengths prior to the 2014 season, but a year in which Colin Kaepernick was sacked 52 times and an offseason that has seen the Niners lose guard Mike Iupati in free agency may have changed that impression.

The Niners have Brandon Thomas, Marcus Martin and Joe Looney to compete for the left guard spot vacated by Iupati, yet for a team that has made no secret of its desire to run the football, it is impossible to rule out drafting an offensive lineman early.

If the 49ers are considering an O-lineman in the first round, then LSU's La'el Collins should be right at the top of their board. Collins played 13 games at guard in his sophomore season before transitioning to left tackle, where he performed superbly, earning second-team All-American honors in 2014.

Extremely aggressive in his play, Collins has the strong hands and length to completely stone pass-rushers and has also proven himself to be an intimidating presence in the run game. A tendency to fall forward when run blocking is something of an issue, as is his disappointing change-of-direction skills.

However, Collins is a player who can immediately come in and play at the left guard spot while also providing insurance against injury with his experience at tackle.

If the Niners want to find an instant starter on the O-line who can give them more depth and flexibility up front, then Collins should be their man.

Defensive Line: Arik Armstead

Oregon defensive lineman Arik Armstead has been a consensus pick for the 49ers at No. 15 in mock drafts. According to B/R's Matt Miller, Armstead will be their first-round choice if he is still on the board when they are on the clock in Chicago.

The fact that Armstead has been linked with the Niners should come as no surprise given his athletic makeup. A huge physical specimen at 6'7" and 292 pounds, Armstead is a perfect fit to play on San Francisco's defensive front as a 3-4 end, and he uses his massive frame to good effect.

Armstead explodes into blockers with good pad level, utilizing his strength and powerful hands to drive opponents back while also proving capable of stacking and shedding against the run. With his combination of size and strength, Armstead is likely to draw plenty of double-teams at the next level.

However, due to his limited production as a pass-rusher—four sacks in three seasons—there are bound to be questions over whether Armstead can be honed from a player with undoubted raw talent to a consistent and productive NFL D-lineman.

Armstead, playing under a former D-line coach in Jim Tomsula and alongside experienced players such as Darnell Dockett, Glenn Dorsey and potentially Justin Smith, would be heading into a great environment in San Francisco in which to develop.

This is a fit in every sense of the word, and it would make perfect sense for the Niners to make those mock draft predictions a reality and draft a long-term replacement for the 14-year veteran Smith whenever he does decide to call it a career.

Inside Linebacker: Stephone Anthony

Following the retirements of Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, the 49ers are in need of help at the inside linebacker position. The returning NaVorro Bowman would be partnered with Michael Wilhoite in San Francisco's 3-4, but that may not be a tantalizing prospect for many Niner fans who watched Wilhoite's performance last year, which saw him earn a -5.1 grade from Pro Football Focus.

Even if Wilhoite were to start in 2015, he is only a stop-gap. The Niners require another inside linebacker who can help out long term and is of a similar mould to Bowman and Willis. Clemson's Stephone Anthony is one such player.

The 6'3", 243-pound Anthony is athletically gifted and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds at the combine. That speed shows up on film, with Anthony demonstrating the ability to get downhill and make plays against the run and the pass as a blitzer, while also proving effective in chasing to the sideline in pursuit.

With his quickness and impressive lateral movement, Anthony's ability to cover tight ends and running backs would be highly valued by a 49ers team that has long been able to rely on Willis and Bowman in coverage and saw a drop-off in that area when Borland and Wilhoite were called upon last year.

Anthony does need to make some strides in his reading of the game in terms of diagnosing the play before attacking the ball, and he could also benefit from using his hands better when taking on blockers.

However, he has the raw traits to be a starting linebacker in the NFL and would be the perfect partner for Bowman to mentor and solidify a defense that has taken a lot of hits this offseason.

Edge-Rusher: Randy Gregory

You can never have enough pass-rushers, and for a team that had just 36 sacks last season, that statement carries extra weight for the 49ers going into 2015.

San Francisco has Aldon Smith and Aaron Lynch to carry some of the burden in the coming campaign, but with Ahmad Brooks' disappointing 2014 season and possibly a candidate to move to inside linebacker, along with the team getting little out of Corey Lemonier, it certainly would not be a shock for the Niners to go in this direction early.

Nebraska's Randy Gregory compares well to the Niners' leading edge-rusher Smith. With a lean and lanky frame far more suited to playing outside linebacker in San Francisco's 3-4 than defensive end in the 4-3 run by the Cornhuskers, Gregory displays excellent explosion off the snap, possesses good closing speed and delivers a pop on contact.

Extremely active with his hands, Gregory is an all-effort player but can be stymied by blockers due to his 6'5", 235-pound frame, which he could stand to add weight to in order to be a success at the NFL level. There will also be concerns surrounding his failed drug test at the combine.

Gregory's positive test for marijuana will make him a tough sell to a 49ers organization that has had to deal with its fair share of off-the-field issues involving Smith and others. Still, that should not stop Gregory, who had 17.5 sacks in 24 college games, from being near the top of the board for a team keen to find more avenues of generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Cornerback: Jalen Collins

It is not out of the question that the Niners take two LSU players named Collins in the draft, as cornerback Jalen Collins, like his namesake La'el, has the talent to be a success at the NFL level.

Where Collins is taken will likely depend on how teams view his character following revelations from NFL Media's Albert Breer that he failed multiple drug tests during his college days.

Having held an official visit with Collins, per Fox Sports' Mike Garafolo (h/t David Fucillo of Niners Nation), the Niners are aware of his indiscretions and, as with Gregory, will have to think hard over whether he is worth the risk.

Collins had been viewed as a potential late first-rounder before the news about his failed tests. Should he fall into the second, then it will be interesting to see whether Baalke strikes to pick up a player who meets many of his preferred criteria for corners.

At 6'1" and 203 pounds, Collins has excellent size and length with surprising speed to go with it. According to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, Collins allowed only 35 percent of passes thrown his way to be completed, a statistic that is not overly surprising given his overall skill set.

A corner who excels in press coverage, Collins is aggressive and uses his hands effectively to disrupt routes and narrow the opposing quarterback's throwing window. He also regularly gets a great drive on the ball due to his proficiency in changing direction, and he has the leaping ability to climb the ladder to bat down passes.

With just three interceptions in three seasons, Collins could certainly stand to improve his ball skills. He comes into the league with limited experience, having made just 10 starts in his career. Yet his addition would be a welcome one to a 49ers secondary that lost Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox in the offseason. 

San Francisco still has good corners in Tramaine Brock and Dontae Johnson, who are likely to make up the starting pair in 2015. Bringing in Collins would give the Niners a player with the tools to immediately compete with that duo and perhaps develop into a strong starter in the pros.

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