San Francisco 49ers Draft Picks: Results, Analysis and Grades
General manager Trent Baalke and the San Francisco 49ers were looking to strike gold in the 2015 NFL draft.
The draft kicked off on Thursday, April 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET, and the 49ers started with nine picks with which to address a number of critical needs.
Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com ranked San Francisco's needs in the following order: inside linebacker, wide receiver, cornerback, defensive line and offensive line.
"Ranking top 5 #49ers draft needs (@MaioccoCSN) http://t.co/W4n0z9Re9c #49ersTalk #NFL #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/e9ZBtwUqzY
— Comcast SportsNet (@CSNAuthentic) April 28, 2015"
But would the 49ers address these needs in that order or will Baalke take the age-old plan of drafting the best player available?
Who would be San Francisco's first pick? As indicated by the team's official website, a sizable number of NFL draft experts have the 49ers grabbing Oregon defensive tackle Arik Armstead in Round 1.
It was possible that Baalke will execute one or more trades like he has done in the previous two seasons. He traded up for safety Eric Reid in 2013 and made a flurry of Day 2 deals in 2014.
San Francisco wound up meeting both of those expectations. Baalke traded down from No. 15 to No. 17 and added Armstead with the team's first pick. He then utilized Day 2 to land safety Jaquiski Tartt in Round 2 and defensive end Eli Harold in Round 3.
Stay tuned as the draft continues. Each of San Francisco's picks will be listed, analyzed and graded as they happen throughout the draft.
The Picks
1 of 11The 49ers started off the draft with nine picks. They finished with 10 after three moves by Trent Baalke—all of which are listed above.
Baalke traded down twice in the draft. The first came in Round 1 in an exchange with the San Diego Chargers that dropped San Francisco's first pick from No. 15 to No. 17. The 49ers picked up an additional fourth-round pick in this year's draft plus a pick in 2016.
The next trade-down took place in Round 5 and sent the 49ers' own pick to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for their fifth-round pick and a seventh-round selection.
San Francisco's final selection sent away a seventh-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for their Round 7 selection in 2016.
Two of these picks (Nos. 132 and 254) were compensatory and could not be traded.
Round 1, No. 17: DE Arik Armstead, Oregon
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General manager Trent Baalke elected to go with defensive end Arik Armstead out of Oregon after making the first trade of the 2015 NFL draft.
Wide receiver DeVante Parker was on the clock prior to San Francisco's initial pick at No. 15, but the Miami Dolphins swooped in for the grab. Perhaps this move gave Baalke the incentive to execute the two-spot trade with the San Diego Chargers.
"The 49ers have picked up an extra fourth-round pick as well as a fifth-rounder in 2016. By my count, Baalke now has 236 picks in 2016.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) May 1, 2015"
San Francisco then grabbed Armstead with pick No. 17.
He does fill a need along the defensive line, but his pedestrian numbers at Oregon force questions of whether or not he can reach his full potential.
Granted, we cannot ignore his 6'7", 292-pound frame. And, if he does emerge as a bona fide D-line threat, the 49ers will have their heir apparent to veteran defensive end Justin Smith.
The primary question will be whether or not head coach Jim Tomsula can whip him into shape.
San Francisco fans will hope he can. Otherwise, Armstead risks turning into a major draft bust.
Grade: C
Round 2, No. 14: SS Jaquiski Tartt, Samford
3 of 11After addressing D-line needs in Round 1, Trent Baalke picked up safety Jaquiski Tartt out of Samford.
Unlike San Francisco's first pick, Baalke did not execute a trade, which allowed the 49ers to grab Tartt.
"#49ers select Samford S Jaquiski Tartt w/ second-round pick (6-1, 220, 4.55 40-yard dash).
— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) May 2, 2015"
Tartt has an excellent body type for his position and boasts an aggressive demeanor, per Rob Rang of CBS Sports. And according to Pete Prisco of CBS Sports, Tartt is able to play solid against the run—a necessity in the NFC West.
The pick might be surprising, though. San Francisco already boasts safeties Antoine Bethea and Eric Reid. Defensive back Jimmie Ward is also capable of playing the position.
But the 30-year-old Bethea is aging, Reid has concussion problems, and Ward has yet to demonstrate his first-round prowess.
Tartt has a ton of potential, but the 49ers had other pressing needs.
Grade: C
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Round 3, No. 15: DE/OLB Eli Harold, Virginia
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After drafting defensive end Arik Armstead and safety Jaquiski Tartt, Trent Baalke tabbed defensive end Eli Harold out of Virginia.
San Francisco's first two picks had focused on the defense, and the third continued this trend.
"49ers go with OLB Eli Harold out of Virginia in the third round http://t.co/32HzJviJjf pic.twitter.com/LVQlyG10RS
— Niners Nation (@NinersNation) May 2, 2015"
Harold is 6'3" and 247 pounds. In three seasons at Virginia, Harold totaled 17.5 sacks and 36.5 tackles for a loss. While he might need to add a little more bulk to his frame, there is little doubt that Harold can rush the passer—reinforcing an element that had just 35 sacks a year ago.
The pick helps solidify a pass-rushing unit that has yet to get much out of third-year pro linebacker Corey Lemonier. It also adds insurance in case linebacker Aldon Smith leaves the team after a contract year in 2015.
Harold was also tabbed by CBSSports.com as a late first- or early second-round pick, which gives this selection in Round 3 plenty of value.
Grade: A-
Round 4, No. 18: TE Blake Bell, Oklahoma
5 of 11To start off the selections on Day 3 of the draft, Trent Baalke selected tight end Blake Bell out of Oklahoma.
"With the 117th pick in the #NFLDraft, the #49ers select TE Blake Bell from Oklahoma.
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 2, 2015"
Bell posted 214 receiving yards and four touchdowns during his senior year at Oklahoma. The 6'6", 252-pound prospect adds depth to a position that might have serious questions beyond 2015.
No. 1 tight end Vernon Davis enters a contract year this season and is coming off one of the poorest efforts of his pro career.
Backup tight end Vance McDonald has also emerged as little more than an injury-prone blocker and has yet to establish himself as a legitimate receiving target.
Yet, Bell was ranked as a fifth-round prospect, per CBSSports.com. Perhaps the 49ers jumped on the Oklahoma tight end a bit too early.
Grade: C+
Round 4, No. 27: RB Mike Davis, South Carolina
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The 49ers kept with their recent offensive trend in Round 4 and added South Carolina running back Mike Davis with their second pick of the round.
"With the 126th pick in the #NFLDraft, the #49ers select RB Mike Davis from South Carolina.
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 2, 2015"
Davis has excellent speed to "gain yardage in chunks," per Rob Rang of CBSSports.com. His 5'9", 217-pound frame also makes him a tough tackling assignment.
Drafting Davis makes a lot of sense, even if the 49ers have enough backs on their current roster. While No. 1 back Carlos Hyde is the future featured back, backups Kendall Hunter and Reggie Bush could easily be gone after 2015.
Davis adds a long-term element.
He may not see much of the field in the upcoming season, but the 49ers could slowly work him into the offense within the coming years.
Grade: B
Round 4, No. 33: WR DeAndre Smelter, Georgia Tech
7 of 11San Francisco waited until the end of Round 4 to add a wide receiver and took a flier on DeAndre Smelter out of Georgia Tech.
Smelter's 6'2" and 226-pound frame offers a large-bodied target for the 49ers offense. The 49ers could use such weapons to assist with their red-zone offense.
A torn ACL last November could hinder his chances to play in 2015. But Baalke has taken risks on injury-prone players before (guard Brandon Thomas, cornerback Keith Reaser and running back Marcus Lattimore), so this move makes some sense from Baalke's perspective.
If there is a downside to this selection, it's the likelihood that Smelter could have been taken in later rounds of the draft. CBSSports.com pegged him as a Round 7 prospect.
This drops the value of this pick somewhat, but Smelter is a good option for the 49ers even if they redshirt him for his rookie year.
If Smelter can reach his potential within a couple of seasons, this pick could be a steal.
Grade: B
Round 5, No. 29: P Bradley Pinion, Clemson
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Baalke executed yet another trade down in Round 5—sending off the 49ers' own fifth-round pick in exchange for the Indianapolis Colts' picks in Rounds 5 and 7, per Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee.
"The 49ers get Indy's pick in the fifth round (No. 165) as well as a pick in the seventh (No. 244). SF now has three 7th-round picks.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) May 2, 2015"
With the 29th pick in the round, San Francisco then drafted punter Bradley Pinion out of Clemson.
Pinion averaged 41.1 yards per punt in three collegiate seasons. The 6'5", 229-pound special teams prospect will likely compete with veteran punter Andy Lee entering the 2015 season.
Considering that Pinion was the first specialist taken in the draft, per Christian Gin of Examiner.com, it's feasible that San Francisco is considering a replacement for Lee at some point in the future.
Such a pick might be a stretch for Baalke and the 49ers front office. The fifth-round selection could have landed another prospect who would have suited more pressing needs.
Grade: D
Round 6, No. 14: OT Ian Silberman, Boston College
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Baalke's target in Round 6 wound up being offensive tackle Ian Silberman out of Boston College.
"With the 190th pick in the #NFLDraft, the #49ers select T Ian Silberman of Boston College. #49ersDraft
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 2, 2015"
The 49ers have depth at the interior positions along the offensive line. With the return of center Daniel Kilgore, O-lineman Marcus Martin will be able to shift to the left and enter a competition with second-year pro Brandon Thomas for the starting left guard spot.
But San Francisco is still weak at the exterior line positions behind tackles Joe Staley and Anthony Davis. While newly acquired guard Erik Pears can act as a swing tackle, added depth had to be seen as a need in the late rounds.
Silberman also has the flexibility to move inside to guard, per David Fucillo of Niners Nation. This could be a need depending on what happens with veteran guard Alex Boone this season and beyond. Boone enters a contract year in 2015.
The 6'5", 295-pound prospect at least gives the 49ers some long-term options depending on the starting formation of the O-line beyond this season.
Grade: C
Round 7, No. 27: OG Trenton Brown, Florida
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The 49ers boasted three picks in the final round of the draft, which gave Baalke the tools to take whatever available prospect had the most to offer.
In Baalke's view, offensive guard Trenton Brown out of Florida was that prospect.
At 6'8" and 355 pounds, Brown is a physical beast. It is hard to match his size at any level, which turns this selection into a worthwhile flier.
"#49ers go BIG: Florida OL Trenton Brown, a mere 6-8, 355
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) May 2, 2015"
The 49ers have already reinforced the offensive line in Round 6 by drafting tackle Ian Silberman. But the sheer size of Brown could wind up playing to his advantage down the road.
Brown doesn't have too much experience and had only 11 career starts, per Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com.
If the 49ers can develop his pro skills and turn him into a worthy backup, this late-round flier should be worthwhile.
Grade: B
Round 7, No. 37: TE Rory Anderson, South Carolina
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San Francisco dealt its second seventh-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys for a 2016 pick, which made the 37th pick in the round the final selection for the 49ers.
The 49ers then used their final pick of the 2015 NFL draft on South Carolina tight end Rory Anderson.
"With the 254th pick in the #NFLDraft, the #49ers select TE Rory Anderson of South Carolina. #49ersDraft
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 2, 2015"
At 6'5" and 244 pounds, Anderson is another big receiving target and the second tight end taken by the 49ers in this year's draft (Blake Bell in Round 4).
Selecting Bell and Anderson provides additional options for the 49ers as they head toward uncertainty at the tight end position. No. 1 tight end Vernon Davis is coming off a forgettable year and has only one season left on his current contract.
And backup tight end Vance McDonald is looking like more of a bust after two pro seasons.
With size in his favor, Anderson will look to compete for one of the depth spots at this position. At best, he could emerge as a worthy backup in blocking packages.
Grade: B-
All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com, unless otherwise indicated. Supplemental draft information courtesy of CBSSports.com.
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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