San Francisco 49ers: Hoping for the No. 1 Pick or Something Close to It?

The last time the 49ers played this badly was during the 2004 season when the team went 2-14. What makes it more interesting is that only three players from the top receivers and rushers on that horrible 49ers team are still in the league. Those players are Arnaz Battle, Brandon Lloyd, and Maurice Hicks.

No one else is still in the league. This includes Kevan Barlow, Terry Jackson, Rashaun Woods, Cedrick Wilson, Curtis Conway, Jamal Robertson, Fred Beasley, Aaron Walker, and a few others. None of the quarterbacks on that team are in the league either, and those were Ken Dorsey, Cody Pickett, and Tim Rattay.

There are more players defensively that are still in the league from that 2004 team, and only two of them are still on the 49ers: Keith Lewis and Jeff Ulbrich. Still in the league are Julian Peterson, Jamie Winborn, John Engelberger, Andre Carter, Mike Adams, Derek Smith, Tony Brown, and Joselio Hanson. Although most of them are not major players in the league, it still goes to show that the 49ers are not keeping their talent.

Similarly to the 2004 team, the 2008 team has issues at quarterback. Shaun Hill did look decent least year, but like the team in 2004, the 2008 team doesn't have anyone proven at the QB position. This leads me to speculate that the team is looking forward to next year, and I mean having a good draft position. 

This leads me to believe they are interested in a few quarterback options. Now I'm not saying there's a guarantee of the top draft pick, but with the way the team is playing you would think it's a possibility. They surely will have a top-10 pick.

The issue is just like the 2005 draft; there aren't a lot of options at quarterback. Most of the really talented QBs in college right now are sophomores. Some have redshirted, but it doesn't necessarily mean they are going to declare for the draft.

Colt McCoy has already said that's he's staying at Texas. Sam Bradford is a redshirt sophomore, so there's no guarantee he'll put his name in the draft as well. Also, the position player that the 49ers would love to have in Michael Crabtree, a wide receiver from Texas Tech, is only a sophomore as well.

Alex Smith was the first quarterback picked in 2005. The next two quarterbacks weren't picked until the 24th pick, which was Aaron Rodgers, and the 25th pick, which was Jason Campbell. Both players are doing better than the injury-riddled Smith.

It doesn't seem like playing for a quarterback this year is going to pay off for the 49ers. They're better off going after someone on the defensive side. For example, look at what the 49ers have missed in the players drafted after Smith in the first round of 2005: DeMarcus Ware, Shawne Merriman, Adam "Pacman" Jones, Antrel Rolle, Fabian Washington, Luis Castillo, and Mike Patterson.