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| Not Drafting As Well? Or Too Much Depth? August 24 2002 By Bryan Hersh of 49ers Paradise THIS CONTENT IS COPYWRITED, REDISTRIBUTION OF IT (including copy/pasting it to a message board, forum or bbs) IS PROHIBITED AND COULD RESULT IN LEGAL ACTIONS - feel free to quote up to 1 paragraph providing a source link to http://www.49ersparadise.cjb.net is included Over the past few years, rookies drafted by the 49ers were virtually assured a spot on them team. Players like Ahmed Plummer, Jason Webster, John Keith, Andre Carter, Julian Peterson, John Engelberger, Jeff Ulbrich, Jamie Winborn, Chike Okeafor, Kevan Barlow, Paul Smith, the list is pretty much endless. This year, things are different. While the team expects Mike Rumph, Saleem Rasheed and Brandon Doman to make the team, the rest of the draft class is not guaranteed a roster spot. So if only three or four of the teams ten draft picks make the squad (add Eric Heitmann to the list after a good off-season), does that mean that the 49ers aren’t drafting as well, or does it mean it’s that much harder to make the team. Truth of the matter is, I think it’s a little of both. I don’t think the 49ers 2002 draft was as good as the past few seasons. I don’t understand the drafting of certain players at certain positions in certain rounds. Teddy Gaines of course is a perfect example. There are so many players ahead of Gaines on the depth chart, wouldn’t have made sense to go after a top kick returner instead? Take a chance on a receiver? At least at those positions the 49ers aren’t overloaded. Gaines of course is not the only players where these circumstances are present.
I do believe that rookies not making this year’s team though, has more to do with the amount of talented depth the 49ers have at all positions. How can one expect a fifth or sixth round draft pick to beat out a young players who has been with the team for a few years now and really understands the play book. Truth is, you can’t, and the 49ers are finally in a position where when they bring in a new player, he isn’t necessarily stronger than the guy already on the team.
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