2010 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft: Round 1, Pick 17
by Dan Kadar on Mar 29, 2010 4:00 PM EDT
in SB Nation Writers Mock Draft
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PrintThe 2010 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft is underway, with each SB Nation blogger making selections for their respective teams. Fooch, lead blogger at SB Nation's San Francisco 49ers blog, Niners Nation, checks in to make the No. 17 overall selection in this year's mock. Take it away, sir!
With the No. 17 overall pick in the 2010 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft, the San Francisco 49ers have selected Brandon Graham, defensive end/outside linebacker, Michigan.
Fooch says: The 49ers developed a fairly solid pass rush last season, without even a particular standout player. The 49ers remain relatively young at the outside linebacker position and could use somebody to continue pushing Lawson, Haralson, and Brooks. Furthermore, with Manny Lawson up for free agency after this year and the team unsure of Ahmad Brooks long-term value, grabbing an outside linebacker would be a smart long-term decision.
A guy like Brandon Graham might be a bit of a gamble for the 3-4. He provides some very impressive pass rushing abilities, but he spent his college time as a defensive end. In doing some research, many folks seem to think he’d be best suited as a 4-3 defensive end. I made this pick in part because the previous picks didn’t seem to roll out like the 49ers might like.
If the 49ers grabbed Graham, he would get a shot to compete for playing time right from the start. However, given the success of the 3-headed monster that was Lawson-Brooks-Haralson, it would likely take Graham some time to crack the lineup. Of course, the 49ers go with 4 down linemen on third down passing situations, and given the 49ers struggles finding someone opposite Justin Smith, he could crack the lineup in that way.
Mocking Dan reacts: If a team thinks Graham can play linebacker, this is a great pickup. San Francisco has to keep adding pass rushers if it wants its 3-4 defense to succeed. Graham may not have a lot of upside, but he's productive and will be a great locker room presence.
Passing up Dez Bryant is somewhat questionable, only because he would give the offense another playmaker. But adding a very good front seven piece is critical for the 49ers in this draft.
Mocking the Draft's Top 5 remaining prospects: 1 - Dez Bryant/WR/Oklahoma State, 2 - Everson Griffen/DE/USC, 3 - Jermaine Gresham/TE/Oklahoma 4 - Anthony Davis/OT/Rutgers 5 - Sergio Kindle/OLB/Texas
Sound off, SB Nation! What say you of San Francisco's pick of Brandon Graham? Please be sure to check out Niners Nation for all of your 49ers needs.
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Could we get a list of who has been taken already?
Make it easier for the fan keeping track at home
I'm getting tired of saying this: Dick LeBeau’s system is so complex very few rookies can make an impact.
good pick.
I’m not sure of the the 49ers most pressing needs but I am very high on Graham, and being an Ohio State fan it pains me to say that he’s going to be very good. I don’t see bryant being a good fit here, they just drafted crabtree, they have vernon davis, if they feel they need a WR they could look in the 2nd or later and not have to pay as much.
As a causal Buckeye fan this makes me ecstatic
He’s no longer terrorizing backfields in college!
I'm getting tired of saying this: Dick LeBeau’s system is so complex very few rookies can make an impact.
I’m on the exact same page as you.
Also, he would be walking into a great situation here, just like Woodley. A great linebacker to learn from, a solid defense, and a good coach to teach him. Good pick for the Niners.
by Legoman0721 on Mar 31, 2010 3:44 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I see Graham in the same vein as Morgan
that is better suited for a 4-3 DE.
Either way, when this dude has the helmet on, he’s the 2nd best pass rusher in the draft, arguably he’s the best…..
DWTDD
I think he can play a 3-4. His style of play is very similar to that of Lamarr Woodley’s. He also had a similar skill set to woodley.
I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
He's also about 15-20lbs bigger then Woodley
DWTDD
by FreeBradshaw on Mar 30, 2010 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions
He was bigger? Lets see the combine sizes
Graham: 6’1.25’’ 268 lbs, 4.71 40 (1.61 10 yd split) 31 BP reps Arm Length: 32.25 in.
Woodley 6’2’’ 266 lbs, 4.74 40 (1.65 10 yd split) 29 BP reps 32.8 in.
Except for a little longer arms, they have very similar frams and skills…except grahams skills may be a bit better…he put up similar stats on a defense where he was one of the only stars…woodley played on a defense with David Harris and Alan Branch, both of whom were drafted in the 2nd round that year with Woodley…
I teach good life choices. That’s why I almost didn’t graduate High School.
When looking at this selection, This is the ultimate addition.
It’s a reach for DB’s and CB’s on the board, and if we take one later this pick can potentially look like an all star. Worked for the Steelers CB’s it can easily work for ours. Great selection, and I hope he is taken an played at OLB and proves everyone wrong.
He’ll be a dominant OLB or DE
Alex Smith is a product of poor coaching and poor management -Black Sand Ninja
Mixed opinions from the poll results
But I think it’s a pretty decent pick. I’d be pretty confident that Singletary could make this pick work.
Schmucks don't make it to the Pro Bowl... except Jason Peters!
by Run Thurmal Run! on Mar 30, 2010 12:59 AM EDT reply actions
I hope the Cardinals can get him...
Lifelong Arizona Cardinals/Chicago Bears fan.
I can't stand fair-weather/bandwagon fans, stick with your team, throughout the good and the bad.
Pretty good pick
I do like this pick. Graham has a great motor and seems to use his hands well enough to shed blockers, but I would rather see Iupati here and hope that one of the TCU guys (Hughes or Washington) falls to us in the second.
I’m just glad it wasn’t Dez Bryant… this isn’t Detroit, this is San Francisco; we don’t draft receivers in the first round every year.
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