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Draft Preview: 49ers pick 27th
Posted: Tuesday March 23, 1999 02:40 PM
For the next 27 days, CNN/SI will offer a daily look at one pick from the 1999 draft, finishing with Cleveland. Check back for a new preview each day. Of all the "war rooms" around the league on draft day, the San Francisco 49ers' will probably bear the least resemblance to what it looked like last year. Dwight Clark followed Carmen Policy to the Cleveland Browns, along with several others in the front office, and player personnel director Vinny Cerrato is no longer with the team. Bill Walsh is back, however, as is former general manager John McVay -- the old braintrust that helped build the NFL's dominant team of the 1980s is out to get the 49ers back on track. The 49ers' first-round pick, the 27th overall, is the best card in San Francisco's hand right now. San Francisco has trimmed $30 million off its salary cap in the past two months, restructuring contracts and trading or releasing its older and more expensive players to usher in a new era -- or as they hope, a new version of a golden era in San Francisco. The 49ers have picked up a few low-round picks in trading away quarterback Ty Detmer and guard Kevin Gogan, but they sent their second-round pick to Denver before last season for disappointing tackle Jamie Brown. Walsh may package several lower picks to move up into the second round -- it's hard to imagine him content with just two picks on the first day of the draft. Best bets for No. 27 San Francisco's two most glaring weaknesses last year were offensive line and defensive backfield. The 49ers were so thin at tackle they pulled Kirk Scrafford out of retirement last year -- they need to pick up two tackles in the draft or off waiver wires. The oft-maligned 49er secondary has already seen Marquez Pope and Antonio Langham escorted to Cleveland -- last year's first-round pick, R.W. McQuarters, must show significant improvement next season. One wild card in the 49ers' equation is at quarterback -- Walsh doesn't seem interested in keeping third-year pro Jim Druckenmiller, who might be dealt for more picks. San Francisco doesn't have much to offer if they want to trade up, and by the 27th pick, five or six quarterbacks will be off the board. A mid-round steal like Kansas State's Michael Bishop or Tulane's Shaun King would be a good match if Walsh wants to find a potential heir to Steve Young in the draft.
It's hard to imagine San Francisco using their second straight first-round pick on a cornerback, and they could use the pick to bolster their pass rush, but it's not really that weak. The 49ers were second in the NFL last year with 51 sacks, and their rush defense was 10th in the league, allowing just 100.6 yards per game. It's not a glaring need, though San Francisco could use a big body in the middle to fill the void left by Dana Stubblefield a year ago. Luckily for the 49ers, their biggest need coincides with the draft's strongest position. Tackles like UCLA's Kris Farris, West Virginia's Solomon Page and Penn State's Floyd Wedderburn could still be available when the 49ers get their turn. Farris, last year's Outland Trophy winner, could step in as a starter at right tackle to stabilize a line that gave up 53 sacks last season. Let's commit to the 49ers selecting a tackle with this pick and pencil in Farris as their selection. Click here if you have a question or comment about the upcoming NFL Draft. We'll answer a few questions and publish selected comments once a week between now and April 17.
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