Niners add Ellington, three corners on final day of draft

So that's it, the 2014 NFL Draft is in the books, and the San Francisco 49ers have added a total of 12 players to their roster.

Seven of those players were drafted on the final day of the proceedings in New York. Here is a rundown of the players San Francisco selected in the last four rounds.

4(106). Bruce Ellington, wide receiver, South Carolina
4(129). Dontae Johnson, cornerback, North Carolina State
5(150). Aaron Lynch, defensive end/outside linebacker, South Florida
5(170). Keith Reaser, cornerback, Florida Atlantic
6(180). Kenneth Acker, cornerback, Southern Methodist
7(243). Kaleb Ramsey, defensive end, Boston College
7(245). Trey Millard, fullback, Oklahoma

After deciding not to select a cornerback in the first three rounds, San Francisco boosted their secondary with a trio of players at the position.

NC State's Dontae Johnson is a tall corner with good straight line speed and athleticism and should be able to compete for playing time in his rookie season.

Keith Reaser, by contrast, is likely to be redshirted in his first year after tearing his ACL last October and undergoing two separate surgeries to try and remedy the problem. However, when he does return Reaser may bring speed to the secondary, having reportedly ran the 40-yard dash in 4.3seconds last year.

Kenneth Acker projects as more of a special teams contributor should he make the roster, while Kaleb Ramsey and Trey Millard may also sit out their opening years due to troubling injury histories.

Aaron Lynch, who dropped down the board because of character concerns, does not have the size to play as a 3-4 defensive end so should operate as an outside linebacker in the 49ers' system.

The premier pick of day three is that of Bruce Ellington, a player that represents excellent value in the fourth round after a strong final year with South Carolina, and may be able to give San Francisco the deep threat fans have been clamouring for.

A full draft wrap and more detailed analysis on every player the 49ers drafted will be available soon, but now it's time for me to some rest!

Recapping the 2nd and 3rd round: Trades aplenty as Niners add five new players

After taking safety Jimmie Ward in the first round of the draft, the 49ers set the tone for the second day of the draft by trading to acquire Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson.

San Francisco sent a conditional 2015 fourth-round pick to Buffalo to secure the services of the supremely talented Johnson, who adds further experience to a receiving corps that already features Anquan Boldin, Michael Crabtree and Brandon Lloyd.

The move to get Johnson proved to be the first of many, many trades made by general manager Trent Baalke, who used San Francisco's five picks on day two to move up and down the board at will and acquire a 2015 fourth-rounder to replace the one they lost to pick up Johnson.

Here is a quick recap of what the 49ers did on day two:

Trades

1. Traded No. 56 and No. 242 to Denver Broncos for No. 63, No. 171, 2015 4th round pick
2. Traded No. 63 No. 171 to Miami Dolphins for No. 57
3. Traded No 61 to Jacksonville Jaguars for No. 70, No. 150
4. Traded No. 94 to Cleveland Browns for No. 106, No. 180

Picks

1. Second round: Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State
2. Third round: Marcus Martin, C/OG, USC
3. Third round: Chris Borland, ILB, Wisconsin
4. Third round: Brandon Thomas, OG, Clemson

Remaining selections

Fourth round: Browns (draft day trade) - No. 6 (No. 106 overall)
Fourth round: own - No. 29 (No. 129 overall)
Fifth round: Jaguars (draft day trade) - No. 10 (No. 150 overall)
Fifth round: own - No. 30 (No. 170 overall)
Sixth round: Browns (draft day trade) - No. 4 (No. 180 overall)
Seventh round: Panthers (Colin Jones trade) - No. 28 (No. 243 overall)
Seventh round: own - No. 30 - (No. 245 overall)

Impact

The pick that stands out is the one of Carlos Hyde. Few expected San Francisco to take a running-back, much less one of the top players at the position in the draft.

With Hyde's arrival the 49ers now have five running-backs on their depth chart, that is assuming that Jewel Hampton does not make the cut.

Frank Gore will obviously still be the starter in 2014, but the 49ers' all-time leading rusher is approaching the end of his career and is a free agent in 2015.

Kendall Hunter has been a more than serviceable back-up, while LaMichael James' lack of playing time has long been a mystery to outside observers.

The presence of Hyde will further the speculation surrounding James' future, however, he was solid as a kick-returner last season and still has the raw speed to make an impact.

In my mind the most likely scenario is that Hunter finds himself as the odd man out with Hyde and Marcus Lattimore - who looks set to feature after recovering from a severe knee injury that kept him on the sidelines for all of his rookie season - working as a one-two punch once the Gore era eventually comes to an end.

USC's Marcus Martin will compete with Daniel Kilgore at the Center spot, while Brandon Thomas, who tore his ACL during the pre-draft process, is poised to sit out his rookie season.

Once Thomas returns, though, he is a potential replacement for Mike Iupati when his contract expires at he end of the 2014 season.

Meanwhile, Chris Borland - a first team All-American and Big Ten defensive player of the year in 2013 - should provide high quality insurance in the absence of injured All-Pro NaVorro Bowman and compete with Michael Wilhoite for playing time next to Patrick Willis.

I will have more detailed profiles on every 49ers draftee later on but for now that is all from me. Enjoy the final day of the draft!

Profile: Jimmie Ward

The 49ers made their first-round selection in the 2014 NFL Draft overnight on Thursday, and once again general manager Trent Baalke surprised everyone.

Many expected the Niners to use the considerable amount of selections they possess to move up to a better spot in the first round. That did not happen, but the bigger shock was the player San Francisco chose to select with pick No. 30.

Baalke opted to go with Northern Illinois safety Jimmie Ward, a move that initially raised eyebrows among fans that had eagerly awaited the announcement of the 49ers' pick.

However, Ward put together an extremely impressive collegiate career, and there are a number of reasons why the 49ers opted to take him with their first choice. Here is a quick profile on San Francisco's newest recruit.

Size: 5'11", 192lbs

Collegiate Statistics (courtesy of Sports Reference)

A third-team All-American in 2013, Ward enjoyed an outstanding final year with the Huskies, recording 95 tackles and seven interceptions with one returned for a touchdown.

Despite his outstanding production, the Niners' decision to select him looks an odd one on the face of things, especially considering that San Francisco brought in Antoine Bethea to replace the departed Donte Whitner in free agency.

Yet this is a versatile and talented playmaker who projects as a good fit for a 49ers' defense in need of help in the secondary.

And it is that versatility that played a big role in San Francisco's move to bring Ward to the Bay Area.

Ward operated primarily as a strong safety in college, but spent a substantial amount of time at nickel cornerback, which was an area of need for the 49ers heading into the draft following the exits of Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed that Ward will compete with EricWright and Perrish Cox for the nickel spot while they develop him at safety, meaning that he will have the opportunity to contribute right away.

A violent hitter with good speed and strong coverage skills, Ward has the ability to mature into an excellent NFL safety while giving San Francisco added depth and versatility in the secondary. Some may be underwhelmed, but this is another smart and perhaps underrated pick by the 49ers.

San Francisco 49ers Draft Preview

So here we are, the long arduous wait for the NFL Draft is finally over. All the talking will soon stop and we will finally know the players that are become new members of the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers have 11 picks in the draft, with six of those coming in the top 100.

Here is a quick rundown of the selections San Francisco possesses:

1. First round: own - No. 30
2. Second round: Chiefs (Alex Smith trade) - No. 24 (No. 56 overall)
3. Second round: own - No. 29 (No. 61 overall)
4. Third round: Titans (2013 draft trade) - No. 13 (No. 77 overall)
5. Third round: own - No. 30 (No. 94 overall)
6. Third round: Comp for Dashon Goldson FA departure - No. 36 (No. 100 overall)
7. Fourth round: own - No. 29 (No. 129 overall)
8. Fifth round: own - No. 30 (No. 170 overall)
9. Seventh round: Saints (Parys Haralson trade) - No. 27 (No. 242 overall)
10. Seventh round: Panthers (Colin Jones trade) - No. 28 (No. 243 overall)
11. Seventh round: own - No. 30 - (No. 245 overall)

San Francisco undoubtedly have one of the best rosters in the NFL, but there can be no doubt that there are still a number of holes that need to be addressed by general manager Trent Baalke. Here I break down the 49ers' requirements in the draft, rank the top players in each of those areas and make my first foray into the world of mock drafts. Enjoy!

The needs

First let's start with the holes the 49ers will be looking to fill in the draft.

Cornerback: Arguably San Francisco's greatest area of need following the departures of Tarell Brown and Carlos Rogers, it would be a big surprise if the 49ers did not draft a corner early in the draft, especially considering the uncertainty over Chris Culliver's future given his off-the-field indiscretions.

Providing that Culliver - who is slated to be the starter alongside Tramaine Brock in 2014 - is able to play next season, then the 49ers will most likely be searching for a nickel corner in the draft.

There a few outstanding candidates for that position, but do not be surprised San Francisco choose to bring in two quality player in an area where their depth has been significantly reduced.

Wide Receiver: The 49ers may have brought in veteran Brandon Lloyd, but the fact remains that they need to add another dimension to their passing attack, either with a speed receiver to stretch the field, or a big body to aid an often ineffective red-zone offense.

Luckily this is one of the deepest receiver classes for years, meaning that San Francisco should have plenty of opportunities to give quarterback Colin Kaepernick an extra weapon to work with.

Defensive Line: San Francisco possess arguably one of the best defensive lines in football, but this is an ageing unit that could be well served by an injection of youth.

Veteran Justin Smith is 34, while Ray McDonald has only two years remaining on his contract. And, while the presence of 2013 second-round pick Tank Carradine - who missed the entirety of last season through injury - will help, the D-Line could certainly benefit from some extra depth.

Quarterback: Kaepernick is set for a contract extension, while Blaine Gabbert is seemingly locked into the back-up spot behind the Niners' premier signal-caller. However San Francisco does not have a clear number three QB and could be tempted to add one in the later rounds and give head coach Jim Harbaugh another project to work with.

Offensive Line: The 49ers signed Daniel Kilgore to an extension in the off-season, and he is likely to replace Jonathan Goodwin at center, however, it certainly could not hurt to infuse a little competition at the position.

NFL teams always like to have much depth as possible in the trenches, so expect the Niners to bolster the offensive line on day two or three.

Linebacker: With Aldon Smith facing a potential suspension from the NFL, and NaVorro Bowman set to miss much of the campaign as he recovers from the knee ligament injury sustained in the NFC Championship game loss to Seattle, the Niners could look for help at both inside and outside linebacker to help solidify an outstanding defense that may have a few extra holes in 2014.

Rankings

So now we've established the needs the 49ers need to address, but which players should they be targeting at those position. Here I've ranked my top 10 players at cornerback and receiver and outlined some players to watch at the other, perhaps less important needs.

Cornerback

1 Darqueze Dennard  - Michigan State
2 Kyle Fuller - Virginia Tech
3 Jason Verrett - TCU
4 Justin Gilbert - Oklahoma State
5 Bradley Roby - Ohio State
6 Phillip Gaines - Rice
7 Pierre Desir - Lindenwood
8 Stanley Jean-Baptiste - Nebraska
9 Jaylen Watkins - Florida
10 Marcus Roberson - Florida

Selcted others to watch: Lamarcus Joyner - Florida State, Bashaud Breeland - Clemson, Keith McGill - Utah

Wide Receiver

1 Sammy Watkins - Clemson
2 Mike Evans - Texas A&M
3 Odell Beckham Jr. - LSU
4 Marqise Lee - USC
5 Brandin Cooks - Oregon State
6 Cody Latimer - Indiana
7 Allen Robinson - Penn State
8 Kelvin Benjamin - Florida State
9 Bruce Ellington - South Carolina
10 Martavis Bryant - Clemson

Selected others to watch: Jordan Matthews - Vanderbilt, Donte Moncrief - Ole Miss, Davante Adams - Fresno State, Jared Abbrederis - Wisconsin

Players to watch at other positions

Quarterback

Jimmy Garoppolo - Eastern Illinois
Aaron Murray - Georgia
Logan Thomas - Virginia Tech
David Fales - San Jose State
Tajh Boyd - Clemson

Defensive End/Outside Linebacker

Demarcus Lawrence - Boise State
Marcus Smith - Louisville
Scott Chricton - Oregon State
Taylor Hart - Oregon
Josh Mauro - Stanford

Others

Shayne Skov - ILB, Stanford
Weston Richburg - C, Colorado State
Travis Swanson - C, Arkansas
Dri Archer RB/WR, Kent State

Those are just a selection of the players that the 49ers could be targeting in what is viewed as one of the best draft classes in years.

In my final pre-draft piece for Bleacher Report, I have tipped the 49ers to trade up and select LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in the first round, that piece can be found here.

But with the draft less than two hours away, I've prepared a three-round mock without trades specifically for this blog, here goes:

1. First round (No. 30 overall): Allen Robinson - WR, Penn State
2. Second round (No. 56 overall): Phillip Gaines - CB, Rice
3. Second round (No. 61 overall): Marcus Smith - DE/OLB, Louisville
4. Third round (No. 77 overall) - Weston Richburg - C, Colorado State
5. Third round (No. 94 overall) - Dri Archer - RB/WR, Kent State
6. Third round (No. 100 overall) - Bashaud Breeland - CB, Clemson

But this is all just guess work, and after all the speculation and chatter, there is nothing left to do but enjoy the draft!

Captioning the off-season madness

Since my last update on the 49ers' off-season, things have gotten a little crazy out by the Bay, with off-the-field indiscretions taking centre stage.

So much has happened that it can be difficult to keep track so, with that in mind, here is a quick recap of the bizarre events that have seen the Niners make the headlines for the wrong reasons:

• Cornerback Chris Culliver received a misdemeanour hit-and-run charges and felony charge of possession of brass knuckles following an incident with a cyclist on March 28
• Quarterback Colin Kaepernick has become part of an investigation into a "suspicious incident" involving himself wide receiver Quinton Patton, the Seattle Seahawks' Ricardo Lockette and a 25-year-old woman at a Miami hotel last month
• Outside linebacker Aldon Smith was charged with the false report of a bomb threat at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in April.

The 49ers have had a lot to deal with this off-season, and have done so in different ways, they have been quiet on the situation involving Culliver - who has denied the charges against him - but have shown full support to both Kaepernick and Smith. 

Indeed, San Francisco opted to pick up a fifth-year option on Smith's contract last Friday, despite the incident at LAX and the felony gun and DUI charges against him from previous indiscretions, a decision that will keep the pass-rush specialist signed through the 2015 season. 

Smith could be set for a suspension from the NFL as a result of his antics, however, by picking up the option on his deal, the 49ers have shown that they have long-term faith in the 2011 first-round pick.

As for Kaepernick, the investigation against him isn't a criminal one, and the details over what actually happened remain sketchy, although it now seems clear - as you can ascertain from this wonderful timeline of events from Bleacher Report - that the 49ers' signal-caller did little, if anything wrong.

The 49ers have put talks over a contract extension on hold out of respect for the investigation, but with head coach Jim Harbaugh giving his public backing to Kaepernick, it seems likely that this one will quickly blow over and that San Francisco will reach a new multi-year deal with the 2011 second-round selection.

Now time to switch the focus over to actual normal off-season stuff we're meant to be talking about.

Since I last posted a detailed blog post the following roster moves have happened:

• Fullback Bruce Miller signed to a three-year contract extension
• Receiver Kassim Osgood re-signed to a one-year deal
• Cornerback Perrish Cox re-signed to a one-year deal
• Linebacker Michael Wilhoite and defensive lineman Demarcus Dobbs both signed restricted free-agent tenders
• Brandon Lloyd signed on a one-year contract

The majority of these moves are no surprise. Miller has been an important and perhaps underrated part of the 49ers' offense and is very much deserving of an extension, while Osgood performed magnificently on special teams.

Wilhoite, who could start in the absence of the injured NaVorro Bowman at inside linebacker, was an exclusive rights free agent and had no real choice other than to sign tender.

Dobbs provided useful depth to the defensive line last season, however, it is debatable whether he will even make the roster.

Cox impressed during the play-offs and, given his familiarity with the 49ers' system and the issues surrounding Culliver, the decision to bring him back looks to be an astute one.

But undoubtedly the most surprising move the 49ers have made during the off-season is the one to bring back receiver Brandon Lloyd for a second spell.

Lloyd sat out the 2013 season after being released by the New England Patriots but, despite being 32 years of age, is not much of a gamble.

A fourth-round pick in 2003, Lloyd was very productive in his time with the Denver Broncos and the Patriots and his experience should be of value to a team a receiving core that lacked depth in 2013.

Lloyd's comeback may prove to be a success, however, with the Niners likely to draft a receiver in the early rounds, I do worry as to whether this signing could damage the development of Quinton Patton, who impressed during the back end of the season following his return from injury.

That is an issue for another time, though. So for now let's just sit back and watch the draft unfold, but not before my preview piece, which will be with you shortly before things kick-off on Thursday.

Scrutinising the 49ers' 2014 Schedule

I'm back. I apologise for neglecting this blog for nearly two months, but I'm here ready to cover all things 49ers with the NFL Draft just days away.

Before the draft I will give my views on the off-the-field controversy that has enveloped the Niners during the off-season and preview the draft prior to the start of proceedings.

But to get things going again here is quick breakdown of the 49ers' 2014 schedule, which was released last month.

San Francisco's schedule for the 2014 season is as follows (all kick-off times in BST): 

Pre-Season:

1: @ Baltimore Ravens - August 8, 12:30am

2: vs Denver Broncos - August 17, 9:00pm

3: vs San Diego Chargers - August 24, 9:00pm

4: @ Houston Texans - August 29, 1:00am

Regular Season:

1: @ Dallas Cowboys - September 7, 9:25pm

2: vs Chicago Bears (Sunday Night Football) - September 15, 1:30am

3: @ Arizona Cardinals - September 21, 9:05pm

4: vs Philadelphia Eagles - September 28, 9:25pm

5: vs Kansas City Chiefs - October 5, 9:25pm

6: @ St Louis Rams (Monday Night Football) - October 14, 1:30am

7: @ Denver Broncos (Sunday Night Football) - October 20, 1:30am

8: Bye Week

9: vs St Louis Rams - November 2, 9:05pm

10: @ New Orleans Saints - November 9, 6:00pm

11: @New York Giants - November 16, 6:00pm

12: vs Washington Redskins - November 23, 9:25pm

13: vs Seattle Seahawks (Thanksgiving, Thursday Night Football) - November 28, 1:30am

14: @ Oakland Raiders - December 7, 9:25pm

15: @ Seattle Seahawks - December 14, 9:25pm

16: vs San Diego Chargers - December 20, 9:30pm

17: vs Arizona Cardinals - December 28, 9:25pm

The key dates are easy to notice, a season-opening clash with historical rivals the Dallas Cowboys is a mouthwatering one, as is the Thanksgiving game with the Seattle Seahawks.

The opening regular season game at Levi's Stadium comes against the Chicago Bears, while Alex Smith will return to the Bay with the Kansas City Chiefs in week 5.

A week 7 trip to face the reigning AFC Champion Denver Broncos should set the pulses racing, along with the week 14 Battle of the Bay with the Oakland Raiders.

San Francisco's schedule is statistically the fourth toughest in the NFL but, although it is very early to make predictions, I think this can still be viewed as a favourable set of fixtures for the 49ers.

The key, as usual, will come in the division games against the Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals and St Louis Rams.

Super Bowl champions Seattle should prove to be a force to be reckoned with once again, and both the Cardinals and Rams will be eyeing further progress after varying degrees of success in 2013.

The 49ers are poised to face a number of high-calibre opponents in 2014, however, Jim Harbaugh's men have largely excelled in tough games during his tenure, and if they can do the same in the coming season then San Francisco should be well set for another run at the play-offs.