2016 NFL Draft: 10 Players the San Francisco 49ers Should Target
By Peter Panacy
Inside Linebacker Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame
The 49ers would love to have a middle linebacker crop consisting of two perennial Pro Bowlers as used to be the case when NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis patrolled the interior of San Francisco’s front-seven defense.
Willis is retired now, and the Niners have been scrambling to find a long-term replacement to accompany Bowman.
Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith could have easily been a top-five pick had it not been for his horrific knee injury suffered during the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Day, but this setback still might not keep him out of Round 1. He still has all the instincts and abilities to suggest he’ll be a top-tier NFL talent provided his recovery goes according to plan.
STRENGTHS: He is a greased up athlete with natural twitch and flexibility, showing balance, burst and excellent speed in pursuit. Scouts are enthralled with Smith’s explosiveness and it isn’t difficult to understand why.
He might be the nation’s most forceful tackler, generating incredible power to knock ballcarriers back. Smith is every bit as fast and fluid as he is powerful, however, slipping by (or leaping over) would-be blockers in the running game and dropping effectively in coverage.
WEAKNESSES: Smith lacks elite take-on strength for the position and can be late to stack-and-shed. Will take some false steps and needs to add a dash of discipline to his playing recipe. Needs to tweak his strike zone and tackling mechanics, preferring to hug-and-slam instead of spearing and driving.
— Dane Brugler & Rob Rang, CBS Sports (2/18/16)
Why He Fits:
Smith shouldn’t be the 49ers’ first-round choice in 2016. General manager Trent Baalke’s track record with drafting injured players hasn’t exactly panned out. Yet the Notre Dame top prospect could be well worth the risk.
Especially if his draft stock takes him into the early stages of Round 2.
Provided the 49ers are willing to give Smith as much as a year’s time to recover, the defense could once again be looking at a dynamic linebacker tandem in the middle of the field in a similar mold to what was seen in the days of Bowman and Willis.
Sounds like a good investment.
Next: WR Braxton Miller