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San Francisco 49ers: Reevaluating the 2011 NFL Draft, Five Years Later

By Bryan Knowles

December 20, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith (99) during the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Levi
December 20, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith (99) during the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Levi /
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Jun 8, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) throws the ball during minicamp at the San Francisco 49ers Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 8, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) throws the ball during minicamp at the San Francisco 49ers Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

Overall

While Aldon Smith and Colin Kaepernick may have finished the useful part of their careers, that’s still two major contributors to the Harbaugh era found with the 49ers’ first two picks in the 2011 draft; it’s hard to ask for much more than that. Chris Culliver and Kendall Hunter found ways to contribute as well, while Daniel Kilgore and Bruce Miller are still on the roster after five seasons.  That’s a really solid draft class, all things considered!

I’d rank it seventh in the NFL for 2011; a far cry from the C+ grade Kiper and the other experts gave it at the time.

The worst thing I can really say about it is that it wasn’t the division-rival Seahawk’s draft; this is the year that gave Seattle Richard Sherman, K.J. Wright, James Carpenter and Byron Maxwell, and helped the team be a thorn in the 49ers’ side ever since.

But this draft gave several key contributors to the 49ers that helped propel them to being one of the NFC’s powerhouses for three straight years.

It is always fun to wonder about what could have been, however. Unlike the 2010 draft, where nothing you could possibly have offered would lead the 49ers to change their pick of NaVorro Bowman, an ideal 49ers draft from this year might well have changed every player taken—no player grabbed was absolutely the best pick with no caveats.

Knowing what we know now, perhaps the 49ers would have chosen to stick with Alex Smith at quarterback, and instead build a defensive juggernaught with the following selections:

Round 1, Pick 7: J.J. Watt, DE Wisconsin
Round 2, Pick 36: DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma
Round 3, Pick 80: K.J. Wright, LB, Mississippi State
Round 4, Pick 115: Richard Sherman, DB, Stanford
Round 5, Pick 163: Brandon Fusco, G, Slippery Rock
Round 6, Pick 182: Jason Kelce, C, Cincinnati
Round 6, Pick 190: Jacquian Williams, LB, South Florida
Round 7, Pick 211: Derrick Newton, OT, Arkansas State
Round 7, Pick 239: Malcom Smith, LB, USC
Round 7, Pick 250: Tommie Campbell, CB, Pittsburgh

More from Niner Noise

As is, the 49ers got quite a few good seasons out of their 2011 class, with none of their picks really being disappointing until the 6th round.  Finding valuable contributors early and solid role players late make this one of the 49ers’ better all-time draft classes.

Just wait until we get to next year.

Next: Predicting Post OTA Starting Lineups

I’ll have to come up with some new adjectives to talk about the 2012 draft.