San Francisco 49ers: Top 20 NFL draft picks from former general manager Trent Baalke

Niner Noise takes a look back at the San Francisco 49ers’ NFL Draft history under former general manager Trent Baalke and compiles the 20 best picks from his tenure.

Former San Francisco 49ers general manager certainly received his fair share of criticism for how far the team had fallen in recent years, leading up to his eventual firing in January of 2017.

Baalke had more than a few flaws. He avoided top-tier wide receivers in early rounds, overly spent draft capital on defensive backs and used far too many picks on injured players, who never panned out at the NFL level.

Those reasons, and more, are why Baalke is no longer employed with the Niners.

Yet Baalke did have his fair share of good selections. Officially, he took over as general manager in 2011. But when former GM Scot McCloughan was relieved of duties the previous year, Baalke was tasked with handling San Francisco’s efforts in the 2010 NFL Draft.

So, from 2010 through 2016, let’s look back at the best of Baalke’s draft picks. Players are ranked based off a mix of stats, Pro Bowl/All-Pro selections, value, tenure and general impact.

Here are the top 20.

Selected in Round 3, No. 79 overall, in the 2015 NFL Draft

Our list kicks off with a player who has been a bit slow in development, former Virginia linebacker Eli Harold.

Harold, a Round 3 pickup from Trent Baalke in the 2015 NFL Draft, had a fairly prolific collegiate career — registering 17.5 sacks over three season. But those numbers haven’t exactly translated over to the pro level.

Through 2016, Harold has just three sacks over two completed season.

But Harold makes this list at the back end for a couple of reasons. He wasn’t part of San Francisco’s vast roster clearing by now-general manager John Lynch, so that’s a bonus. And even more worthwhile is the thought Harold made veteran linebacker Ahmad Brooks expendable.

The Niners let Brooks walk just before the 2017 season, promoting Harold to a full-time starter at the SAM linebacker position.

Let’s see if he thrives in it.

It might be a bit of a reach placing offensive guard Joshua Garnett on this list. After all, Garnett’s rookie season didn’t exactly go so well — he had a 42.4 overall grade in 2016, per Pro Football Focus — and will miss all of 2017 with a knee injury.

Instead of relying on the has-beens, this placement is going to be based solely off the potential.

Garnett primarily operated in a power-run scheme under head coach David Shaw at Stanford. Switching to a zone-style blocking scheme under former head coach Chip Kelly in 2016 required some adjustment, so it’s frustrating to think where the second-year guard would have been under Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan right now. Had Garnett stayed healthy, of course.

Still, Garnett was named the 2015 Outland Trophy recipient, given to the best interior offensive lineman in college.

While some might argue Garnett was a reach in Round 1, that accolade is enough to suggest there’s a lot of impact yet to be seen.

Maybe this is a shock to some, but former 49ers running back Kendall Hunter ended up being a solid backup option to then-starting tailback Frank Gore.

Hunter, whose tenure with the Niners began in 2011, averaged 4.6 yards per carry his three seasons in San Francisco. With Gore aging, it was important to put Hunter into the mix as a reliable change-of-pace option for the 49ers’ run-heavy offense during the earlier parts of the decade.

This certainly kept the wear and tear off Gore’s body, allowing the future Hall of Famer (yes, we’re going there) a chance to provide better impacts during San Francisco’s multiple playoff runs.

Simply put, Hunter should get a lot of credit.

Injuries eventually resulted in a split between Hunter and the 49ers in 2014.

One round before Kendall Hunter, Trent Baalke elected to reinforce the Niners secondary with former South Carolina cornerback Chris Culliver.

Culliver’s rookie season wasn’t particularly impressive, and 49ers fans can probably still recall his issues in coverage during San Francisco’s playoff push into early January. 2012 was marginally better, as Culliver began to adjust to pro-level coverage schemes. And in 2013, signs pointed to him finally putting all the pieces together.

The only problem was he ended up missing the entire year, due to an Achilles injury.

2014 proved to be Culliver’s best year with the 49ers and at the pro level — noted by Pro Football Focus’ Jeff Deeney:

This allowed the cornerback to cash in on a big free-agent deal with the Washington Redskins in 2015, although he was released the following year and has been dealing with a plethora of injuries ever since.

There’s no way Trent Baalke could have known his third-round investment from the 2014 NFL Draft, former Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland, would have retired after just one outstanding year at the pro level.

Borland’s rookie season was pretty spectacular. With All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman (knee) out for all of 2014, Borland proved his 6-foot-0, 248-pound frame wasn’t too small for life at the NFL level.

All he did was lead the 49ers defense with 84 tackles that year.

One can only wonder what Borland’s budding career would have been like had he not retired the following season.

But for the massive impact he had this lone year, it’s impossible to leave Borland off this list.

Seventh-round picks rarely make their way to starting roles at the NFL level. And when former Central Florida defensive lineman Bruce Miller was drafted in 2011, the Niners thought he might be better suited to play a lead-blocking role.

Hence the switch to fullback.

It was a role Miller relished during his five seasons in San Francisco. Over that stretch, the Niners even worked him into the receiving game, where he ended up hauling in 76 passes for 734 yards and three touchdowns.

That’s a pretty good investment for a seventh-round pickup.

Legal issues in 2016 forced the 49ers’ hand, and the team released him in September that year.

Trent Baalke probably shocked a few 49ers fans when he took yet another safety in Round 2 of the 2015 NFL Draft.

After all, he had selected safeties Eric Reid (2013) and Jimmie Ward (2014) early in the draft the previous two years.

It’s likely Baalke envisioned Tartt as a hybrid, though — a player capable of holding his own in coverage but dropping down within the box on nickel packages to act as a linebacker of sorts. And maybe this is why Baalke avoided drafting inside linebackers in 2015 and 2016 as well.

Who knows, though, and Tartt’s coverage skills his first two seasons at the pro level weren’t particularly great.

Like offensive guard Joshua Garnett, though, this placement is largely contingent on potential now. With San Francisco shifting to a 4-3 base defense, using a lot of Cover 3 schemes, Tartt’s role may wind up shifting to an in-the-box safety — an ideal fit for his 6-foot-1, 221-pound frame.

Let’s hope that works out well enough.

Former Appalachian State center Daniel Kilgore had to wait a few years before finally leaving a major mark along San Francisco’s offensive line.

Taken in Round 5 back in 2011, Kilgore benefited from his ability to play all three interior positions and managed to see action in all 32 games his second and third seasons at the pro level. And with the 49ers electing to let veteran center Jonathan Goodwin walk via free agency in 2014, the door was open for Kilgore to take permanent hold on the O-line.

The only problem, as has been over Kilgore’s career, is the injury factor.

A leg injury forced Kilgore to miss all but seven games in 2014, and that same injury worked its way into the following year as well.

As a result, the Niners were forced to start former USC center Marcus Martin, who is definitely not on this list.

When healthy, Kilgore has been a solid option for San Francisco’s O-line. And that’s a pretty good investment for how late he was drafted.

On one hand, the 49ers got a steal of a pass-rusher in Round 5 of the 2014 NFL Draft, selecting former South Florida EDGE Aaron Lynch.

But on the other, Lynch has emerged as one of the more frustrating defenders within San Francisco’s defense. His six sacks in 2014 suggested the Niners had a true talent — a gem of a find in the later rounds.

And Lynch surpassed those efforts with 6.5 sacks the following year.

Unfortunately, injuries and weight issues have relegated Lynch to being another one of those talented-yet-underachieving players likely capable of so much more on the field.

If the talent were to outshine the concerns, there’s no doubt Lynch would be much higher on this list.

Trent Baalke took a major gamble by selecting former LSU cornerback Rashard Robinson in Round 4 of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Robinson, a lanky 6-foot-1, 171-pound defensive back, was suspended midway through his 2014 collegiate campaign and didn’t participate the following year at all. And yet Baalke thought highly enough of Robinson to take a flier on his upside.

It apparently worked.

Heading into Week 6 of 2016, Pro Football Focus actually ranked Robinson the No. 3 overall rookie — ahead of Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and San Diego Chargers EDGE Joey Bosa.

Pretty impressive.

The 49ers slated Robinson as their No. 1 cornerback entering the 2017 season, suggesting Baalke actually hit on one of his many cornerback investments.

On one hand, former Oregon defensive end Arik Armstead could have easily slipped well below No. 17 in Round 1 of the 2015 NFL Draft where the 49ers selected him.

Yet Trent Baalke traded down from No. 15 overall to make this move, suggesting he was doing all in his power to maximize the value for the then-talented-but-raw defensive lineman.

Armstead had limited impact his rookie year, spending most of the time subbing in as a situational interior rusher in obvious passing downs. His second year could have been prolific, but a nagging shoulder injury limited Armstead to just eight games.

Still, the numbers from these two seasons speak for themselves:

Armstead’s ability versus the pass is a reason San Francisco slotted him in as a starting edge rusher entering 2017, earning him a solid 10th place on our list.

Right tackle Trent Brown is the lowest-drafted, highest-ranked player on this top-20 list.

And for good reason.

The 6-foot-9, 376-pound lineman out of Florida wasn’t seen as a plug-and-play replacement for the “I just retired” Anthony Davis, who called it quits — the first time — just before the 2015 NFL Draft.

Yet Brown ended up starting two games towards the end of his rookie season, eventually securing the job at right tackle the following year.

Brown still needs work on his run blocking. But with Denver Broncos EDGE Von Miller considers Brown the “best right tackle in the NFL,” that’s saying something.

One of Trent Baalke’s biggest needs his first NFL Draft was to reinforce a San Francisco offensive line that had largely underwhelmed in previous seasons.

So that’s what Baalke did, bringing in former Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis (No. 11 overall) and moving up to grab former Idaho offensive guard Mike Iupati at No. 17.

Iupati ended up starting right away for San Francisco his rookie year and was a mainstay for the team’s O-line through the dominant years under former head coach Jim Harbaugh. And during that tenure, Iupati managed three consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2012 through 2014 and a first-team All-Pro selection as well.

Too bad the Niners pinned their hopes on Davis’ returning in 2015 rather than re-signing Iupati, who eventually left via free agency to the Arizona Cardinals.

The 49ers had to start thinking about replacing their all-time franchise-leading rusher, Frank Gore, in the 2014 NFL Draft. And that’s exactly what they attempted to do by taking former Ohio State standout Carlos Hyde in Round.

Hyde was one of the most prolific college runners in that year’s draft, and he would have the added bonus of learning behind Gore that season.

The Niners turned the reins over to Hyde the following year, and the then-second-year tailback exploded on the scene with one of the most dominant Monday Night Football performances in recent history:

Unfortunately, Hyde has been held back by injuries and a weak pass-blocking Niners offensive line. Through 2016, Hyde has yet to crest 1,000 yards rushing.

One can only wonder what those numbers would have been, had Hyde enjoyed the same supporting cast Gore had the few years before.

Regardless, Hyde remains one of San Francisco’s best offensive weapons in the recent post-Trent Baalke era.

Trent Baalke sure loved defensive backs, and many fans were probably a bit shocked when he used the team’s first-round pick in 2014 to select former Northern Illinois safety Jimmie Ward.

Ward was meant to address San Francisco’s needs at nickel back, and the Niners had historically put rookie corners at this spot in year one.

But Ward’s first year didn’t exactly get off to a hot start. Big-bodied receivers, like Chicago Bears’ Alshon Jeffery, torched him early. And Ward’s rookie campaign ended up being cut short by a foot injury.

Ward bounced back nicely in 2015, though. And by 2016, he was receiving compliments from future Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

Like another defensive back within the top 10, Ward has a number of injury issues preventing him from being ranked any higher. Yet, after a sluggish start, he has emerged as one of the better defensive backs within San Francisco’s secondary.

Ah, yes. The age-old story of an infinite talent ruined by demons within.

That’s the case with former Missouri edge rusher Aldon Smith, whose off-the-field issues have long since overshadowed the sheer talent he displayed on the field.

These were concerns Trent Baalke and the 49ers must have had in 2011, when they drafted him at No. 7 overall. Talent trumps risk, though, and that was San Francisco’s obvious mindset.

Early on, this appeared to be justified.

Smith set the franchise’s rookie sack record at 14 and was named Pro Football Writers’ Defensive Rookie of the Year that season. And in 2012, Smith nearly broke the single-season sack record, taking down quarterbacks 19.5 times en route to the Niners’ last Super Bowl run.

Things began to fall apart, unfortunately, and it was sad to see Smith’s once-promising career come to a close with the 49ers in 2015, followed by even more issues and consequences to this day.

Oh, what could have been. That alone justifies a top-five selection.

The 49ers needed to find a replacement for former free safety Dashon Goldson, who departed via free agency in 2013, and Trent Baalke managed to trade up from No. 31 to No. 18 to grab former LSU safety Eric Reid in Round 1.

Reid initially was competing with veteran safety Craig Dahl for the starting job his rookie season. That position battle went in Reid’s favor, and he ended up starting all 16 games in 2013 en route to a Pro Bowl nod.

Unfortunately, Reid has since been known more for injuries and has missed substantial time in 2016 and 2017.

And while Reid hasn’t replicated the same sort of Pro Bowl efforts since his rookie season, it’s still worth considering him a top-five player selected by Trent Baalke.

I’m sure there are going to be those who argue former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick shouldn’t be ranked this high.

OK, fine. But first, put aside all the social and political arguments aside for a bit. This ranking has nothing to do with Kaepernick’s stances there. Or yours.

And let’s also try to detract ourselves from Kap’s 2014 and 2015 campaigns, neither of which were particularly good, and recall the impact he had for San Francisco the previous two years. You know, when the Niners were perennial Super Bowl contenders?

Yes, Kaepernick had a great team surrounding him — one that wasn’t falling apart his final two-plus years with the franchise.

But the former 49ers quarterback was one of the young stars on the rise in the NFL. You can’t argue how many pundits and analyst sang his praises.

If you try to, just watch this:

Out of all the quarterbacks San Francisco employed during Baalke’s tenure, Kaepernick certainly enjoyed the most success and was a key component in carrying his team deep into the playoffs in consecutive years.

Yeah, Kap deserves to be this high.

Yes, it’s still early. But Trent Baalke’s selection of former Oregon defensive end DeForest Buckner with the team’s first pick in 2016 has a huge impact.

Buckner is a cornerstone piece for the 49ers. And after a solid rookie season last year, Buckner is on pace to become a massive force for San Francisco’s defense.

Just take a look at what Pro Football Focus thought about him after year one:

In truth, Buckner was a no-brainer pick for the 49ers. He was, is and is going to be that talented.

The scary part? Buckner is only beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.

Well, this is simple.

Trent Baalke’s best NFL Draft pick is perennial All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman. Hands down.

Bowman was highly touted at Penn State but came with a number of injury concerns and red flags, which likely forced his draft stock to fall into the middle rounds.

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Fortunately for San Francisco, Baalke didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger at No. 91 overall.

Since that point, Bowman has received four first-team All-Pro selections and three Pro Bowl nominations. Had it not been for serious injuries in 2014 and 2016, it’s likely Bowman’s accolades would be even higher.

Next: 10 best rookie seasons in 49ers franchise history

To this date, and with good reason, Bowman remains the heart and soul of San Francisco’s defense.