San Francisco 49ers "Draft Prospectus: D-line possibilities"

There's no question that the defensive line is an area of need for the San Francisco 49ers. Although the Niners have a solid nucleus intact, they could still use a few more players to provide depth. After all, one of the keys to a good run defense, especially in a 3-4 scheme, is a fresh line. At Steelers 10 Santonio Holmes jersey
the risk of sounding like John Madden doing his Captain Obvious routine, exhausted linemen are much less effective on the field, and the less effective they are, the harder it is for the linebackers to make plays. Because of this, I would not be surprised to see the 49ers snatch up two or three D-linemen in the first few rounds of the upcoming draft. In anticipation, I have written columns profiling linemen Alan Branch, Adam Carriker, Jamaal Anderson, Ikaika Alama-Francis and Paul Soliai over recent weeks. Yet that still isn't enough. As mentioned earlier this week, I was asked to profile some of the defensive linemen whom the Niners could find in the later rounds of the draft, and this is Part Two of my acquiescence to that request.1. Walter Thomas (NT) Northwest Mississippi Community College:I briefly mentioned Thomas in the previous column, and I was asked to do a writeup of him, so here it is. Thomas is a 375-pound mountain of a nose tackle. He originally went to Oklahoma State but was kicked off the team after his freshman season. He has played in just 13 games after graduating from high school, has very little football knowledge, and is about as raw as the fish in a sushi joint. With his weight at 375, you know Thomas is going to have major stamina issues. Worse still, he's almost assured to develop knee and ankle problems due to the weight he's carrying, and he could end up out of football by the time he's 30.Still, Thomas is an intriguing player simply because of his size, so he might be an anchor on a 3-4 defensive line if he gets the right coaching. His upside is enough for him to be drafted, probably in the fifth or six round, but realistically, Thomas probably will not be expected to contribute much more than helping out for 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
a play or two in goal-line and short-yardage situations his first few years in the NFL. To be honest, that might be the only role Thomas ever has in an NFL defense if he can't shed several pounds.2. Ray McDonald - DE/DT - Florida:McDonald weighs in at 276 pounds, but he has a big enough frame to add more weight. He could legitimately play tackle in a 4-3 or on the end in a 3-4, perhaps doing very well in either. The former Gator is an excellent player, and he is surprisingly fast and agile for someone his size. He will probably last only through the midway point of the second round; however, if McDonald somehow slips down to the third, he would be one of the biggest steals of the draft.3. Ryan McBean - DE/DT - Oklahoma State:At 290 pounds, McBean is another player who projects as a tackle in a 4-3 or an end in a 3-4 in the NFL. Even though he is not a fast player on paper (4.98 40-yard dash), he plays fast on the field and is extremely athletic with excellent feet and a quick initial burst. He'll likely still be on the board in the middle to late third round, though there is a chance he could be taken a bit earlier because of his versatility and potential.4. Baraka Atkins - DE - Miami:Baraka is a character in Mortal Kombat who serves the Outworld emperor, Shao Kahn, and has long, razor-sharp blades extending from his forearms. Baraka Atkins is defensive end from the University of Miami. I just wanted to make that distinction to avoid any confusion now or during the draft.All foolishness and video game references aside, Atkins has all the skills and measurables a coach could ask for. He's big (6-4, 270), he's fast (4.69 40-yard dash), and he's strong, but he never really lived up to his potential. In fact, Atkins was actually benched for a lack of production during his senior season. In his defense, though, the Miami coaching staff had no idea what to do with him. First he was a tackle, then he was an end, then he was a tackle, again. This went on four all four years of his Steelers 10 Santonio Holmes jersey
career, and Atkins' production suffered because of it. Atkins will probably be available in the fourth round, and he could be a big-time steal if he lasts that long. With the right coaching and a set position on a defense, he could turn into a fantastic player in the NFL. Question? Comment? Complaint? E-mail Thomas at tsorrell .