Younger fans may not remember but the San Francisco 49'ers were once one of the NFL's most dominant teams and a franchise that others tried to emulate. However, the Niners have fallen on hard times as of late and their playoff drought now stands at six seasons (and counting). San Francisco is once again heading in a new direction and after taking over for Mike Nolan at mid-season and finishing strong down the stretch Mike Singletary was officially named the new head coach. The 49'ers have been in rebuilding mode for quite some time now but even though they have had a number of high draft picks and thrown a lot of money around on the free agent market they still appear to be a ways away from contending. The Niners have some key pieces in place (LB Patrick Willis, CB Nate Clements, LT Joe Staley, RB Frank Gore, etc.) but there were still plenty of holes to fill heading into the 2009 NFL Draft and they had to come through with a strong effort on Draft Day to get this latest rebuilding era off on the right foot.

Even though wide receiver was a need the 49'ers probably weren't planning on taking one in the first round but that was before Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree fell into their lap. Crabtree was widely considered to be one of the best players in the entire draft, if not the best, and was simply too good to pass up at #10 overall. One of the most dominating pass catchers the college game has ever seen, Crabtree put up some amazing numbers in the Red Raiders high-powered offense and was a two-time winner of the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top wideout. At 6-13/8 and 215 pounds with extremely long arms Crabtree certainly has the size you look for but a lack of ideal speed was cause for concern and those worries were further exasperated by a foot injury that prevented him from working out for teams prior to the draft. Crabtree may have fallen further than expected on Draft Day but his loss is the Niners gain. Already their most talented wideout, look for Crabtree to step right into San Fran's starting lineup and become the best pass catching weapon they have had since the days of Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens. When it comes to value and need Crabtree to the 49'ers was a match made in NFL Draft Heaven.

The Niners traded their second round pick to Carolina in exchange for the Panthers first rounder in 2010 so as a result they didn't select again until round three, at which time they chose Alabama RB Glen Coffee. Coming off a junior season in which he ran for 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns Coffee opted to go pro rather than risk losing carries to one of the Crimson Tide's other talented running backs. The type who does everything well but nothing great, Coffee runs hard and should fit in nicely as a backup to Frank Gore. In round five the 49'ers were able to land Pittsburgh ILB Scott McKillop, who could have easily gone a round or two earlier. McKillop compensates for his rather ordinary physical tools with top-notch intangibles but there were a lot of mixed opinions about him in the scouting community and most seemed to either love or hate him as a pro prospect. There is still some question as to how well McKillop will fit in San Francisco's 3-4 scheme but he should at least provide quality depth and could be groomed as Takeo Spikes' eventual successor alongside Patrick Willis.

In round five the 49'ers were able to land a very intriguing developmental quarterback in Nate Davis of Ball St. At one point Davis looked like a potential Day One pick but a disastrous end to his junior season, some mediocre workouts and concerns about a learning disability sent his stock freefalling. Davis is shorter than you would prefer but he has a very strong arm and might have some starting potential down the road. Because of the learning disability it will likely take Davis some time to master an NFL playbook but if they are patient and handle him properly the Niners could be rewarded. As a rookie Davis will compete for the #3 job but barring something unforeseen it's unlikely he'll see the field in 2009 and that is for the best. Still, the Niners situation under center is very shaky and stranger things have happened... San Francisco landed a replacement for Billy Bajema in round six when they selected Fresno St. TE Bear Pascoe. A blue-collar prospect who grew up on a cattle ranch and is a champion roper, Pascoe won't offer much as a pass catcher but he is extremely tough and has a chance to make the roster as a backup blocking specialist.

The Niners had two picks in round seven and they used them on a couple of guys who weren't expected to be available that late in the draft, both of which happen to hail from the same college program. L.S.U. S Curtis Taylor was viewed as a possible mid-round pick by some and he certainly looks the part on paper at 6-21/4 and 209 pounds with 4.55 speed but he doesn't always play up to those impressive measurables. With that said Taylor has the ability to at least be a solid backup / special teamer and he has the sheer talent to potentially be more. It's not like San Francisco has any superstars at the safety position so if you're looking for a candidate to be this year's Chris Horton keep an eye on Taylor. With their final pick the 49'ers took a flyer on underachieving L.S.U. DL Ricky Jean-Francois. A year ago Jean-Francois was getting hyped as the next Glenn Dorsey and being billed as a future Top 10 pick but an injury-riddled junior campaign put an end to that talk. Even though he was coming off a disappointing season Jean-Francois unwisely opted to go pro with eligibility remaining and he nearly went undrafted. A classic Boom or Bust prospect, there is no denying Jean-Francois' talent and if he can stay healthy and keep his head on straight the Niners could have a steal on their hands. Jean-Francois will battle for a roster spot at defensive end in San Francisco's 3-4 scheme and while he could surprise there is probably a better chance of him being out of the league in three years.

This draft didn't unfold quite as the 49'ers expected, especially the first couple of rounds, but they have to be pleased with the results. Not only were they able to land the impact player in the passing game that their offense has been starved for but they also picked up an extra #1 pick for next year. However, while a few of their later picks offer some upside Crabtree is the only sure-fire starter the 49'ers landed and for a team with so many holes that is a bit disconcerting. If Crabtree becomes the player most feel he is capable of then that pick alone is enough to earn this class a passing mark but they will need one or two other guys to emerge to justify this grade long-term.

GRADE: B+

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