2011 ROTB NFL Mock Draft: Who Will The 49ers Draft?

The San Francisco 49ers are set to make their selection. Will they go with a quarterback? Will they add to their defensive secondary? Will they add to their already strong defensive front? As bad as their season was, they are a team with talent. What will the community and writer GMs do? Their picks are after the jump.

SGM and JoeCB1991 were the GMs for today.

Now the Tennessee Titans are on the clock. Hevchv and Jesseb, you are up. Email me your picks and explanations by 11PM AZ time tonight. Note that the community member cannot draft a player previously drafted by the community and the same for the writers, but you cannot draft a player drafted by a previous writer.

After the revealing of the picks, the forum is open for healthy debate. Vote and comment away.

SGM:

Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri

The 49ers have expressed a need at many positions including DT and CB, but this pick is one that they cannot afford to miss out on. Regarded as the best QB prospect in the 2011 Draft, Gabbert should add a future, if not instant, upgrade at the most important position in the game. The Smith Experiment in SF has been exhausted of any promise for a franchise QB, and more (different) alternatives are needed. Known for his accuracy in the pocket and his semi-big arm, the QB from Missouri will likely be San Francisco's best option in the near future. With possible stars like Prince Amukamara, Nick Fairley and Julio Jones still on the board, this pick was not without hesitancy. However, I feel the 49ers will be surprised that Gabbert would have fallen to them at the seventh pick after being considered worthy by many experts of the first overall pick to the Carolina Panthers.

Darnell Dockett (and Von Miller?) will have a new target after this draft.

JoeCB1991:

Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska

When I see mock drafts for the 49ers, I normally see them going with a Cornerback, a Pass Rusher, or a Quarterback. I don't see them going with a Quarterback in the first round (it also seems like Harbaugh wants to keep Alex Smith around), but I would not be surprised to see them take Christian Ponder in the second round if he is still available, so that leaves Robert Quinn and Prince Amukamara as the most likely choices out of what is currently available in this draft. I'm going with Prince as their choice.

Besides their run defense which ranked 6th in the NFL allowing 96.7 yards per game, the 49ers Defense along with the entire team was incredibly underwhelming last year when most of the pundits were predicting a double digit win season and a return to glory for the 49ers. Their pass defense ranked 24th in the NFL (one below the Cardinals) giving up 231.1 yards per game along with 11 passes of more that 40 yards which was tied for fifth worst in the NFL. Another thing to consider is that the 49ers could be looking to replace Nate Clements who has been inconsistent and is pretty badly overpaid with the eight year, $80 million dollar contract that gives him $22 million in guaranteed money that he received in 2007.

Results of mock draft:

Draft assignments and team needs, according to drafttek.com