Well the draft is in progress, and day 1 is over. As we wait another 15 hours or so for Day 2 to get rolling, it’s been quite a day if you’re a 49er fan. The 49ers promised to land two impact players in this draft, and did they ever? On with the review:

Round 1, Pick 6 – Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland – The best possible scenario played out this morning. In December the Bay Area was hit with Reggie Bush fever. Then the 49ers decided to wake up and win two games, taking them out of the running for Bush. But the problem was that the 49ers, anemic on offense to put it mildly, still needed a playmaker. Enter Vernon Davis. I could go over this guys 40 time, his combine, and his athleticism, but by now you’ve heard of all of this. More than all of that though, this guy is a football player who loves the game. He’s confident, he’s strong, and he’s a target for Alex Smith to develop with for years to come. Thank you Green Bay for going with your most sensible pick in AJ Hawk and allowing us to get Vernon Davis.

Grade: A+


Round 1, Pick 22 – Manny Lawson, DE, North Carolina St. – On the radio today, Steve Young was discussing how the 49ers came across this pick. He said that while studying film of Mario Williams (the first pick in this draft), Manny Lawson caught everyone’s eye. Lawson is the kind of player every 3-4 D needs—-that outside linebacker/pass rusher. With the loss of Julian Peterson and Andre Carter, two main contributors on defense, Lawson fills a need. But beyond that, he was probably the best available player as well. If this guy reaches his potential, he could be a Shawn Merriman type of pass rusher for our D. We haven’t had a player like that in years and it was an absolute necessity. Great pick. A+

Round 3, Pick 84 – Brandon Williams, WR, Wisconsin – This is the pick I had the only trouble with today. While I’ve heard that Williams is a hard working player who can be dangerous in the slot and a contributor on special teams, I’m not so comfortable in adding another small WR to the lineup. On the flipside, we do need help in the slot and if we run a two tight end formation with Vernon Davis and Eric Johnson, I could see Williams as a guy sneaking around past the secondary and making plays. He was ultra productive as a Badger in college, but if we were going WR could Maurice Stovall, Demetrius Williams, or Brandon Marshall have been better picks? Then you consider the defenders still on the board, guys like Darnell Bing, Pat Watkins and Stanley McClover, and you have to believe that Nolan and McCloughan saw someting special in this kid. The good news is we should still be able to pick up a defensive starter in the 4th tomorrow. So if this guy contributes on special teams and becomes a good slot WR, I’ll love this pick. Reminds me a bit of Frank Gore last year. We all thought that was a reach, and look how that turned out. C+/B-

Overall Day 1 Grade: A+—- Vernon Davis and Manny Lawson, the two guys who I said a month ago would be my “dream picks” if we could land both this year. Well we did, and I wasn’t dreaming (I pinched myself just to make sure). Sure the Brandon Williams pick was questionable, but when you grab 2 playmakers who answer such a need and have 7 picks in day 2, I think you can afford to get a guy who you show some interest in but that may not necessarily fit into your plans in day 2 if you pass on him now. Plus, he could just develop. Best and most exciting draft I’ve seen from the 49ers in years.