49ers NFL 2023 Draft Round 3 Selections

By Scooter_McG

Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft is in the books and the 49ers have made their first 3 picks of the NFL draft. They started the day with picks 99, 101 and 102, but traded up from 102 (adding picks 164 and 222) to pick 87.

Here's a review of the 49ers draft picks on Day 2.

Brown is a player the team had in for a visit and clearly liked him enough to feel they needed to move up to grab him. He's a highly instinctive safety prospect whose game is largely based on his football IQ getting him into good positions rather than relying on his athletic traits which are fairly average for a safety. 

Brown was a playmaker for the Nittany Lions, recording 10 INTs over the past two seasons as well as 3 forced fumbles, 9 pass breakups, 4.5 sacks and 153 tackles. His testing numbers at the combine were pretty pedestrian, but he plays faster on the field due to his ability to read the play. However, his instincts and average athleticism can get him in trouble when he gets too aggressive and doesn't have the speed to recover from false steps. 

Brown also has some versatility to his game, able to line up in multiple alignments, including single high, split safeties, in the box or in the slot.

Brown will most likely sit behind Tashaun Gipson and Talanoa Hufanga this year, but the expectation should be that he will team up with Hafanga longer term. 

Dear oh dear oh dear. Yes, the 49ers drafted a kicker in round 3. Yes, it was their second pick in the draft. Yes, it was a terrible pick. 

Look, maybe Jake Moody is the second coming of Justin Tucker (who, ironically, was undrafted). If he is then great, every team wishes they had a Justin Tucker. But history is very clear on this - the vast majority of good kickers are not drafted before day 3. And no matter how Shanahan wants to try and sell it as effectively a 4th round pick, it was a day 2 pick. And no Kyle, most kickers are not drafted in the 4th round. Heck, many of the best kickers in the NFL weren't drafted at all. And kickers that get drafted have a bad habit of not getting a second contract with the team that drafted them. 

Long story short, kickers are pretty easy to replace and generally get better as they get older... like, after their first contract. So drafting one isn't usually the best way to get strong production from a kicker. In fact, the kicker they just traded for, Zane Gonzalez (who was drafted in 2017 and is now on his 5th team) is probably only now getting to around the right age for a kicker to be hitting their stride. 

Anyway, ridiculous pick aside, Moody does bring a big leg to the table and an impressive college resume, in particular in 2021 and 2022, including a school record for points scored in a season last year (147). He will presumably beat out Gonzalez for the kicking job, given where he was drafted, so at least they drafted a player that will contribute. As to how much better than Gonzalez he will be (if at all), well, that's debatable.

The 49ers rounded out their 3rd round draft picks by adding TE Cameron Latu, a player I had in my mock draft and someone I think was an underrated prospect in the draft process. However... round 3 does feel a bit high for him. 

Latu's testing numbers don't jump out, but on film he looks very smooth and does a nice job getting open. Like Brown, he's another smart player whose football IQ is noticeable on the field in the way he sets up defenders against man coverage and finds soft spots against zone. He also has good hands and tracks the ball well. 

He's on the smaller side at just over 240lbs, and while willing he isn't the best blocker. He also has some work to do in ironing out some kinks in his route running. However, it is worth keeping in mind that Latu came to Alabama as a DE and had to learn the TE position during his time at college, which suggests there is also still quite a bit of room to grow into the role. 

I can see Latu getting some time split out in a role similar to the one they tried with Jordan Reed in 2020, but injuries prevented us from ever seeing that experiment come to fruition. 

Summary

All in all, I believe the three players selected by the 49ers today will contribute in 2023 and beyond. Moody should even start this year (snigger). But it certainly feels like there was some meat left on the bone with some of these picks, and that depth at OL, DE and CB remains a concern.  

Merry Draftmas!

 Best Available:

Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer Clemson LB Trenton Simpson Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr Arkansas LB Drew Sanders Alabama DB Brian Branch

Scooter's 49ers 2023 Mock Draft

By Scooter_McG

The 2023 NFL Draft is almost upon us!

However, with the 49ers not slated to pick until pick #99, the typical excitement that comes with the NFL Draft feels muted this year. In fact, 49ers storylines have been more focused on the QB room than the draft in recent weeks.

Even so, the 49ers are currently in position to add 11 new players to the roster this coming weekend, and some of those players may be expected to play significant roles in 2023. 

I'm not really into doing mock drafts as much as I used to be, preferring instead to just identify players I think would suit the 49ers and then delve into the players more once they are drafted. But I thought I would give my thoughts on how the 49ers draft may go. I've based this largely on three things: prospect rankings on nflmockdraftdtabase.com, players the 49ers are known to have met with, and my gut feel for who might/ might not be available and what the 49ers might do. 

In line with that, while I think the 49ers would love nothing more than to take an OT, TE and safety in the the third round, I just don't feel the value will be there for all those positions. 

So, this is how I think things will shake out for the 49ers. 

Pick 99: YaYa Diaby, Edge, Louisville. Big, athletic, high motor edge prospect built just the way the 49ers like them. 

Pick 101: Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pitt. This would no doubt be a pick that infuriates many a 49ers fan, the dreaded third round RB, but "Izzy" is the RB that Shanahan has been searching for. The team has missed the home run threat that guys like Mostert and Breida brought to the backfield. Abanikanda provides that plus good size to handle the beating. 

Pick 102: Nick Saldiveri, OT, Old Dominion. Not my preferred choice, but I fear the likes of Duncan, Freeland and Steen will be gone before the 49ers pick. Saldiveri I believe will be the "best of the rest", but still provides sufficient athletic upside and nasty demeanour to be long time starter at RT. 

Pick 155: Terell Smith, CB, Minnesota. Elite athlete with good ball skills and a scrappiness to his game that the 49ers like. Needs coaching, but I can imagine the 49ers see some Moseley-like upside to him.

Pick 164: Cameron Latu, TE, Alabama. Underrated TE prospect that knows how to get open downfield. I can see him fitting into the role the 49ers envisaged for Jordan Reed. 

Pick 173: Puka Nacua, WR, BYU. Raw and needs coaching up, but is a YAC monster with sufficient size and athleticism to play on the outside. Also an aggressive blocker. Has Shanahan written all over him.

Pick 216: Jalen Graham, LB, Purdue. Smaller sized LB prospect that played the Star position in college (same position Fred Warner played). He didn't test overly well at the combine, but plays with excellent instincts and physicality. 

Pick 222: Dante Stills, DL, West Virginia. The 49ers DL is already pretty stacked, and I have them drafting Diaby in the 3rd round. But Stills is a penetrating DL that has the inside/ outside versatility the team loves. Would have a battle to make the roster but I can see the 49ers liking him.

Pick 247: Jordan Howden, S, Minnesota. Not ideal to be waiting until round 7 for a safety, but this safety class is pretty bad and I couldn't justify taking one over the players I have above. Howden is a try-hard safety with good instincts but only ok athleticism. 

Pick 253: Chad Ryland, K, Maryland. The 49ers will add a rookie kicker at some point. May as well be here. Ryland may not be available, but there are a few to choose from.

Pick 255: Jake Witt, OT, Northern Michigan. Chances are you have heard of Witt by now. He won't get drafted due to his on-field production, but could get drafted due to his elite athletic traits. If he is there at 255, 49ers may as well take a flier on him and see what he can become with coaching up.

You'll note I don't have a QB being drafted by the 49ers. While they will no doubt add one for training camp, I don't see much value drafting one unless they trade Lance. 

Anyway, that's my take on the 49ers potential draft choices. Let's see what happens this weekend!

Mocking Blurred: 2023 San Francisco 49ers NFL Draft

No picks until late day 2 raises the degree of difficulty, and obscures the tea leaves. With that being said, here's my one and only attempt to predict what the 49ers will do come draft day. I decided to take advantage of the depth in the middle of this class by utilizing all available draft picks, while at the same time staying realistic as far as expectations of player availability.

3rd: # 99 Isaiah McQuire, Edge, Missouri

31 TFL in 35 games the last 3 seasons

3rd: #101 Byron Young, DL, Alabama

54 games of durability with experience up and down the defensive line who is a technician

3rd: #102 Marte Mapu, S, Sacramento St

The new Jimmy Ward swiss army defender

5th:# 155 Braeden Daniels, OT, Utah

5 position versatility and never missed a game in 4 years. Noticing a theme here?

5th:# 164 Cameron Latu, TE, Alabama

80% of his catches went for 1st downs or TD's
5th:# 173 Demario Douglas, WR, Liberty

Ray Ray's understudy
6th:# 216 Keaton Mitchell, RB, East Carolina

0 fumbles in 2022 with smooth cuts at high speed. Perhaps he makes the other 6th rounder, Mitchell trade bait by the deadline

7th:# 222 Antonio Mafi, OG, UCLA

56 games at at both L/R guard. Mauler who buries 'em. Banks diet candidate who will be a starter next year

7th:# 247 Mekhi Gardner, CB, LSU

Classic zone CB for Wilks zone heavy secondary
7th:# 253 Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisville

Practice squad candidate with generational potential if he ever gets it
7th:# 255 Ali Gaye, Edge, LSU

Wake up call for the oft injured, underdeveloped Gambian. Kris Kocurek is on the phone. Pick up the phone, Ali

In Search of Gold Helmets

By Scooter_McG

Usually at this time of year we get inundated by reports about the 49ers and the big name draft prospects they are linked with. But not having a draft pick until the end of the third round makes the draft much less of a focus. Instead, 49ers content has largely focused on what is happening at QB as that is the much bigger storyline, given the uncertainty around (leader in the clubhouse) Purdy's availability following surgery and ongoing debate and rumours over how the team feels about the future of Trey Lance. 

And it makes sense. The team is already loaded with talent and rightly finds itself considered one of the early favourites for the Super Bowl this coming season, despite the uncertainty at QB. The biggest unknown factor that will impact how the team performs will likely be the QB spot. And what happens in the draft likely won't change that too much. 

But that doesn't mean the 2023 draft is unimportant for the 49ers. Maybe it isn't critical to their success in 2023, but it can certainly play its part. And more importantly it can set the team up for success in the future. 

But with their first pick not happening until pick 99, how should the 49ers approach the draft? What traits should the 49ers be looking for?

At a very blunt level, draft picks can be measured broadly across three main categories: athleticism, production in college and character. Within each category there will be a number of traits that go into defining what constitutes a "good" prospect. 

A prospect that scores highly across all three categories will likely be a very high draft pick. The 49ers are unlikely to find any such prospects available to them. For most draft prospects, teams will need to determine which traits and categories are most important to them.

The 49ers find themselves in something of a unique position in that they have a lot of elite talents already on the roster. While finding more elite talents should always be a goal, when your team is already so top heavy with talent it becomes very important to find solid players to put around them that can get the job done on the cheap. 

With this in mind, if I was the 49ers I would be placing most of my focus on the categories of character and production. Yes, the players need to meet certain athleticism thresholds or they simply won't be able to hold their own in the NFL, but beyond that threshold the team would be well served bringing in players that have proven their ability to get the job done in college and are committed to getting the most out of themselves. They don't really need to take flyers on special athletes in the hope they can put it all together. 

Now that isn't to say they shouldn't make exceptions. We know there are some positions the 49ers highly value athleticism - for example at RB. If there was one aspect to the running game the 49ers have missed the past two seasons it has been a RB with electric speed, and if they feel the right athletic talent is available they shouldn't hesitate. I would also suggest that a position like EDGE is one where going for the athletic specimen is probably worth it given the coaching staff at the 49ers. But when it comes to positions like OL, TE and S, which are all likely positions the 49ers will try to address relatively early, there is no need to swing big on the special athlete over the high character, productive college player with decent athleticism. Gold helmet guys should be the target, to complement the special talents already on the roster.    

So what does that mean for potential draft picks? Well, for one, I would take a guy like Tyler Steen or Cody Mauch over a Jaelyn Duncan. Duncan is the athletic specimen with high upside, but both Steen and Mauch come with good college tape and are known as high character players. Now that isn't to say Duncan isn't high character athlete in his own right, and if he is then great, but on the field it is clear that Steen and Mauch play with the right attitude that fits what the 49ers want. 

At TE, I'd love to be able to get a guy like Sam LaPorta. Team leader, great athlete and strong production. But extremely unlikely he will fall to somewhere the 49ers have a chance of getting him, despite the overall strength of the TE class. But failing landing LaPorta, I'd rather see the team go for a player that shows the right sort of attitude to get after it in the running game (so long as they can also offer something as a pass catcher) than go for the elite athletic pass catcher that offers little as a blocker. For example, I'd much prefer Cameron Latu than Zack Kuntz. 

At safety, I'm a fan of Jammie Robinson. He won't wow anybody as an athlete, but he understands football. Great instincts. And he's a high effort guy that plays with passion. He's exactly the type of safety I'd be trying to bring in, to sit behind Gipson for a year while also offering the versatility to provide depth in the slot. 

2023 NFL Draft: Offensive Line Edition

 The big concern going into last year was the offensive line and they ended up exceeding expectations. This year their starting RT, Mike McGlinchey is no longer on the team. McKivitz is presumed to be in the mix as his replacement, however I fully expect them to identify a natural OT as his main competitor and ultimately Trent Williams' replacement down the road. Let's take a look at guys that will be available beginning in the middle of round 2, since that's a realistic option should the 49ers choose to go that route, and the players I think they might target:

Cody Mauch, OT, ND 6'5 302 lbs., 32 3/8" arms, 9 3/4" hands, 5.08 40/1.79 10 yard/29" Vert/9' Broad/7.33 3 Cone/4.55 SS/29 reps Bench

Mauch is a former TE turned OT as a walk on. Positives: Athletic, ZBS run blocking machine, can play any position across the line, highly aggressive, good hip explosion, team captain, high energy, love and appreciation for the game. Negatives: Short levers, undisciplined feet, susceptible to bull rush, hand placement needs more refinement. Expected to go in the middle of round 2. Gold Helmet candidate. Summation: Think he's more guard than pure OT.

  Blake Freeland, OT, BYU 6'8 302 lbs., 33 7/8" arms, 10" hands, 4.98 40/1.68 10 yard/37" Vert/10' Broad/7.46 3 cone/4.71 SS

Freeland is a 4 year starter. Multi sport athlete. Shot/Javelin/Track state champion. Positives: Principal's honor roll student, excellent feet, ZBS run blocker, good punch and hand placement. Negatives: Technique refinement, instances of waist bending, better strength. Gold Helmet Designation. Summation: Type of player the team will covet at a position of need with the potential to be the future at LT. Projected #70.

Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama 6'6, 321 lbs., 32 3/4" arms, 10 1/2" hands, 29.5" Vert/9'1 Broad/4.59 SS, 31 reps Bench

Steen came to the Crimson Tide by way of Vanderbilt after 33 starts. Used that experience to gain an opportunity to play LT and never looked back. Positives: Strong, athletic with powerful hips to rotate at the top of the apex, ZBS fit. Negatives: Technique inconsistencies, more of a linear mover. Summation: Plenty to work with room for improvement. Projection 3rd round.

Asim Richards, OT, North Carolina 6' 4 309lbs., 34" arms, 10" hands

Richards is a 2 sport athlete and a physical run blocker. He's played DT, OT, TE. Positives: Mean streak, powerful, strong hands. Negatives: Pass pro susceptible against speed, feet need work, lacks explosion. Summation: Looks like an OG to me and should be there at pick #99. 

Wanya Morris, RT, OU 6'6 317 lbs., 35 1/8" arms, 10 1/4" hands, 5.1 40/1.73 10 yard/28.5" Vert/9.3 Broad

5 Star recruit who's never really lived up to his potential until this past year. Positives: NFL traits, nasty disposition, ZBS fit. Negatives: Core/Grip strength, balance in pass pro. Summation: 1st year where he played to his potential is cause for concern but he should be there at pick #99. 

Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland 6'6, 306 lbs., 33 5/8" arms, 9 1/4" hands, 5.1 40/1.78 Ten yard/31.5" Vert/9'5 Broad

Duncan is a 4 year starter with an NFL frame and athletic traits. Positives: Short area explosion, plays with an attitude in the run game, easy mover in space. Negatives: Grip strength, footwork, leverage awareness. Summation: Elite athlete but it's concerning how poorly refined his game is with all the experience at the position. Projection 4th round.

Warren McClendon Jr., OT, Georgia 6'4, 306 lbs., 34 1/2" arms, 10" hands

McClendon is a RT with NFL bloodlines. Positives: Technique, Intelligence, Strong upper body. Negatives: Slow feet, Inconsistent kick slide/labored vs. speed. Summation: You could do a lot worse. Not sure he's a fit. I'd probably roll the dice. Projection late 3rd.

Round 5 prospects:

Alex Palczewski, OT, Illinois, 6'6, 314 lbs., 9 1/4" hands, 33 3/8" arms

Extensive experience and durability with 65 games started, 49 at OT and 16 at OG. Positives: Captain, 713 pass pro attempts, 99% at RT without giving up a sack, no sacks allowed in 2022, high school wrestler. Negatives: Susceptible to quick swim move over him as a run blocker, stunt/twist recognition, hand placement. Summation: His aggression can be a two edged sword but he would represent great value with the potential to be the RT of the future. I wouldn't pass on him if I missed on any of the others.

Joey Fisher Sheppard OT, 6'5, 322 lbs.

3 year starter with starter traits. Mauler in the run game. Positives: Power, temperament, size and length. Negatives: Technique laziness, hand placement, level of competition. Summation: I like this player and he's another great value in round 5. He has the ability to earn starting reps.

Jon Gaines II, OT, UCLA, 6'4, 303 lbs., 33 5/8" arms, 10 1/8" hands, 5.01 40/1.73 10 yard/32.5" Vert/9'.6 Broad/7.31 3 cone/*4.45 SS

Gaines has experience at C/OG/OT and fits a ZBS with his movement skills. Positives: Intelligence, quickness, versatility. Negatives: Sloppy technique, lacks power, hand placement. Summation: He's a system fit but the lack of power gives me pause. He may be worth a flyer but I'd hate it if he tarnished Lynch's 5th round record. 

*Since 2010, just 28 Offensive Linemen recorded a 4.47 short shuttle or better at the NFL Combine. 24 of those were drafted, and all 24 went on to start 84% of their NFL games.

Some nice information by a HOF OL Coach:

Evaluating the 49ers First Week of FA

By Scooter_McG

The first wave of free agency is now done and the 49ers have seen a lot of player movement in that period, both coming and going, as well as some key retentions. Here are my initial thoughts on the 49ers moves in free agency so far. 

Additions

The 49ers made a big splash in the opening hours of the FA legal tampering period with the signing of one of the premier FAs available in DT Javon Hargrave, to a 4-year, $84M deal. This was a move that came as a surprise to most - not because the 49ers were aggressive or that they went after a DT, but because the general thinking was the 49ers would not have the cap space to make such a big signing this offseason. 

The addition of Hargrave to the 49ers DL has the potential to take a good unit to an elite level. DL coach Kris Kocurek has done an excellent job finding solid pass rush complements to Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead the past two years, but there is no doubt there was still a big drop off in talent and production from those two players. Hargrave adds a third elite player to the DL unit to help take the heat off Bosa and Armstead and add stress to opposing offenses. 

Other additions the 49ers have made are QB Sam Darnold to a 1-year, incentive laden deal, CB Isaiah Oliver to a 2-year deal, and DE Clelin Ferrell to a 1-year deal. 

Darnold will provide a solid option to push Trey Lance while Purdy recovers from elbow surgery, and is a player that can keep the team afloat in case of injuries. He has obviously had his struggles in his first five years in the NFL, but last year he showed some signs of progress and as a former 3rd overall pick he has the physical talents required to be a starting NFL QB. Given the injury issues at QB last season, having a capable veteran like Darnold on the books was a must.

Oliver is an exciting addition to compete for the nickel CB job. He's a long and athletic CB that has some inside/ outside flexibility, though inside is where he found a home with the Falcons and where he will likely find himself with the 49ers. He's an aggressive player that loves to play physically both against the pass and run, which is a perfect fit for the 49ers defense. 

Ferrell is an interesting addition and one I had expected. The former 4th overall pick was something of a bust with the Raiders. He's not as great an athlete as you might typically expect for someone draft so high, but he is a smart player with quality length and size for the position and brings high effort and leadership traits. In short, he is exactly the type of reclamation project that Kocurek has had success with in recent years and is a player I expect will reinvent himself under Kocurek's tutelage and playing alongside the likes of Bosa, Armstead and Hargrave.

Retained

The 49ers re-signed all of their ERFAs and RFAs, though some were signed to deals outside the ERFA/ RFA tag (e.g. McKivitz, Givens and Flannigan-Fowles). McKivitz figures to play a prominent role in the competition at RT while Givens has proven himself to be a valuable rotational DT. Jauan Jennings also comes back to add depth to the WR unit.

Before the FA legal tampering period began the 49ers announced the re-signing of starting FS Tashaun Gipson who will be coming back on a relatively cheap deal at just $2.9M which is a bargain relative to his level of play last season. Gipson was tremendous last year and his combination with Hufanga gave the 49ers one of the best safety tandems in the NFL. 

Importantly, the 49ers were able to re-sign starting center Jake Brendel to a 4-year deal despite interest from other teams. While Brendel is not an elite player by any means, he was surprisingly solid in his first year as a starter last season and helps provide stability along the interior of the 49ers OL. 

The 49ers are also bringing back DT TY McGill on a 1-year deal, who impressed in a rotational role after being brought in mid-season last year. With the addition of Hargrave and retention of Givens and McGill, the 49ers now have a lot of talent and depth at DT, with a focus on penetration up the middle.  

Outgoings

The 49ers are saying goodbye to some solid starting calibre players in Mike McGlinchey, Jimmy Garoppolo, Dan Brunskill, Jimmie Ward, Emmanuel Moseley, Charles Omenihu, Samson Ebukam and Azeez Al-Shaair. A few depth pieces are also on the move in Hassan Ridgeway, Maurice Hurst and Tarvarius Moore. 

That is a lot of starting calibre talent leaving Santa Clara, and at first glance such heavy losses would seem to suggest the 49ers may struggle to replace so many good players. But looking at the players they are losing two things stand out to me: (1) while they are solid players, they are not star players - they aren't players that make the team around them better, and (2) only two of them (McGlinchey and Ward) were clear cut starters - while Jimmy G, Al-Shaair, Ebukam, Omenihu and Brunskill all played a lot of snaps last year, they were either backups or rotational guys, while Moseley missed almost the entire season and Lenoir stepped up in his place. 

The 49ers have also already replaced Ward (Oliver) and Jimmy G (Darnold) with cheaper players that both have the talent to be capable starters in the NFL. The addition of Ferrell also helps soften the blow of losing Ebukam and Omenihu - in fact Ferrell is a more talented player than either of them and comes to the 49ers with similar levels of pass rush efficiency and productivity as they had prior to joining the 49ers.

And in losing so many starting calibre players, the 49ers stand to gain in terms of compensatory picks. In the case of McGlinchey and Jimmy G, they both represent players that are being signed to very large contracts (though in terms of the QB market, Jimmy G's contract is now just middle of the road) that should qualify for 3rd round comp picks. The addition of Hargrave cancels one of those out (expected to be Jimmy G), but they should still get a 3rd rounder back for McGlinchey.  

Bottom Line

The 49ers were always going to lose some players this offseason, and none of the players that have signed elsewhere came as much of a surprise. The trick was always going to be how the 49ers replaced the contributions of those players.

And this is where I find myself both pleasantly surprised and also impressed with the approach taken by Lynch and Shanahan. If you are going to pay big money for a player, make sure it is a very good to elite level player that knows what it takes to win. Don't spend big money to get just a solid or a good player. Don't spend the money on a guy that isn't committed to winning. 

Very good to elite level players that take the game seriously make the players around them better. It helps make solid players look like good players, and fringe players look solid. If you stack a few of them together in the same unit, they can overtake a game.

It's a tactic the team has employed pretty much every offseason bar the first one since Lynch and Shanahan arrived. In 2018 they went and got Richard Sherman. In 2019 it was Dee Ford (which unfortunately didn't work out due to injury). In 2020 it was Trent Williams. But over those years they had plenty of cap space and they also interspersed it with some overpaying for solid to good players. 

But for the past two offseasons the team has been tight against the cap yet have still aggressively pursued star talent. And they've done it at positions they were the most vulnerable the year before. Last offseason they went and got CB Charvarius Ward who was excellent for the 49ers last season. They also traded for McCaffrey mid-season. And this year Hargrave looks like another home run signing, plugging a gap at DT next to Armstead that at times last season was the teams biggest liability on defense.

By adding another star player to an already star-studded roster, it makes the job of everyone else that much easier. And it means you can likely get by with some lesser talented players than the guys the 49ers are losing at other positions. 

Importantly, by making sure the star players you bring in are professional, high character players you avoid the potential pitfall that other star-studded but egotistical rosters have had. This isn't a team that will accept anything less than 100% commitment, or that is going to start sniping at each other when things get tough. And from everything I have heard about Hargrave, he will fit right into the 49ers locker room and winning mentality.