Blogs

MT: 2013 NFL Draft Preview

Finally.

The wait is over. The draft board is finalized. The prospects are eager. The fan base is ready. The draft bash is all set.

The 2013 NFL Draft begins tonight and it couldn’t have come any sooner. We broke down prospects and spoke with analysts about the endless possibilities, but that was all build up to the inevitable conclusion. The three-day draft gets underway tonight at 5 p.m. PT and the future of the San Francisco 49ers will come into greater focus when the team makes its first selection.

Will it be at No. 31, or will San Francisco move up to select a player they’ve been coveting all along? The outcome will be known shortly.

In Trent Baalke’s three drafts leading the team’s draft-day decisions, the 49ers general manager has traded nine times. In 2010, Baalke’s first year as Vice President of Player Personnel, Baalke moved up to select tackle Anthony Davis, a player who recently signed a five-year contract extension through 2019. Baalke also traded back in 2010 to select, two-time All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman, another player who has been extended until the 2018 season.

It’s worth noting that Baalke has never traded out of the first-round in three years. In 2011, he moved up in the second-round to select quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

With 13 selections heading into draft day, the possibilities for Baalke and his personnel staff are endless.

It’s safe to say the world will be watching. NFL Draft prognostications are endless, but they’ll stop very soon. We’ve compiled the top mock drafts for your consideration in today’s Morning Tailgate.

Share your draft opinions on social with #Draft49 and if you’re having a draft party or attending our event in San Jose tonight, use #49ersDraftBash to showcase your experience.

Thanks everyone for checking out our blog and enjoy the draft. 49ers.com/Draft will have you covered all weekend long.

Now, on to the links…

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MT: Donte Whitner Remains Hungry

In his second season with the San Francisco 49ers, Donte Whitner totaled his second-most tackles in seven years in the NFL.

Whitner, who joined the 49ers as a free agent in 2011, recorded 119 tackles in his first ever Pro Bowl season. The hard-hitting safety was a key member of last year’s NFC Conference championship club and sounded eager to get back to work in 2013. In fact, Whitner only took two weeks off at the end of Super Bowl XLVII.

“We had a taste of it,” Donte said of the team’s Super Bowl appearance in 2012 which followed a loss in the NFC title game in 2011. “The third time’s the charm.”

Whitner shared some of his thoughts on the upcoming season in a Friday morning appearance on NFL Network’s “NFL AM” show.

“We feel like we’re the best defense in the NFL,” Whitner said. “We have pass rushers. We have a tremendous front seven.”

Whitner praised his inside linebacker tandem of Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman as two of the best in the league.

Asked how the 49ers would replace outgoing safety Dashon Goldson, Whitner explained that the 49ers front seven would help whoever steps in as a replacement. In Whitner’s mind, pressure from the defensive front can really help the back end of a defense.

“We have a bunch of possibilities,” Donte said. “When we step out on the field we’ll be ready.”

More 49ers headlines can be found in today’s Morning Tailgate.

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Morning Tailgate: Davis Extension

Anthony Davis earned a second contract from the San Francisco 49ers. With the starting right tackle agreeing to a five-year extension that’ll keep him with the 49ers through the 2019 season, the team has continued its recent trend of rewarding hard-working draft picks with long-term financial commitments.

Davis joins NaVorro Bowman, Patrick Willis, Vernon Davis, Andy Lee and Joe Staley as 49ers draft picks to sign extensions to stay in San Francisco.

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Morning Tailgate: Harbaugh Visits SJSU

In the fall of 2007, Ron Caragher took over the head coaching position at the University of San Diego, replacing one Jim Harbaugh. On Thursday, the two coaches reunited at San Jose State, as the 49ers coach visited Caragher’s team during a spring practice session. Jimmy Durkin the Bay Area News Group was on hand as Harbaugh caught up with Caragher and some NFL Draft hopefuls. SJSU Athletics also shared a photo gallery of the afternoon visit.

“Harbaugh, sporting his classic look of khakis, black 49ers crew neck sweatshirt and black 49ers cap, watched the last hour of practice,” Durkin wrote. “He chatted with Spartans coach Ron Caragher, Harbaugh’s successor at the University of San Diego, and with NFL prospects and former SJSU players David Quessenberry and Ryan Otten.”

Stay up to date with all of the free agent action with 49ers.com’s Free Agency Tracker. The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate also examines the free-agent addition of LB Dan Skuta.

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2012 Plays of the Year: Final Five

The 49ers Faithful have spoken. Now it’s time for one final vote.

In recent weeks, 49ers.com has brought you the top 5 takeaways, touchdowns, sacks, big hits and big plays and asked for the Faithful to vote for their favorite plays of the year. For the last round of voting, a winner will emerge from the Final Five candidates as picked by the 49ers Faithful.

The Final Five features a great mix of breakneck offensive plays, bone-crushing defensive plays and game-changers. Until 5 p.m. PT on Monday, you can vote for the 2012 Play of the Year at the bottom of this blog post. Let’s take a look at the top play for each category.

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2012 Plays of the Year: Big Hits

We need your help in selecting the top plays from the 2012 season. We’re asking our Faithful fans to choose the top takeaway, touchdown, sack, big play and biggest hit of the season. Next, the winning five plays (one from each category), will move on to the championship round to determine 49ers.com’s “Top Play of 2012.”

Watch our “Top 5” video highlights on the best plays for each category, then vote in the poll section of the corresponding blog post to see which top play will reach the championship round.

Help us crown the top play of 2012 by choosing your favorite big hit from this past season. You can vote for your favorite big hit up until Wednesday at noon. Let’s take a look at the five nominees.

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Morning Tailgate: Bowman Visits Uganda

Following in the footsteps of his teammate Vernon Davis, NaVorro Bowman is in Africa to help fit local, underprivileged residents with hearing aids. Davis made the trip in 2011 with his brother, Colts cornerback Vontae Davis, and several other players. Comcast SportsNet Bay Area shared a four-part video series. (Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4)

On Monday, Bowman tweeted out a picture of himself helping the Pros For Africa Foundation in Uganda. For more information, visit ProsForAfrica.com.

The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate looks at the franchise tag situation on the verge of Monday’s deadline and more.

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2012 Plays of the Year: Big Plays

We need your help in selecting the top plays from the 2012 season. We’re asking our Faithful fans to choose the top takeaway, touchdown, sack, big play and biggest hit of the season. Next, the winning five plays (one from each category), will move on to the championship round to determine 49ers.com’s “Top Play of 2012.”

Watch our “Top 5” video highlights on the best plays for each category, then vote in the poll section of the corresponding blog post to see which top play will reach the championship.

Help us crown the top play of 2012 by choosing your favorite big play from this past season. You can vote for your favorite big play up until Thursday at noon. Let’s take a look at the five nominees.

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2012 Plays of the Year: Takeaways

We need your help in selecting the top plays from the 2012 season. We’re asking our Faithful fans to choose the top takeaway, touchdown, sack, big play and biggest hit of the season. Next, the winning five plays (one from each category), will move on to the championship round to determine 49ers.com’s “Top Play of 2012.”

Watch our “Top 5” video highlights on the best plays for each category, then vote in the poll section of the corresponding blog post to see which top play will reach the championship.

Help us crown the top play of 2012 by first choosing your favorite takeaway from this past season. You can vote for your favorite takeaway up until Thursday at noon. Let’s take a look at the five nominees.

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Gameday Story: We Live for This

San Francisco’s pair of Pro Bowl inside linebackers live for competition. So much so, Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman would do anything in their power to win a Super Bowl.

More importantly, the 49ers dominant defenders want nothing more than to win the ultimate prize together.

The tight-knit relationship of San Francisco’s play-making linebackers came into greater focus in our latest Gameday magazine cover story. The cover, designed by team graphic designer Ben Mayberry, depicts the bond between two of the NFL’s most versatile defenders.

In true fashion, both primetime players brought their best effort in the 49ers 45-31 Divisional Playoff win over the Green Bay Packers. The tandem combined to make 12 tackles with Willis leading the team with seven tackles and a crucial sack on Aaron Rodgers. It stood as San Francisco’s only sack of the game and forced a Packers punt to start the second half.

Get to know more about the tight bond between the two linebackers and their all-out approach to this year’s postseason in our latest Gameday feature.

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