WCG Mock Draft- San Francisco (#11)

by Adam T on Mar 28, 2007 7:52 AM CDT in News

11. San Francisco- Patrick Willis, LB, Ole Miss

With the #11 pick the 49ers decided to go with a player that was arguably the best player available while also filling a need. That player would be Patrick Willis, Linebacker from Ole Miss. Willis will be inserted into the new 3-4 scheme being implemented by Mike Nolan in 2007. Coach Nolan got a close up preview of Willis at the Senior Bowl as the coach of the South, and Willis did not disappoint.

Patrick was selected as the South's Defensive Player of the Game leading both teams with 11 tackles.

Willis was a tackling machine in college with 265 tackles over his last 22 games, with 21 recorded for a loss. He was selected as the Butkus Award winner in 2006 as the top collegiate linebacker and is a two-time All-American. Even though some have questioned his raw speed, they cannot question his tackling ability and solid character.

Others that were considered (A. Carriker, L. Brown, T. Ginn).

Drafter- RME JICO

On the clock- Buffalo Bills (BG)

2007 NFL Mock Draft - First Round
Pick	Team	Player	Pos.	College
1	Oakland Raiders	JaMarcus Russell	QB	LSU
2	Detroit Lions	Joe Thomas	OT	Wisconsin
3	Cleveland Browns	Calvin Johnson	WR	Georgia Tech
4	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Gaines Adams	DE	Clemson
5	Arizona Cardinals	Alan Branch	dT	Michigan
6	Washington Redskins	Jamaal Anderson	DE	Arkansas
7	Minnesota Vikings	Brady Quinn	QB	Notre Dame
8	Atlanta Falcons	LaRon Landry	S	LSU
9	Miami Dolphins	Amobi Okoye	DT	Louisville
10	Houston Texans	Adrian Peterson	RB	Oklahoma
11	San Francisco	Patrick Willis	LB	Ole Miss

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Comments

Dead on the money

If Willis is available at #11 you can chisel it in stone that the 9ers will take him.

by Chad @ Windy City Gridiron on Mar 28, 2007 12:39 PM CDT reply actions

I think

that Carriker is a better fit for San Fran. A high-motor end that could probably drop off in coverage if asked. I think Willis is a stud, but LBs aren't valued this high in the draft.

by kingj41 on Mar 29, 2007 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions

Carriker was an option

but there was some speculation about his ability to convert from 4-3 to 3-4.

by RME JICO on Mar 30, 2007 12:36 PM CDT up reply actions

I also read

those notes, but just from watching him play and noting his size and effort, I don't know why he isn't valued more as a 3-4 end. He's big and strong, but athletic enough to defend the perimeter. It's just hard to see a linebacker going this high, unless it was an Arrington(based on his college play, he was a beast.) or an Urlacher.

by kingj41 on Apr 2, 2007 9:22 AM CDT up reply actions