Senior Bowl

"DT BJ Raji, Boston College: The most impressive player on the North team, hands down. He pushed his way into the top half of the first round, quite literally, with his dominant bull rush against some very talented interior blockers." -- Chad Reuter, The Sports Xchange

Now that the Senior Bowl has wrapped up, it's time for another mock draft. I wasn't sure how my mock draft could possibly change after updating it the first time, but alas, at this point of the offseason, it's impossible for mock drafts to not change. One thing to note is the team's addition of DB Jimmy Williams, who may or may not be a factor at free safety, and Michael Spurlock, who's going to get looked at as a possible return man. Other than that, I'm going to assume no other additions were made during free agency. By the way, I base all these predictions based on NFLDraftScout.com's rankings.

Mock Draft 3.0

1. DT BJ Raji, Boston College. Two weeks ago, I had the Niners picking him in the 2nd round. In a matter of 4 days, his stock has skyrocketed to the first half of the draft. He absolutely dominated during Senior Bowl week and he looks like the real deal at NT, a position the team has needed to upgrade as much as their needs for a FS and a pass rusher. His rising stock is a blessing as much as it is a curse. It's a blessing because we can justify taking him with the 10th pick. It's a curse because now he's open to getting picked at #9 by the Packers, who are planning on switching to the 3-4. I can count the number of 3-4 teams with a legit NT on one hand. That's how rare these nose tackles are and Raji's the only one in this draft. This pick is a virtual lock if he's available.
Other options: OT Michael Oher, DE Everette Brown, MLB Rey Maualuga, DE Brian Orakpo, CB Malcolm Jenkins

2. DE Larry English, Northern Illinois or DE Aaron Maybin, Penn State or LB Clint Sintim, Virginia. If RB Shonn Greene is available here, he's the pick. My gut thinks he won't be [will probably be picked by the Browns or Bengals], so I'm going to go with a premiere pass rusher in either Larry English, Aaron Maybin, or Clint Sintim. Right now, it's too hard to tell which one is the better prospect of the three and if the better prospect will even be around long enough for the Niners to select him in the 2nd round. I'd be happy with any one of these guys to provide the team with a legit pass-rushing threat.
Other options: RB Shonn Greene, DB Sean Smith

3. OT Fenuki Tupou, Oregon. If OT Phil Loadholt is still there, I'd rather take him. Again, I don't think he'll last that far into the 3rd round if he even gets into the 3rd round, but I'd be just as pleased with Tupou. Tupou is the only original prospect from my first mock and I want him on the team for all the same reasons as before.
Other options: OT Phil Loadholt, QB Josh Freeman, MLB Scott McKillop

4. RB Andre Brown, NC State. Another Senior Bowl standout that earned himself some money with strong play. Brown's been overlooked because of his lack of production in college. However, over the last week, he's shown the ability to be a powerful runner that can hit the holes hard and truck over DBs. He's a well-fitted complement to Frank Gore and will thrive in a smash-mouth system.
Other options: QB Graham Harrell, FS Rashad Johnson, DE David Veikune, OT Augustus Parrish

5. CB Bruce Johnson, Miami. Bruce Johnson would be a good fit for the team at this point in the draft for a number of reasons... 1. With Walt Harris on the decline,questions surrounding Shawntae Spencer's health, and the mystery known as Reggie Smith, the team's CB depth could stock up. You can never have too many CBs; 2. Johnson is a different mold of CB other than what the team currently has. Nate Clements, Harris, Spencer, Smith, and Tarrell Brown are all larger CBs that like to jam WRs and bully them around. Johnson relies more on his quickness and his ability to stick onto and harrass WRs; and 3. His speed may be an asset on special teams, where the team is looking for Rossum's successor at KR/PR; 4. He's from Miami, my favorite NCAA football team.
Other options: QB John Parker Wilson, DE Lawrence Sidbury, DE Phillip Hunt, DT Terrance Taylor

6. FS Curtis Taylor, LSU. I've been wanting a free safety in the early rounds of the draft for the last five years. For the last five years I've watched those early round picks go to every position other than safety. Yet, this year, I'm shooting for another late round safety. Why the change of heart? Two words--Dashon Goldson. I don't think last year's training camp was a fluke. I think Goldson can still be a playmaking FS but he just needed a year or two to hone his game. Other than injuries, the only thing holding him back last year was his lack of experience. Waiting until the 6th round for Curtis Taylor would still get us a quality FS that may not push for too much playing time, thus allowing Goldson to get comfortable in a starting role. Let's call Taylor an insurance policy in case Goldson never pans out.
Other options: WR Brandon Tate, RB Devin Moore, RB Tyrell Sutton, MLB Antonio Appleby, MLB Victor Butler

7. QB Tom Brandstater, Fresno State. Here, the Niners pick up their other QB. It was tough to choose between picking a QB or FB here but I went for the position that would be more valuable and higher in demand. In terms of measurables and all that prototype stuff, Tom Brandstater is the complete package. He has drawn comparisons to past draft picks Foe Flacco and Kevin O'Connell. However, he's gonna need a lot of coaching and he's far from a finished product. With Shaun Hill and Alex Smith ahead of him, the team can afford to let the 7th round pick wait.
Other options: FB Travis McCall, FB Quinn Johnson, QB Mike Reilly

One position I neglected to address was WR or scat back. I've always thought the team had talented receivers, including our tight ends, that just needed the right system to thrive. With that said, I still don't think we need to waste an early round pick for another WR. However, I wouldn't mind taking a scat back with one of those picks [Devin Moore, Tyrell Sutton]. If the offense lacks anything, it's a legit burner that's a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Since we're switching to a more traditional offense, I figured we could leave it out. Next update will come some time after the Super Bowl. Surely, a lot will change by then so I'll keep this updated. Until then, I'll be enjoying the MMA bonanza that's going on over the next two weeks.

NEXT: [Insert Offensive Coordinator's Name]