The 49ers Silo Draft on Day 2, Targets for Day 3

Kyle, who do you love? De'Zhaun Stribling. Raheem, who do you love? Romello Height. Bobby Turner? Kaelon Black. That was the 49ers' draft process on Day 2. The head coach, DC, and RB coach picked their draft crushes. Three picks, three silos.

Why do the Niners reach so much? Because there’s no GM to orchestrate and optimize the value of each pick. They aren’t picking BPA, they’re picking their guy.

Ok, so what’s wrong with that? The running game isn’t working, what’s the problem in execution? OL. What’s the solution? Bobby takes your back if Christian McCaffrey goes down. Then why was Jordan James drafted last year? No continuity between years. It’s wasteful; they burn through picks.

The second-best guard in the draft is on the board, no we’ll take a great blocking receiver. That will certainly help, but the core issue is not moving the Seattle DTs off the line. Fix the problem.

The biases also come into play. Shanahan addresses the run game - at receiver. Turner will take his one cut back with vision. There’s no one saying the execution problem is at left guard. Because everyone is focused on their crush. Silo drafting.

De’Zhaun Stribling (Ole Miss) 6-2/207 WR

Fans are saying major reach, but that’s based on where Stribling began the process as a 4th rounder. By the end of it, so many teams wanted him in for a 30 visit he had to turn them down because he was booked up. It wouldn’t surprise me if one of the teams he couldn’t get to was the Niners.

Entering the draft, Dane Brugler of The Athletic had him top 64 and said on a podcast that was conservative. Would Stribling have lasted to 58? Nope. Shanahan and Lynch said they had intel Stribling would not last to 58.

So why Stribling? I think Shanahan wanted five key traits: size, speed, hands, power, and run blocking. The other receivers don’t have all five.

The positives: he’s cut, has power, 4.36 speed, only had one drop all year, and is the best WR run blocker in the draft per Shanahan. Over 200 yards receiving in two games vs. Georgia, averaged over 92 yards in three playoff games. He plays well when it matters against the best.

The negatives, sub 32 arms, nearly 60% of his targets were hitches and go routes, and he doesn’t use his body effectively. Mike Evans can help on the last one. The coaches will have to expand his sparse route tree.

Reach yes, but 58 wasn’t happening; Stribling was the fastest riser in the draft.

Romello Height (Texas Tech) 6-2/239 Edge

Lightning fast get-off, decent length with a 79-inch wingspan, great feet, smart hands and pass rush moves. 62 pressures, 9.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a PBU. Highly ranked in pass coverage but only on 43 passing snaps.

The negatives: 239 pounds, he’s a liability in run D, and is likely a career DPR (designated pass rusher). Six years in college, four teams, and only had 2.5 sacks in 2024. Old, 25 now. Poor angles in pursuit, leading to a 21.2% missed tackle rate.

Why Height? Force an offensive line to pick its poison. Speed with height, push from Osa Odighizuwa inside, Nick Bosa on the other edge. An offensive line can’t deal with all three.

Kaelon Black (Indiana) 5-9/211 RB

Powerful bowling ball back that runs hard north-south. Cuts on a dime, great vision. 4.45 speed that he uses well, he consistently gets explosives of 10 yards or more, 26 on the season gaining over 1,000 yards with 10 TDs. While he can break out on 10 yard plays, his long was only 40. Not used in the passing game at Indiana, but he did have 27 catches for over 250 yards at James Madison with 4 TDs. Technically sound and effective in pass pro. 415 pound bench press, 500 pound squat.

The negatives, 25 in October. Short legs, he doesn’t have a 5th gear. Can be impatient as a runner. Benefitted from a 2-back system at Indiana to always play fresh. The team negative is drafting Black and Jordan James in consecutive seasons, when neither may see much of the field.

Day 3 Targets

OG

Jalen Farmer (UK) 6-5/322. 83 wingspan, led bench reps at 37, 4.93 speed. 3 sacks.
Billy Schrauth (Notre Dame) 6-5/310. 98.6% win rate on pass sets, 2 pressures, no sacks.
Beau Stephens (Iowa) 6-6/315, 4 pressures, no sacks, finisher, but short arms and slow.

S

Jalon Kilgore (So. Car. ) 6-1/210. Size-speed ballhawk with 29 PBUs and 8 picks career, nickel DB only hasn’t played safety but that’s his expected NFL position. Hitter.

VJ Payne (K St) 6-3/206. Size-speed, 81 wingspan, great in coverage, but only 4 PBUs and 1 INT this year. Stiff and tall, not a great tackler.

Michael Taaffe (Texas) 5-11/190. Exceptional diagnostics allow him to play faster than his 4.50 speed. Great blitzer and a special teams demon. Lacks strength and a T-Rex with 29.5 arms. One PBU with two picks this year, but 10 PBUs in 2024.

TE

Justin Joly (NC State) 6-4/241. Quick, fluid moves like a big receiver, 71% on contested catches. Average blocker but sustains. Few explosives, 28 first downs. 489 yards, 7 TDs.

Jack Endries (Texas) 6-4/245. Money hands, good athleticism, solid blocker. Needs to add mass; only one TD red zone. 56 catches for 623 yards with Fernando Mendoza at Cal, 33-346 at Texas.

Dallen Bentley (Texas) 6-4/253. Finds holes in zone, good YAC, no drops, moves blocker.

DT

Gracen Halton (Okla) 6-2/293. 3.5 sacks, great closer, lacks ideal size with short arms.

Nick Barrett (So Car) 6-2/312. 81 wingspan, great power, athletic, 2 sacks. Slow get-off.

Kaleb Proctor (SE La) 6-1/291. Quick penetrator, 33 arms, 4.5 sacks, high motor, 4.79.

DB

Malik Muhammad (Texas) 6-0/182. Great in zone, smart recognition, solid vs. run. The Niners had him in for a 30 visit.

Will Lee II (Texas A&M) 6-1/189. 79 wingspan, 4.52, press man, 20 PBUs, 2 INT last two years. Lacks strength; six penalties this year.

The small ballhawks – Charles Demmings (SFA) 35 PBU 9 INT career.
Hezekiah Masses (Cal) 13 PBU 5 INT this year, with two called back on penalties.

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