49ers post-draft grades: How did the Red & Gold do with nine selections?
The 49ers were very busy on draft weekend, selecting nine new players to join the 2023 roster. Here's how they stack up a week later.
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The San Francisco 49ers have had a busy week, steaming back to the start of the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Since last Friday, the Red & Gold have added nine new members to their franchise, including five defensive players. San Francisco has also been busy in the undrafted rookie free-agent market, signing 12 more players to the 90-man roster.
49ers 2023 UDFA class:
- RB Ronald Awatt
- FB Jack Colletto
- OL Joey Fisher
- CB D’Shawn Jamison
- RB Khalan Laborn
- OL Corey Luciano
- OL Ilm Manning
- LB Mariano Sori-Marin
- DL Spencer Waege
- WR Isaiah Winstead
- WR Shae Wyatt
- S Avery Young
It’s unlikely that most will make it past training camp, as the 49ers will have to cut-down the roster to 53 men by the start of the 2023 regular season.
But enough of the UDFAs, let’s focus on the Red & Gold’s nine draft selections in 2023.
Third Round:
S Ji’Ayir Brown
College: Penn State
Grade: A
This was by far the 49ers’ best selection of the 2023 NFL Draft, trading up to 87th overall to take “Tig” Brown.
Brown, 21, finished with 10 career interceptions at Penn State, tied for 12th in program history. He also posted 234 career interception return yards, the second-most at Penn State since 2000. His tackling skills didn’t go unnoticed as well, racking up 153 total tackles in three years.
Brown will have luxury of sitting behind veteran safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. for the 2023 season, a model that worked well with All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga last season. When the time is right (could be this year or next) the Penn State alum will form an awesome partnership with “Huf”, holding down the secondary for the next half decade.
K Jake Moody
College: Michigan
Grade: C+
Like the player, hate the draft selection here.
Spending a third-round pick on a placekicker is a hard pill to swallow for 49ers Faithful, especially considering the team didn’t address the offensive line. But if they were going to spend top-100 pick on kicker, at least they got the best one the draft.
Moody, 23, converted a single-season record of 29 field goals (of 35) including 10 conversions from 40-plus yards in 2022. He also was perfect on PATs (60 for 60), with 66 touchbacks on 102 kickoffs.
Just got off the phone with Jim Harbaugh. We talked about a certain mustachioed kicker. Harbaugh: "You can count on three things in life: death, taxes and Jake Moody."
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) May 4, 2023
TE Cameron Latu
College: Alabama
Grade: C
The 49ers have been looking for a partner for All-Pro George Kittle, but this pick still feels like a reach.
Latu had glimpses of potential for the Crimson Tide, showing ability after the coach that translates to the NFL level. But those moments were fleeting at best, which is why I had a fifth-round grade on the prospect.
During the 2022 season, Latu totaled 30 receptions for 377 yards and four touchdowns for Alabama. In his collegiate career, he totaled 787 yds and 12 TDs. He also had an incredible high drop-rate in college, second in the 2023 class at 9.1%.
Who knows what he’ll become in the 49ers’ offense but I think there were better prospects available at this time.
Fifth Round:
CB Darrell Luter Jr.
College: Southern Alabama
Grade: B
Southern Alabama’s Luter fits exactly what defensive coordinator Steve Wilks wants from his secondary: Physicality.
As a senior, he recorded 42 tackles, an interception and seven pass breakups in 13 starts. Getting first-team All Sun Belt Conference accolades in 2022, the Mississippi native finishes college with 91 total tackles, five picks, and. 18 pass breakups in three seasons.
He’ll likely vie for the 49ers’ nickel-back role in 2023, facing competition from second-year CB Samuel Womack.
DL Robert Beal Jr.
College: Georgia
Grade: B
Another player that possesses elite traits for the NFL game, Robert Beal could be important for San Francisco in the trenches.
The defensive lineman had 26 total stops and 20 quarterback pressures in his senior year, recording four tackles and a quarterback strip-sack in Georgia’s SEC Championship win over LSU. Used rotationally for the Bulldogs, Beal leaves college after six years, racking up 72 total tackles and ten sacks.
He also ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, FWIW.
Forget the stats, San Francisco loves his burst within two yards of the line of scrimmage. They’ll be hoping DL coach Kris Kocurek can get the best out of him the long term.
Robert Beal Jr, highest GTFO grade đŸ˜¤#49ersDraft pic.twitter.com/tXWyMpSIWa
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) April 29, 2023
Sixth Round:
LB Dee Winters
College: TCU
Grade: B+
How about some more speed on defense? Dee Winters can absolutely fly, posting a 4.49 40-time at the combine in March.
His production on the field also speaks for itself, appeared in 48 games over his collegiate career. Winters racked up 246 tackles (33.5 for loss), 12.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries, 10 passes defended and three interceptions in four seasons.
He’ll be tasked with locking down the sub-linebacker role his rookie year, most recently held by the departed Azeez Al-Shaair. Regardles, he should prove useful for the 49ers on multiple facets of the game.
Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga and Dee Winters going to be FLYING off the ball: pic.twitter.com/KyDoEFbU9T
— Akash Anavarathan (@akashanav) April 29, 2023
Seventh Round:
TE Brayden Willis
College: Oklahoma
Grade: B
WR Ronnie Bell
College: Michigan
Grade: B-
LB Jalen Graham
College: Purdue
Grade: C+
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