Put simply, Alex Smith needs playmakers to succeed. Drafting Vernon Davis last year was a step in the right direction, as was the addition of free agent Ashley Lelie this offseason. But a casual glance at the team's receiving corps shows that even with the recent upgrades, improvements must 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
be made:Bryan Gilmore - Judging by Gilmore's 2006 stat line, you may have thought it was his rookie season: eight catches for 150 yards and a single touchdown. Sadly, it was actually his seventh pro season, and that means he's already hit his incredibly low ceiling. For his pro career, Gilmore has averaged six catches and 97 yards per year. Arnaz Battle - Battle is the team's second wideout, but looking at the alternatives will tell you he earned the job by default. At 6-foot-1, 210 pounds and without exceptional speed, Battle is better suited for slot duty and likely wouldn't be a No. 2 receiver for any other team in the conference. The Niners can make do with him in his current role, but relying on him long term is asking a lot from Alex Smith. Battle is an OK player with decent hands, but the former college quarterback may have reached his peak with 686 receiving yards a year ago. Taylor Jacobs - If you look up the word "bust" on Wikipedia, Jacobs would be listed amongst other notable University of Florida receivers who failed to meet expectations at the pro level (Ike Hilliard, Jabar Gaffney, among others). After a solid college career, Jacobs has accumulated a meager 34 receptions for 344 yards and a touchdown in four years as a pro. In other words, he has produced what Torry Holt and Marvin Harrison do in a month, though it has taken him four seasons to do it. It's hard to believe Jacobs still has a job. It seems unlikely that the team will spend the 11th overall pick on a wide receiver, considering that the need for a true 3-4 down lineman supersedes the need for a wideout. Even the best college wide receiver's typically struggle in their first year or two (i.e. Rashaun Woods), so selecting one a few rounds later, minus the pressure of immediate statistical success that comes with being a first round pick, makes sense. The current draft class is also especially deep at WR, so selecting one in the third round or beyond may actually yield a talent who is comparable to a first- 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey black jersey
or second-rounder in years past. And though a late-round receiver selection may not be what some Niners fans would prefer, how much less productive could that player be than Taylor Jacobs?Questions?
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