2024 NFL DRAFT: UDFA Tracker

[WhyAmIHere]

1 hour ago, 49ersfan said:

49ers.com forums were super active back in the day (2005 - 2013 or so). Think they closed those down. I used to visit daily 

DraftCountdown was also good back around 05-07.

Yup Draftcountdown was where I found out about this place. But at the time the Alex Smith civil war was too intense so I had to bow out. 

[49erscap]

Oh wow, I remember the 49ers.com forums, I signed up back in the mid 2000s, they had this guy, I forget his name, called himself something like The Wizard or something weird, who was "supposedly" a cap expert, only unlike myself, he didn't share individual cap numbers for all players, so when I decided to introduce myself, I got blasted, called a fraud, all kinds of nasty stuff, the funny thing is the 49ers organization knows exactly who I am, back in 2013 I had a chance to potentially work for them down the road, just needed a computers degree, not gonna say who contacted me, but he was impressed with my work, which I think was on NinersNation.com at the time, but I just didn't have the money to get the degree they wanted, idk which is the highest, a masters or bachelors degree, but that's what they require to work for them, that was at that point my dream job, I've always wanted to live in California my entire adult life, since after HS, never gonna happen, too expensive.

[Steve_DeBerg_Fan_420]

23 hours ago, WhyAmIHere said:

Yup Draftcountdown was where I found out about this place. But at the time the Alex Smith civil war was too intense so I had to bow out. 

Man, the Alex Smith days.  Everyone was always arguing.  Was it his fault for not being accurate, decisive, and confident?  Was it the coaching that he received?  Was it the team for drafting a raw QB to a defensive coach?

 

The answer was yes, Yes to all three. I always like to listen to him speak or host shows though, and he was a good QB that continually improved throughout his career.  I thought he was going to win the East the year in Washington he hurt his leg. 

[WhyAmIHere]

42 minutes ago, Steve_DeBerg_Fan_420 said:

Man, the Alex Smith days.  Everyone was always arguing.  Was it his fault for not being accurate, decisive, and confident?  Was it the coaching that he received?  Was it the team for drafting a raw QB to a defensive coach?

 

The answer was yes, Yes to all three. I always like to listen to him speak or host shows though, and he was a good QB that continually improved throughout his career.  I thought he was going to win the East the year in Washington he hurt his leg. 

Alex Smith is why I'd only hire Offensive HCs from here on out - continuity and a sound offensive philosophy is so critical.  Those fools went through like 6 OCs in 6 years and it was absolute hell on that dude.  

 

I agree, he's great on TV/media though.  

[Steve_DeBerg_Fan_420]

11 hours ago, WhyAmIHere said:

Alex Smith is why I'd only hire Offensive HCs from here on out - continuity and a sound offensive philosophy is so critical.  Those fools went through like 6 OCs in 6 years and it was absolute hell on that dude.  

 

I agree, he's great on TV/media though.  

Continuity helps, but out of the 6 coordinators, I only recall two being good, and only one of the two fit Alex's play style. 

Six Years of Norv and Smith probably would have developed much faster. 

Six years of Mike McCarthy woulda been something, but who the hell knows what.  

Then you have Mike Martz.  Alex did not fit that system, at all.  I don't think this Marriage coulda lasted more than a year or two.

Jimmy Raye III,  the Ninja turtle from hell.  Josh Morgan sure could block though. 

Jeff Hosteler in 07 was probably the worst.  A double basic highschool offense.  

 

Maybe they shoulda made Norv the head coach.  It would be insanity because offseason 06 through 07 was Nolan's 49er high.  The team finished pretty good in 06, and everyone was Rollin with Nolan for 07.  In hind sight, it makes sense, but at the time it would have lit the house on fire.

[adamq]

A good time to share this if anyone hasn't seen it. I feel really bad for Alex, he was put in a horrible situation and then the botched shoulder surgery on top of the other injuries.. I honestly have to wonder how things would have turned out if we had taken Rodgers & Smith had fallen to GB.

 

Just as soon as he got a real Coach and environment, Jim kicked him to the curb for Kaep. I hated it at the time and obviously still do. Alex never got another chance here after the concussion

 

 

Edited May 24 by adamq

[Steve_DeBerg_Fan_420]

4 minutes ago, adamq said:

A good time to share this if anyone hasn't seen it. I feel really bad for Alex, he was put in a horrible situation and then the botched shoulder surgery on top of the other injuries.. I honestly have to wonder how things would have turned out if we had taken Rodgers & Smith had fallen to GB.

 

Just as soon as he got a real Coach and environment, Jim kicked him to the curb for Kaep. I hated it at the time and obviously still do. Alex never got another chance here after the concussion

 

 

Kap was so explosive though.  Man, the ball flys off his hand like it has a rocket poking out the back.  Then you factor in the zone read offense, and the single read passing concepts and I personally feel like it it was always Kap's offense.  He was drafted like 34, and was Harbaugh's second pick as a coach.  We traded up to get him.  Look at the guys Roman has coached since, far more like Kap like than Smith.   

I did hate it for Alex.  I appreciate how hard he worked to get to that point in 2012, and how he was playing well and did not play himself out of a job.  That being said, I woulda made the same decision again.  The magic Kap brought to the table in the two Green Bay divisional games was worth it for me. 

I understand why the 49ers let Kap walk.  He didn't fit Shanahan's system, but I do think he was still a top 20 QB in the league at that point.  Between Kap and Alex, it ended up being Kap's last chance to start in the NFL.  Reality is stranger than fiction sometimes. 

Alex took so much crap that should have been directed at Singletary, his OC, and the front office.  I think a fresh start between 2007 and 2011 woulda helped Alex a lot, but the injury prevented that.  The 2010 season is still a bit of a blur.  I only really remember the Troy Smith parts tbh. 

[WhyAmIHere]

Kaep was definitely the better player at the time, in that 2012 season...but I still wonder today what would've happened in that Superbowl if Alex was playing instead.  That team had no business losing to that Ravens team - it was just such a stacked talented team from top to bottom (McLoughan deserves a lot of credit).  While Kaep was better, I feel like there was a lack of focus and leadership that really cost them in that game.  The entire first half they came out like they were hungover, including Kaep...we actually could've used a "game manager".  

I never had the Niners beating the Mahomes Chiefs, but I definitely had them slaughtering that Ravens team.  What a bummer, I was shocked, I thought Harbaugh was the next Walsh.

Alex's longevity is a testament to his will and work ethic, the guy is just a helluva person and insanely smart.  I freaking hated the guy at the beginning of his career but grew to respect him as his career evolved. I've talked to people who were close to the org during the Kaep years, and the guy just didn't have it (I mean seriously, banging the gf of your best player??? wtf) in multiple ways, on and off the field....he was a very poor leader. 

Edited May 24 by WhyAmIHere

[Chrissooner49er]

6 hours ago, adamq said:

A good time to share this if anyone hasn't seen it. I feel really bad for Alex, he was put in a horrible situation and then the botched shoulder surgery on top of the other injuries.. I honestly have to wonder how things would have turned out if we had taken Rodgers & Smith had fallen to GB.

 

Just as soon as he got a real Coach and environment, Jim kicked him to the curb for Kaep. I hated it at the time and obviously still do. Alex never got another chance here after the concussion

 

 

Imagine looking FORWARD to road games?! Wow. 

Kaep regressed, every single year after his starting year. His career was not sustainable. Why? He refused to throw guys open--he WATCHED until they were open and rocketed that ball to them, which made it more difficult to catch! He also spent much more time in the gym than watching film. He was a one read and run QB and that is not sustainable. He was also a trash heap of a teammate. He had to make a spectacle of himself to stay relevant. 

Cannot stand the kid. Alex has so much more poise and maturity than Kaep ever will. 

[Steve_DeBerg_Fan_420]

On 5/24/2024 at 12:49 PM, Chrissooner49er said:

Imagine looking FORWARD to road games?! Wow. 

Kaep regressed, every single year after his starting year. His career was not sustainable. Why? He refused to throw guys open--he WATCHED until they were open and rocketed that ball to them, which made it more difficult to catch! He also spent much more time in the gym than watching film. He was a one read and run QB and that is not sustainable. He was also a trash heap of a teammate. He had to make a spectacle of himself to stay relevant. 

Cannot stand the kid. Alex has so much more poise and maturity than Kaep ever will. 

In a time machine world, where you choose three years of Kap vs 9 years of Alex.  You take Alex no question.

Let's all take a step back for this throwback.  We took a thread about UDFA's and make it about Kap vs Alex.  Anyway, back to the UDFA's

 

Pline is getting a lot of press, mostly from Kruger, but I can see how he could have the highest ceiling of the non-kittles on the roster.  A big target for Purdy on third down would probably be a really sweet addition to the team's current set of skills.  

Mordecai is an interesting player.  He reminds me a lot of Trey Lance.  His shoulders are parallel with the ground when he throws, rather than having his right shoulder pitched back a little toward the ground, as displayed by the two images. 

 

It starts at the feet.  Too much weight on the toe, and not enough weight on the heel seem to be compromising Tanner's throwing base and keeping him from getting loft, touch, and control under his passes.  Toes engage the quads, then the quads get the player leaning forward.  I'm not an expert though. 

 

The undrafted RB reminds me of Jeff Wilson.

Edited May 26 by Steve_DeBerg_Fan_420

[y2lamanaki]

It's 2024, and any thread on this forum can still turn into an Alex Smith discussion. I love this for us.

[49erscap]

On 5/26/2024 at 9:38 AM, y2lamanaki said:

It's 2024, and any thread on this forum can still turn into an Alex Smith discussion. I love this for us.

Oh my god, I remember back when he was drafted, funny thing is I'm I think his age or around there, I was pumped, then he didn't do anything till Harbaugh got here, though he had 1 good year under Norv Turner for us, I think it was Turner, I forget the name, but man, I loved the pick, but then everyone labeled him a bust, I remember the TD run in the playoffs vs the Saints I think, that was sweet, Staley was out blocking I believe, sucks how his career ended, gruesome injury.

[y2lamanaki]

11 hours ago, 49erscap said:

Oh my god, I remember back when he was drafted, funny thing is I'm I think his age or around there, I was pumped, then he didn't do anything till Harbaugh got here, though he had 1 good year under Norv Turner for us, I think it was Turner, I forget the name, but man, I loved the pick, but then everyone labeled him a bust, I remember the TD run in the playoffs vs the Saints I think, that was sweet, Staley was out blocking I believe, sucks how his career ended, gruesome injury.

I'm also similar in age to Alex. An irrational thought I repeatedly have is that had I been coordinated enough to be a star QB (and not hazard-prone), I would have been draft eligible in 2005. Could have lived out the dream (well... nightmare from 2005-2010).

[49erscap]

9 hours ago, y2lamanaki said:

I'm also similar in age to Alex. An irrational thought I repeatedly have is that had I been coordinated enough to be a star QB (and not hazard-prone), I would have been draft eligible in 2005. Could have lived out the dream (well... nightmare from 2005-2010).

Lol, I always thought maybe I could have if I didn't have these mental health issues(Depression, Bi-Polar, OCD, & Anxiety) that kept me from being at school, I was home schooled from 10th-12th, still was top 15 academically, so there's that, I did play 1yr of basketball, but that was 9th grade before everything hit me in 10th grade, I tend to think back on how I shouldn't have left that school for my local HS, I was more of an outsider, as our two cities were like enemies, so I felt like an enemy, I had a GF, but she broke up with me in HS, I had a chance to be with her BFF, we were supposed to go to a dance, I just never did, I kinda regret it, thinking maybe the mental health issues never would have happened, I could have spent an entire summer with the friends, real ones, I had there, and well a GF who wanted to be with me, and not play games, ehh, sucks, but that's life.

On a more personal note, my 11yr old Female Dog(Honey) passed away overnight, and I'm just so down, & heartbroken, I saw it coming too yesterday, she was lethargic, she would just stand, and not move, not like her, she wouldn't eat, I knew it was time, I'm glad God took her in her sleep so we didn't have to do what we did with her Dad(Howie) in 2018, we only had him for 4yrs, now they're together in heaven, she walked the rainbow bridge to see everyone, all my Pets I've lost, as they're more than a pet to me & my family, they're with my Brother, my Dad, my Mom's Dad, My Grandparents(Dad's, never knew my Mom's parents, Mom died when she was 14 in a house fire, Dad died less than a yr before I was born), and just up there having fun, she's no longer in pain, she most certainly had cancer, she basically fought it off 2 or 3 times, but this time it was too much.

Sorry, didn't mean to get into personal life, or emotional, or taking religion like Heaven, just hurting now, & I have surgery come up on my hands, June 14 & July 12(My 40th birthday lol) for Carpal Tunnel syndrome, severe Carpal Tunnel.

[Chrissooner49er]

So, in effect, what all of you are saying is that in my early 50s, I could be your DAD?! Ugh.