Thursday, April 26, 2012

AJ Jenkins??

To be totally honest, I had never heard of AJ Jenkins before in my life until the 49ers drafted him with the 30th overall pick and made him their #1 draft pick this year. Granted, I don't watch a lot of Big 10 football, but Jenkins was never mentioned in any mock draft I have read or any related draft article on the internet. I had absolutely no clue about this guy.

Turns out that Jenkins is a good receiver with above average hands and quick feet. However, he does not possess a powerful frame that you would look for in a #1 receiver.

Even though I'm not too thrilled about this pick (I really wanted San Francisco to move up and take David DeCastro or at least grab Cordy Glenn at their spot), I don't doubt that the 49ers made the best decision for themselves. After seeing how Aldon Smith panned out last season after many criticized his selection, I have a new level of respect for Trent Baalke and the 49ers front office. If they selected AJ Jenkins, they truly believe that he can be their franchise changing wide receiver.

There's no doubt that wide receiver was an area of need for the 49ers. But, after the offseason additions of Mario Manningham and Randy Moss, I had hoped that San Fran would address their opening on the offensive line by moving up to take the best offensive guard prospect since Steve Hutchinson, David DeCastro. However, they chose to stick to the original wide receiver plan. Nobody knows how this will turn out.

As we all know, the draft is an inexact science. Many picks that are heavily praised turn out to be terrible NFL players. On the flip side, some of the most criticized draft picks have turned into Pro Bowlers or even Hall of Famers. We can never know until Jenkins plays on the field. We'll just have to wait and see.

Jenkins certainly has the ball skills to be a top-tier wide receiver, from what I've been able to research since the Niners drafted him. He will have to bulk up in order to be a forceful receiving presence though.

Good luck to AJ Jenkins!

What's your take on the 49ers top draft pick?

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