Crabtree has plenty to prove in San Francisco

By Brad Wilbricht  |   Thursday, April 30, 2009  |  Comments( 1 )

San Francisco 49ers
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After sliding to the 10th pick in last weekend's NFL draft, wide receiver Michael Crabtree has plenty to prove in his rookie campaign with the San Francisco 49ers. Several teams passed on the productive wideout and the humble prospect from Texas Tech landed in San Francisco.

Head coach Mike Singletary and the 49ers’ front office didn’t expect Crabtree to be available when they went on the clock at No. 10, but it was a no-brainer once that scenario played out. Nine teams eventually passed on Crabtree and the two-time Biletnikoff Award winner will now reside in the Bay Area.

Although the 49ers are still waiting for a full-time quarterback to emerge, Crabtree comes into a fairly stable situation in San Francisco. There are several pieces already in place and one of the main missing ingredients was a young go-to receiver. Crabtree immediately fills this need and puts the 49ers one step closer to ending a string of six consecutive losing seasons.

The St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders all picked before the 49ers, and all had glaring needs at the receiver position heading into the draft. Crabtree was a near lock to end up with one of the aforementioned teams, but he wasn’t even the first wideout taken in the draft. In a move that’s been much scrutinized, Maryland’s Darrius Heyward-Bey was selected by the Raiders with the seventh pick.

Given how the draft unfolded, Crabtree will have plenty of motivation during his first season in the professional ranks. Crabtree will be out to prove he was indeed the top receiving threat in the draft and the nine teams prior to San Francisco made a mistake by not selecting him. Certainly, Crabtree’s injured foot played a major role in his drop, but many believed his spectacular college performance would overcome that obstacle.

Crabtree now has the luxury of playing for a franchise with a long history of great receivers and possibly the all-time best in Jerry Rice. In addition, he can learn from veteran Isaac Bruce, who has a great deal of experience. Several other young receivers will help take the pressure of Crabtree, but the 49ers’ top selection will be expected to contribute early and often.

If Crabtree can live up to expectations and Shaun Hill or Alex Smith can effectively lead under center, San Francisco could improve dramatically. If the 49ers’ offense can finally turn the corner, they’ll have a legitimate shot at making a playoff run in 2009.
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About Brad Wilbricht

Brad Wilbricht covers numerous sporting events including the NFL, NFL Draft and college football. His analysis is simulcast through several media outlets across the country. Additionally, Brad is a regular guest on a variety of talk radio shows and can be frequently heard on the airwaves. To...
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