253 draft picks transformed the NFL in a matter of days. Around the League will examine the aftershocks by asking one post-draft burning question for all 32 teams.
Does A.J. Jenkins complete 49ers' passing attack?
Last year's San Francisco 49ers came to us from another era. The team's stout run defense gave up an astonishing 77.2 yards per game, 15.4 yards less than the second best run-stoppers in football, the Baltimore Ravens. (We get it, fellas, you Harbaughs are into stuffing the run.)
The 49ers' passing game looked equally old-school at times, generating 183.1 yards per game, fourth worst in the NFL. Among the bottom 10 passing games in the league, only the 49ers and the Tebow-led Broncos made the playoffs, and Alex Smith and Co. couldn't blame their dry attack on the read option.
Jim Harbaugh made it a priority to beef up his receiving corps this offseason, adding Mario Manningham and some guy named Randy Moss to a group that includes Michael Crabtree and tight end Vernon Davis.
That brings us to the draft, where the 49ers used a first-round pick on burner A.J. Jenkins, a receiver destined for the slot in San Francisco, and boasting a 4.31 40-yard time, according to team scouts.
After selecting Jenkins, Harbaugh couldn't stop talking about the speed added to his offense: "It's going to be a highly competitive environment," he said. "It's going to get real real. And it's going to get real real, real fast." (Classic Harbaugh.)
"He's a guy that fits our system very well, from a trait standpoint, from a skills standpoint, and has all the off-the-field intangibles that we're looking for as well," general manager Trent Baalke said. "Feel he's going to be a great fit it in the locker room, a great addition to the offense, and now it's up to him. It's up to him to come in here and compete."
The 49ers fielded criticism from draftniks for reaching for Jenkins at No. 30, but Baalke maintained he was at the top of their board. (Is Harbaugh concerned with the mental state of draftniks? Honey badger don't care.)
Defenses are now forced to approach San Francisco's offense from a different angle. Last year's run-heavy attack has only improved with the drafting of LaMichael James -- the 49ers are stocked at the position -- and the receivers are a wild group. Without knowing how the Moss signing will pan out, Jenkins will help alter the way this team scores points.
