With the 11th pick of the NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select Patrick Willis, LB, Ole Miss. Mike Tanier of Football Outsiders tells you all about it.

First, a note on our favorite vest-wearing prospect on the skids. Brady Quinn's stock is dropping like liquid mercury through seawater, so Commissioner Compassion has come up with something new: the Passer-Over Draft Choice Isolation Chamber and Inactivity Room. Quinn can now relax in a sensory depravation chamber far from the peering eyes of lookie-loos like us. The room is filled with draft guides, most of which feature Quinn on the cover. There are also some forgotten alternate O.J. Simpson jurors in the room, snacking on stale dougnuts and waiting for a verdict. I expect Quinn to emerge from the room Altered States-style as some sort of werewolf. If so, he'll have to change positions.

Now, onto Willis, who was already the top linebacker on most draft boards before he went that extra mile to impress scouts at his pro day. Pro personnel types love prospects who run through drills with a no-questions-asked attitude. Willis was very accommodating. Want him to run a three-cone shuttle? Sure. Want him to perform some defensive end drills? No prob. Want him to balance a plate of eggplant parmesan on his head and run through tires while singing "Cherchez La Femme?" Whatever floats your boat, Coach Del Rio.

Willis has everything that Niners assistant coach Mike Singletary could want in a linebacker except for those googly eyes. Willis wore a visor in college, so he couldn't haunt quarterbacks with his stare. Facial expressions are easy to coach, and both Singletary and Mike Nolan have to love a kid who played with a cast on his hand as a senior. Willis is fast, tough, smart, and can play in a 3-4 or a 4-3, which is important because the Niners really run a little of both.

3:24 PM on Sat Apr 28 2007
By MJD
2,383 views
26 comments

Comments

cowbell204 at 02:28 PM on 04/28/07
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Fuck, Now what do the Pack do :(
Will Leitchs... at 02:29 PM on 04/28/07
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Good pick. Willis should be a very solid pro for years to come.
Philistine at 02:30 PM on 04/28/07
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Badass linebacker.
Juancho at 02:30 PM on 04/28/07
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Connectedness Index: 273

We have been deprived of watching Brady Quinn's puppy-dog eyes fill with tears. Damn you, Roger Goodell!
Riddler at 02:30 PM on 04/28/07
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Who will STL take?
Riddler at 02:31 PM on 04/28/07
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I think I'm going with Alan Branch.
Upshaws Leash at 02:32 PM on 04/28/07
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"National Bingo Night" are you fucking serious?? can we revoke society's right to life?
HablaingEspanol at 02:33 PM on 04/28/07
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I bet the Rams go for one of the corners - my money's on Revis.
racistmascot_inc at 02:33 PM on 04/28/07
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@Juancho:

Never assume that the Browns will have a strong anything. Half of our OL could be eaten by raptors, or crushed by falling debris, or they could all catch SuperAIDS.
Riddler at 02:33 PM on 04/28/07
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COncur regarding National Bingo Night. No more lame fucking gameshows. I'm waiting for Name That VD.
CliffX at 02:34 PM on 04/28/07
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Shoot, it's starting to hit me that Quinn suddenly has a chance of not getting drafted in this first round...
Juancho at 02:35 PM on 04/28/07
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@racistmascot_inc: Good point.

Alan Branch is going to clog the line like paper towel down a toilet.
BabaOje at 02:36 PM on 04/28/07
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@cowbell204: They need a TE, maybe more than they need a RB. 18 dropped passes in the redzone last season, most in the NFL. Second most was 9. Favre loves to have that big target standing in the back of the endzone.

Also have we had a discussion on Quinn's girlfriend? She has the look of a crazy lady in the sack.
$Image of The Devil\'s Advocate$ The Devil's Advocate at 02:37 PM on 04/28/07
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It's Carriker all the way...
Philistine at 02:37 PM on 04/28/07
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Yes, Tirico, the NFL cares about its people.

Check out the old vets or anyone who blows out a knee with a career ending injury and get back to me on that shit.
Analrapist at 02:37 PM on 04/28/07
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Deion needs to break his ass into Goodell's private room and get us an interview.
Slothrop at 02:37 PM on 04/28/07
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Rams have to take Hall the CB, right?
They didn't stop anyone from throwing on them last season, did they?
HablaingEspanol at 02:37 PM on 04/28/07
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Biggest surprise aside from Quinn thus far - no trades in the top 12.
Riddler at 02:37 PM on 04/28/07
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@Baba Oje: Where in the world do you find such a stat?
Upshaws Leash at 02:38 PM on 04/28/07
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@CliffX: if that happens, you have to wonder whether or not they'll take him out on the stage. could they do that and give him a #2 jersey? do they even have #2 jerseys?

though, chances are if Goodell had mercy on him by sparing him being under the camera lights he will just keep him in hiding for the rest of the day. maybe the rest of his life.
$Image of The Devil\'s Advocate$ The Devil's Advocate at 02:38 PM on 04/28/07
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where's Rachel when we need her??
Ron at 02:38 PM on 04/28/07
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@racistmascot_inc: So they've been having breakfast with Coach K?
Riddler at 02:39 PM on 04/28/07
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Hall? Carriker? Branch? C'mon people...I'm fighting for a Mel Kiper photo here.
Analrapist at 02:39 PM on 04/28/07
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@HablaingEspanol: I'm shocked that Briggs is still on the Bears.
Philistine at 02:40 PM on 04/28/07
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Carriker is a dead ringer for Dwight Schrute without the glasses.
Slothrop at 02:41 PM on 04/28/07
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RE: Quinn

I thought this was big-boy school. Take off the training pants and stand up. He should get out there wearing the V for Vendetta mask and making a list of who to kill, from the Raiders to the last team to pass on him. That is, if he wasn't a huge Seymour.