My Annual Lament
 

Every time I see Patrick Willis, I remember that we drafted Amobi Okoye instead and let the 49ers take him with the next pick. Wouldn't Willis and Cushing make a killer pair of ILBs?

Yes, but time to move on.

Bob, I'm right there with you on that one. :mad:

Every time I try to whip myself into a lather about Okoye I stop to remember that somehow, some way, Rick Smith managed to draft JJ Watt.

I blame the Okoye pick and lack of progress on Richard Smith. you draft a kid who is a one gap penetrating fool, and you ask him to be a 3 tech read and react guy. He did the same thing to Mario. I have never been a fan of read and react. I have always been a fan of attaching styles of defense.

Hell JJ Watt would look bad in Richard Smith's defense.

Just my opinion on the Okoye over Willis pick. And BTW I bitched about it when it happened. I said at the time that Willis would be Rookie of the Year, and possible HOFer. And I liked the Okoye pick, just liked Willis more.

But MLB DeMeco had just been chosen 2006 NFL defensive rookie of the year, so it would have been difficult to take another LB so high, so soon.
The real tragedy was leaving Revis on our Board.

Okoye is only like 21 months older than Watt.

...and therein lies the whole problem with our FO drafting Okoye. They thought they were just so smart drafting a young kid. I really blame the GM on that one. And I am sure he blames the coaching staff for not bringing Okoye along, but if Okoye was really going to be a player in this league, he would have definitely shown it by now.

In retrospect, yeah Revis and Willis... but remember the Texans allegedly really wanted Ted Ginn, Jr. in that draft?!? And Baby Shan wanted John Beck?!! My how times have changed. Growing pains for sure with this team.

Yes they did and they could have used Willis as a SAM or moved DeMeco to WILL. Having two studs is better than having one stud. IMO.

I agree, and Okoye and Mario are examples of guys that have been drafted based on workouts. The team was not measuring heart, or love of the game yet.

I believe the play of those two is why we now covet guys with huge hearts and genuine love for the game. Plus a desire to be the best to ever play is a big deal now. Mario and Okoye did not have those things. Watts has that.