San Francisco 49ers 2012 Draft Class: Video Highlights, Analysis and More

If you haven't already done so, now is the time to get acquainted with the members of the San Francisco 49ers' newest draft class.

Despite what the draft pundits are saying—this is a promising group of youngsters.

To be honest, there wasn't a single decision executed by the 49ers' war room that I was unhappy with.

Surprised by a couple of them? Certainly. But unhappy? No sir.

The Niners' brass executed their well-prepared strategy to perfection. None of us really knew what that strategy entailed, but that's no surprise—we weren't supposed to.

The way Trent Baalke and Jim Harbaugh have things going, the competition level for the right to proudly sport a Red and Gold uniform on Sundays is growing substantially each and every season.

Claiming a spot on the 53-man roster will be no easy task for any one player this season, but this group of incoming rookies seems like they're up to the challenge.

Let's get to know these guys a little more, shall we?

What He's Done

In just his senior year, Jenkins racked up 1,276 yards on 90 receptions and found the end zone eight times. In his four-year collegiate career, he totaled 167 catches, 2,432 yards and 18 touchdowns.

In a 2011 Big Ten matchup with Northwestern, the 6'0", 190-pound speedster broke the Fighting Illini school record for receiving yards in a game with 268. He hauled in 12 passes that game—three for scores—and was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week.

Had he not been the only shining star on a rather dysfunctional Illinois offense, he could've done much, much more.

Regardless of the offensive deficiencies, Jenkins was still named a First Team All-Big Ten WR in 2011 by both the coaches and the media.

Why They Drafted Him

Speed. Hands (dude's got some monstrous paws). Ability to separate from defenders. Football smarts and a plethora of off-the-field qualities—otherwise known as intangibles. 

He can attack the middle of the field and get up the gridiron in a hurry. Jenkins' 4.3 speed can attest to that. His ability to get separation from defenders is perhaps what drew the most attention, as it's something we all desired more of throughout the 2011 season.

You name it, the 49ers' brass liked it. 

Harbaugh himself even said, "I defy anybody to look at that tape and tell me that there's something wrong with it, that there's something that he doesn't do well."

This is certainly not the name most of us expected to hear as the 30th overall pick, given that names like Stephen Hill, Coby Fleener and even Cordy Glenn were still available. 

Bu upon further review, it was clearly a selection worth making.

What He's Done

My favorite selection in this class (Jenkins being a close second), James has all the college production we could ask for.

And then some.

Needless to say, he's now Oregon's all-time leading rusher. James capped off an illustrious three-year collegiate career with a mind-blowing 5,082 rushing yards and 53 touchdowns. Yes, wow.

In his junior year alone, James posted 1,805 yards on 247 carries, good for 7.3 yards per carry.

In a 2010 marquee matchup against the Harbaugh-led Stanford Cardinal, the lightning-fast back burned his way to 257 rushing yards and three TDs on 31 carries.

Those numbers make me sick. In a good way, of course.

Why They Drafted Him

Because Harbaugh grew sick of seeing him on the opposing sideline, for one.

We were all clamoring for explosive offensive playmakers after the 49ers' season of brilliance came to an unfortunate halt, and that's what Baalke gave us in Jenkins and James.

The 5'9", 193-pound burner is often referred to as a change-of-pace back, but that's not exactly true.

In a conference call with Bay Area media, James had this to say when asked what type of skill set he feels he can bring to the 49ers:

Whatever they need me to do. I feel like I have a variety of skill sets. Returning ability, I can run in between the tackles, I can catch the ball, I can do pretty much everything they ask me to do.

Trust me, any comparisons to Darren Sproles are completely justified. Perhaps, though, we should be comparing him to Ray Rice. Rice, after all, was the 55th overall selection in the 2008 NFL draft.

In fact, Rice rushed for 4,926 yards and 49 touchdowns in his three seasons at Rutgers. 

In all honesty, I'll be downright giddy every time this fella gets his hands on the ball while he's donning the Red and Gold.

What He's Done

This 6'3", 309-pound beast out of Wake Forest capped off a solid collegiate career with a brilliant senior season in which he earned second-team All-ACC honors.

Looney started 41 games in his four years of playing for the Demon Deacons and reportedly recorded a whopping 228.5 knockdown blocks—or pancakes, if you will—during that span. He was sure to spend his spring rising up draft boards before he suffered a Lisfranc foot injury at the Senior Bowl.

But 228.5 pancakes? This guy must be a Looney-tic on the gridiron.

Why They Drafted Him

The 49ers knew they wanted to add competition for the open slot at right guard, but they weren't going to address it at first-round value like nearly every draft pundit in existence seemed to be suggesting they do. That just wouldn't have been a smart strategy, given the playmakers available in this class.

Looney is a mauler in the run game, excels out in space and loves lighting up linebackers. He's a high-character athlete with loads of football smarts as well.

That's the type of right guard we need. 

That said, Looney is a versatile lineman who knows the center position quite well. In January, he worked out with former 49er center Jeremy Newberry and got a head start in learning the nuances of the West Coast offense.

What He's Done

Somewhat of a pass-rush specialist, the 6'2", 245-pounder totaled 14.5 sacks in his four-year career for the Fighting Irish. His collegiate statistics aren't full of jaw-dropping numbers, but he was nonetheless a well-respected leader for Notre Dame's defense.

Why They Drafted Him

The 49ers may have found themselves another specials teams stud in Fleming. He's got 4.7 speed despite his size and isn't shy about putting a lick on opposing players.

The 49ers value his versatility, and he's yet another high-character athlete with a strong work ethic that should instantly fit inside the Niners' locker room—provided he makes the squad.

What He's Done

Robinson piled up a whopping 229 tackles to go with nine interceptions during his final three seasons as a Spartan.

At 5'10", 195 pounds, the slightly undersized safety plays with a big heart and has an exceptional nose for the ball.

Robinson also served as a team captain in 2011—a role he was particularly fond of. 

Why They Drafted Him

Baalke and Co. were going to be looking for safety depth at some point, and they decided to address the position in the sixth round.

In Robinson, they get yet another high-character prospect who has a good shot at making the squad and should immediately contribute on special teams if he does. 

Click here to learn even more about Robinson at 49ers.com.

What He's Done

Basically, struck fear into any opponent he got his hands on at the collegiate level.

Slowey was a force at left tackle during his time at Western Oregon, and he was proudly named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Lineman of the Year following his senior campaign.

Apparently, he's impressed the heck out of Baalke and Co. as well.

Why They Drafted Him

The Niners had reportedly told Slowey they'd consider him in the late rounds, and they ended up coming through. Baalke values linemen with great versatility, and this 6'3", 303-pound mauler has a lot of it. 

Another hard-nosed blocker with amazing upper-body strength, Slowey will add solid competition to the interior of the O-line and would likely serve as a promising practice squad candidate if he doesn't make the 53-man roster in 2012.

What He's Done

Johnson impressed at the NFL combine with a 4.81 40-yard dash and 35" vertical leap, despite his beefy frame.

Measuring up at 6'3", 263 pounds, he put forth a fairly productive effort at Virgina and spent ample time at outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. He was a three-year starter and led the Cavaliers in sacks (4) and tackles for loss (11) in 2011.

Why They Drafted Him

Probably only because he fell to the seventh round. 

The 49ers had shown some pre-draft interest in Johnson, but he comes with some question marks that caused a massive slip during draft weekend. It's clear they only took a chance because he fell to them so late, but there were some impressive qualities worth noticing.

Like Fleming, Johnson is a premiere edge rusher with a good shot of making the squad if he can quickly put some of those concerns to rest.