by David Zizmor

SANTA CLARA–The 49ers had their pick on Friday and they had the number 30 pick there was a lot speculation that they might trade because that’s what they’ve done in the last few years. If you remember last season they traded up from the number 31 spot to number 18 in order to acquire Eric Reid at starting safety.

This year there was some speculation since they have 11 picks and they don’t have 11 roster spots that again they would try to trade up to target a wide receiver or a cornerback. There hasn’t been enough time since the first round of the draft if the Niners tried. One thing that we do know if they tried they failed and were not able to trade up.

The bottom line is they did select safety Jimmie Ward from Northern Illinois and if Northern Illinois sounds familiar its because they had a great season last year and they lost in the bowl game. Nevertheless their one of the better teams in the NCAA.

Ward was the reason their defense was really strong, he played safety if you look at his size, weight, and height, he doesn’t look like the typical safety he’s kind of on the small size as far as safety he’s probably 5’10-5’11. He hits big, for a guy his size,but if you watch some of the film on Ward he definitely plays like a cornerback.

Ward is kind of a corner whose playing safety, the Niners are doing two things, they picked Reid last year after Dashon Goldson left for Tampa Bay. This season Donte Whitner left for Cleveland and the Niners signed free agent Antoine Behtea away from the Indianapolis Colts.

Bathea got a couple of years deal and he’s not going anywhere right away but he could eventually. He’s not a spring chicken, he’s a guy who’s got a few more years left in the tank. At 5’10-5’11 Ward he may not be necessarily a safety but he’s a guy who can step in and play corner, nickle, and slot, and if they want to take advantage of his safety abilities then perhaps what they intend to do is drop him into the safety spot.

Maybe when Bathea leaves the 49ers a few years from now Ward would be the guy whose the aire to his position. That might be what it is, and there will be more forthcoming information from 49ers General manager Trent Baalke and head coach Jim Harbough at that future time.

David Zizmor covers the NFL for http://www.sportsradioservice.com