By sending backup quarterback Alex Smith to the Kansas City Chiefs and gaining a 2013 second-round draft pick as compensation, the San Francisco 49ers will now have five picks in the first three rounds of the 2013 NFL Draft and 15 overall. The rich are certainly going to get richer, but San Francisco already has such a deep roster that it won't have room for such a high number of rookies to come in and make the final 53.
Instead, it's time for the Niners to do some packaging. If they turn 15 assorted picks into three or four extremely strong picks, they could be in a position to become the first dynasty the NFL has seen since the Patriots won three Super Bowls in four years nearly a decade ago. This could be their Herschel Walker offseason.
The Niners have to use their arsenal of picks to deliberately move into spots in which they could select players who can make an immediately impact. Otherwise, some of these picks will be a complete waste. Need safeties who can step in a compete with/take over for Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner? Trade away a handful of mid-round picks to move up and grab Kenny Vaccaro midway through the first round. The same strategy can be applied to address potential holes up front and in the receiving corps.
If I'm the Niners, I'd use those five first-, second- and third-round picks to grab Vaccaro and a beefy defensive lineman like Sheldon Richardson, Johnathan Hankins or John Jenkins. Then I'd take the rest of them and move up into the second-round for a receiver, a pass rusher or even another safety. Imagine the impact Vaccaro, Richardson, Eric Reid and Justin Hunter could have on this team. For the whole lot of picks they currently have, the Niners could easily land a quartet like that.
A multitude of moves into the top round wasn't feasible in the days in which top picks were given unbelievable sums of guaranteed money, but that has changed. The 49ers have the luxury to do something dramatic with the slew of picks they own. Time dominate the draft board.
