By Robert Baker, 49ers Clubhouse draft writer
March 29, 2002
 

Alex Brown     Florida
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 260 lbs
40: 4.7
DOB: 4th July 1979
Hometown: White Springs, Florida
Major: Recreation Program Delivery

2001: 38 tkl 12 tfl 9 sack
 Started
2000: 52 tkl 12 tfl 8 sack
 Started 11 games
1999: 45 tkl 18 tfl 13 sack
 Started 9 games at DE
1998: 10 tkl 1 tfl 2 sack
 Played OLB as a backup
1997: REDSHIRT 

HIGH SCHOOL: Lettered in football, basketball and track. Played QB and LB

Comments: A very scary pass rusher who many college QBs will be happy to see gone, though he’s lost ground from last year’s draft, many saying he’d be a top 5 pick last season, now he’ll be lucky to be a first rounder.  

Kenyon Coleman     UCLA
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 280 lbs
40: 4.9
DOB: 10 April 1979
Hometown: Alta Loma, California
Major: Phliosophy

2001: 44 tkl 15 tfl 9 sack
 Started
2000: REDSHIRT
1999: 50 tkl 9 tfl 4 sack
 Started all 11 games
1998: 23 tkl 7 tfl 5 sack
 Missed three games with a sprained knee
1997: 15 tkl 2 tfl 0 sack
 Played in all 12 games
HIGH SCHOOL: Lettered in football and basketball

Comments: Has a big wingspan with a massive amount of strength. Is quick, especially for a big guy. A knee injury will be the main worry for Coleman. Without the knee injury he’d be a definite first round selection.

Kalimba Edwards     South Carolina
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 255 lbs
40: 4.6
DOB: 26 December 1979
Hometown: Eastpoint, Georgia
Major: Political Science

2001: 50 tkl 5 tfl 2 sack
 Started 11 games before suffering season ending knee injury
2000: 74 tkl 11 tfl 7 sack
 Moved to OLB and started every game
1999: 63 tkl 4 tfl 4 sack
 Started every game
1998: 21 tkl 1 tfl 1 sack
 Played in 11 games
HIGH SCHOOL: Played MLB

Comments: Edwards could either be an OLB or a DE in the big time, which makes him so tempting. He gets to the QB quickly and has some strength to work with. A player that many teams will be interested in because he shows so much promise and has so much to work with.

Dwight Freeney     Syracuse
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 245 lbs
40: 4.7
DOB: 19 February 1980
Hometown: Bloomfield, Connecticut
Major: Information Studies

2001: 50 tkl 26 tfl 18 sack
 Started
2000: 32 tkl 18 tfl 13 sack
 Started 7 games
1999: 19 tkl 5 tfl 4 sack
 Started 2 games
1998: 3 tkl
 Played 10 games

HIGH SCHOOL: Lettered in football, basketball, baseball and soccer. Played DE and TE. All-American

Comments: An amazing pass rusher who now holds the NCAA single season record in sacks and forced fumbles. He has good strength and decent speed. He does have a big problem with injuries. Size is also a problem for Freeney, who is small for a DE and needs to be a bit bulkier.

Carlos Hall     Arkansas
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 260 lbs
40: 4.6
DOB: 16 January 1979
Hometown: Marianna, Arkansas
Major: Recreation

2001: 31 tkl 6 tfl 2 sack

2000: 43 tkl 7 tfl 2 sack
 Started 11 games
1999: 30 tkl 6 tfl 4 sack
 Suspended for a week
1998: 43 tkl 7 tfl 2 sack
 Moved to DE
1997: REDSHIRT

HIGH SCHOOL: Lettered in football and basketball

Comments: Very athletic, has good speed, very quick and has great footwork. But Hall’s work ethic is something to be desired. He has all the traits to be a big time DE, but he doesn’t give the effort. Could also play LB.

Will Overstreet     Tennessee
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 260 lbs
40: 4.8
DOB: 7 October 1979
Hometown: Jackson, Mississippi
Major: Finance

2001: 19 tkl 9 tkl 5 sack

2000: 43 tkl 6 tfl 5 sack
 Started 11 games
1999: 54 tkl 6 tfl 8 sack
 Started 12 games
1998: 14 tkl 1 tfl 2 sack
 Backup

HIGH SCHOOL: Lettered in football, basketball and track. Played DT, DE, MLB, OT an OG. All-American

Comments: Moves well, has good footwork and excels in run stopping. A great tackler who has great speed. I’d like to see him get a bit stronger to be able to move blockers by strength instead of relying on his hands to get past them.

Anton Palepoi     UNLV
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 280 lbs
40: 4.8
DOB: 19 January 1978 (born in American Samoa)
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
Major: Social Science Studies

2001: 18 tkl 7 tfl 5 sack

2000: 37 tkl 11 tfl 8 sack
 Started 10 games
1999: 17 tkl 0 tfl 0 sack
 Transferred to UNLV
1998: Played at Dixie Junior College
 First team Junior College All-American

HIGH SCHOOL: Played S

Comments: A strong guy who stops the pass and run very well. A good tackler who uses his strength very well to push around linemen. He is a project player though. His technique is average at the moment, who needs to use his hands more instead of relying on his strength to push past. 

Julius Peppers     North Carolina     JUNIOR
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 285 lbs
40: 4.7
DOB: 18 January 1980
Hometown: Bailey, North Carolina
Major: Afro-American Studies

2001: 55 tkl 18 tfl 9 sack
 Started at RDE
2000: 64 tkl 24 tfl 15 sack
 Led the NCAA in sacks
1999: 50 tkl 10 tfl 6 sack
 Started every game. Freshman All-American 
1998: REDSHIRT

HIGH SCHOOL: Lettered in football, basketball and track. Played RB and DE. All-Ameican

Comments: The best player in the draft. A player who you could build a franchise around, and if the Texans don’t take him, in five years time, they’ll be kicking themselves. There is very little not to like about Peppers, and plenty to like. Strong, quick, very big, excellent work ethic, big wingspan, can get to the QB and will stop the run.

Nick Rogers     Georgia Tech
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 250 lbs
40: 4.7
DOB: 31 May 1979
Hometown: East Poitn, Georgia
Major: Management

2001: 63 tkl 11 tfl 6 sack

2000: 62 tkl 13 tfl 9 sack
 Started 11 games
1999: 36 tkl 6 tfl 2 sack
 Started 2 games at OLB and 4 games at DE
1998: 1 tkl 0 tfl 0 sack
 Played 5 games
1997: REDSHIRT

HIGH SCHOOL: Lettered in football, basketball and track

Comments: A very athletic player who has great speed in pursuit and explodes off the ball very quickly. But he is very small, and may be moved to an OLB where his speed will make him a danger, though he’d need to work on his tackling skills.

Brian Thomas     Birmingham
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 250 lbs
40: 4.7
DOB: 7 June 1979
Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama
Major: Criminal Justice

2001: 46 tkl 21 tfl 14 sack
 Started
2000: 45 tkl 16 tfl 10 sack
 Started every game
1999: 31 tkl 12 tfl 5 sack
 Started 8 games
1998: 26 tkl 7 tfl 6 sack
 Started 5 games
1997: Sat out due to Prop. 48

Comments: Thomas has good speed and a nice technique, with nice hands and great footwork. Needs to work on his run stopping abilities, though he can tackle well which will help alter that weakness.