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Jim Harbaugh wasn’t able to nab Eric Reid the first time around. Harbaugh recruited Reid when he was at Stanford, but Reid wound up at LSU. As Harbaugh jokingly said Thursday night, this time Reid had no choice. The San Francisco 49ers traded up to get Reid with the 18th overall pick. Jim Harbaugh joined KNBR in San Francisco with Larry Krueger, Damon Bruce and Ray Woodson to discuss why San Francisco moved up to take Eric Reid, the 49ers filling a need at safety and if they got a guy who can contribute immediately.
Why was Eric Reid the guy for you guys?:
“A lot of reasons. A lot of good football players in this draft, but we felt he was especially good for us. Somebody that’s a football player. Let’s sum it up that way.”
Did you pay extra attention to the safety spot when Dashon Goldson left?:
“Our scouting department … there’s no film that they don’t look at. One thing about our group, and the coaches as well, is we’re not afraid to look at film. And they look at film of everybody. So, I wouldn’t say double-down on any particular position, per se. We got a great player, great person. Comes from a wonderful family. Had the opportunity to recruit Eric when we were coaching at Stanford, and thought we were right in there. … This time he had no choice.”
Did you draft him with the mindset that he can be versatile and disguise coverages?:
“I think he’s a really good fit. He’s a safety that can play down low in the box. But I think he’s an especially good fit here because he plays the deep part of the field so well. Can track the ball. I think it’ll be a good mix, a good competition with the safeties we have. … He was one of the guys we really wanted to get on this first day.”
Your brother and the Baltimore Ravens finished off the first round by taking Matt Elam. Was he a player you guys were considering?:
“Yes, definitely. Matt Elam is a heckuva football player. I think he’s a very comparable football player to Donte Whitner, a great football player.”
Is Reid a guy who can potentially step in and start right away?:
“Well, I mean, there’s no need to make a prediction. That will all unfold in the offseason and when we get to training camp. Like I said before, there will be great competition at that position. He’ll have the license to do that. He has the ability to do that. We’ll let it unfold.”
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