National Football League

San Francisco 49ers draft preview: Jim Tomsula's task won't be easy

Published Apr. 7, 2015 12:00 p.m. ET

Ross Jones

The San Francisco 49ers hold the No. 15 overall pick in the NFL Draft. In our 32-team preview series, FOXSports.com takes a look at their roster post-free agency and delivers a plan of attack for the last day in April.

With a whopping 12 picks in last year's NFL Draft, general manager Trent Baalke was able to enhance an already loaded roster. In Baalke-like fashion, he made value picks, selecting the best players available regardless of injury history and position.

One year later, those value picks will be counted on heavily as the San Francisco 49ers have undergone an offseason of massive change.

The "mutual parting of ways" with coach Jim Harbaugh, retirements of linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland and loss of franchise favorite Frank Gore to free agency have signaled that a new chapter in 49ers football is beginning.

Head coach Jim Tomsula is tasked with getting the 49ers back to the postseason after a sluggish 8-8 season. Aside from the losses of Willis, Borland and Gore, the 49ers also had eight other players find new homes:

*Cornerback Perrish Cox to Tennessee

*Cornerback Chris Culliver to Washington

*Defensive end Ray McDonald to Chicago

*Linebacker Dan Skuta to Jacksonville

*Guard Mike Iupati to Arizona

*Offensive tackle Jonathan Martin to Carolina

*Wide receiver Stevie Johnson to San Diego

*Wide receiver Michael Crabtree remains unsigned

Bracing for the potential retirement of defensive end Justin Smith, the 49ers signed veteran Darnell Dockett a short-term deal. Second-year players Aaron Lynch (linebacker) and Jimmie Ward (defensive back) will be counted on to be significant contributors on defense.

Adding some sizzle to the offense, Baalke signed running back Reggie Bush and wide receiver Torrey Smith. Bush gives the 49ers a change-of-pace back behind second-year standout Carlos Hyde. Selected to create competition at the position a season ago, the 6-foot, 230-pound runner appears to be the workhorse with Gore's departure.

Smith, who had started 64 games in his four-year career with the Ravens, is an upgrade over Michael Crabtree and gives quarterback Colin Kaepernick an option to stretch the field.

Up front, the team is banking on second-year players Brandon Thomas and Marcus Martin to fortify the interior of the offensive line. This could also be an area of need that might be addressed later in the draft.

Positions of need: ILB, DL, CB

Three options to consider at No. 15

Arik Armstead, DL: Armstead, who is viewed to have the ceiling of Arizona's Calais Campbell, has a large 6-foot-7, 290-pound frame and can explode off the ball. Armstead could be the long-term answer when Smith chooses to hang it up.

Eric Kendricks, ILB: Selecting Kendricks 15th overall could be viewed as a reach, but the cupboard is bare at inside linebacker with Borland and Willis gone and NaVorro Bowman coming back after missing all of last year due to injury. Kendricks is a productive linebacker who could be the cornerstone to this defense.

Marcus Peters, CB: The 6-foot, 197-pound cover corner has the prototypical size teams want at the cornerback position and might be the pick with the most upside at his position in the draft. Despite having tremendous upside, Peters has some red flags and was dismissed from Washington last season.