RE: Opening statement
"Very excited. We had no idea that he would be there at 10. It was one of the last scenarios that we thought we'd end up with. He's been one of the best guys the past couple of years in college football, as a receiver. So, very excited to have a playmaker on the offensive side of the ball."
RE: Was the Crabtree pick a slam dunk?
"It's one of those situations where there were a couple of different scenarios and when we were coming down to it, we thought for sure that the last couple of picks that were there, he wouldn't be there. When he was, Scot said, 'Mike, you know what, this is great. This is outstanding,' and made the pick."
RE: How does he get onto the playing field in terms of the other receivers on the team?
"We'll figure it out. I think it's one of those scenarios where we've got a playmaker. The biggest thing is, we're not just going to put him out there and say, 'Hey, you're the X, the Z, whatever it is.' He's going to have to earn his way on. But the most important thing is we know we have a playmaker and we're very excited about having that opportunity on our football team"
RE: He came in several weeks ago for a visit, what did you learn from sitting down and talking to him?
"I think, first of all, these are young men. Not just him, but all the college guys, they're going from one team to the next and they're taking part of this and that. I think it's very difficult to get a feel for the guy just sitting there. But I think the thing we had the opportunity of doing was talk to the people that know him. Talk to the people that played with him. Talk to the people that have been around him. We've made several phone calls and really did our homework and coming away feeling very good about his character and who he is. And knowing that he's one of those guys that would have the opportunity to be successful. It's a very good find for us."
RE: Do you want the No. 1 receiver to be a little bit cocky, a little bit sure of himself?
"Well, I don't know about full of themselves or whatever. I think it's just one of those things that, normally, when you get great players, sometimes you get a little bit of attitude with them. It has the tendency to throw some people off. I think for us, on the offensive side of the ball, a little swagger is fine with me."
RE: At No. 7, the Raiders picked and had similar needs to your team. What was your reaction when you saw they took Darrius Heyward-Bey?
"Well, it was, they got the guy that, when you look at Al Davis, Al Davis has been very true to what he's done all along. And he loves speed and he loves size, and that's what he went with. I think for us, the speed is obviously a question for a lot of different people. Obviously not for us. I think when you look at the film, you see a guy who has a different speed. I don't know how fast he is. I just know that when he catches the ball, there's separation there. I know he's a physical guy. He does the things he has to do. If it's a block, he can do that. So, very excited about all of the upside that he has."
RE: How does he check out medically?
"He checks out fine. Our doctors have checked him out, and he checks out just fine."
RE: Do you know if he can participate in next week's mini camp?
"Mini camp, probably. There's the biggest thing that he'd be able to do is the walkthroughs that we have. Wouldn't want him to do more than that, but he'll definitely be ready for training camp. That's really the most important thing."
RE: Did you have a chance to talk to him yet?
"Yea, talked to him right after we had the pick. And for him, you know, I've been there. I knew he was a little bit down, but at the same time he was excited about the way we feel about him and the way we see him and how we see him having the opportunity to come to our football team.."
RE: What did you tell him?
"I just told him, 'How do you feel about being a 49er?' He said, 'Coach, I feel great about that.' [I said,] 'I know what you're feeling right now. There's a lot of different things going through your mind. Probably projections about this or that. But just know that you came to the best place. We're going to make the best use of your talent and go from there."
RE: What about Jeremy Maclin. Was it a clear choice to go with Crabtree?
"Crabtree on our board was the best receiver, really one of the best players. So, it was just, for us, it was just very – it jumped out at you when you looked at the board. You really didn't have to make the decision. The board because of all the work the guys have done and gone through this offseason really made the decision."
RE: What does Michael Crabtree brings as a wide receiver?
"A number of things. You have the production. When you see him at wide receiver, it's not just a guy catching the ball. It's a guy up there who finds a way to get separation, who knows how to use his body, has exceptional hands. And he's running away from people at the same time. And then, it's like I said, he's willing to block and does a good job of that as well. So, I'm very excited about what we saw on film."
RE: Was Michael Oher ever a thought at that time?
"It was absolutely a thought. You know, for me, that was definitely a thought. It was one of those things, you look at Michael Oher, you look at a tackle and you want to protect the quarterback. But at the same time you have the opportunity for a playmaker, and you've got to make that decision. You've got to make that call."
RE: How much time did you need to make the pick?
"In all honestly, we were talking about a couple of other scenarios. Whether Eugene Monroe would be there. And you come back and he's still there and you go, 'Whoa, OK. Here we go. We've got to rethink this.' We had some of the thoughts and ideas, but once he was there, as I've said before, it was just a matter of, you look at the board. It just jumps out at you. It's not even something that you could…
RE: Did other teams try to trade up to try to take him?
"We had several feelers, but nothing serious."
RE: Did talking to friends or people that knew him help at all?
"It helps a lot. If you're going to draft in the No. 10 spot, you better know a lot more than what you saw on film. And, for me, having the opportunity to have some resources to go to and ask a lot of questions. His family, his background, his upbringing, all of those things. And they all check out very well. The guy is a winner. We're excited about his thought process in terms of what he wants to do and how he wants to work.
RE: Could you compare him to anybody you played against in your career?
"To stand here and say, 'He reminds me of this guy.' I can't think of anybody off of the top of my head. Obviously, you think of a guy like Jerry Rice. And I don't mean to go there because he hasn't done it yet, at this level. Obviously we feel that he can do it at this level. But there are certainly some other receivers, and as I've said before, I can't say, well he reminds me of this guy. He's a thick guy. You may think of a Michael Irvin-type receiver. He's big enough. He's got the attitude. He's got great hands. That may come to mind with receivers."
RE: The 49ers picked two receivers recently in the first round Rashaun Woods and J.J. Stokes. Was there any concern or risk with any player chosen at No. 10?
"Everybody. Every player drafted is a risk. Detroit paid 70-some-odd million dollars. That's a tremendous risk. I think that's what the draft is all about. It's about you doing your homework and not relying on hearsay and chance. You see the kid, meet the kid, and to the best of our knowledge, this is a really good pick for us, and we're excited about it."
RE: The receiver position can be so boom or bust. The last time the 49ers took a Big-12 receiver, it didn't work out very well. Is there any concern with drafting that position so highly?
"No. As I've said before, the film can speak for itself. I don't know about the guy in 2004 and how they went about doing it. But, when you look at this guy and when you see the guy, there's obviously something there. I really do think he has the chance to be special. But we'll see. Time will tell."
RE: On the diva image of wide receivers
"As far as the diva image, one of the guys that I talked to, I talked to Deion Sanders a little bit. He's spent a tremendous amount of time; Deion has been in the Dallas area as well. Basically, when you talk to Deion about him, it's one of those things where, 'Mike, here's what he is. Here's what I see. I'm with this kid all the time. Here's what it was before the season was over, during the last year at school, during his sophomore year at school.' All of those things. We really talked about it. When you look at the kid, the most interesting thing that he said. We sat down and talked, and I said, 'What is your hobby? What is one of your hobbies?' And he said, 'I can sit in front of a computer and really get into fashion. You're never going to see me wear the same thing twice. I'm really into fashion. I like designing things.' And I'm looking at him, so I said, 'Wait a minute, hold on. Fashion? Wait a minute now. How can this, what do you mean fashion?' He kind of broke it down a little bit. But, he's really into clothes, and as far as I could see right away, there's a connection between he and Deion. It sounded like I was talking to Deion there for a little bit. But hold on to Deion. But, this guy is … he knows who he is. He knows what he wants to achieve. He has a best friend who he spends a lot of time with. He's surrounded by good people. I'm OK with all of that. I'm sure some things will come up here and there, but we'll deal with that."
