HawkShack.com

It seems we are losing one of the execs that helped build the team. He must have an eye for talent because he also helped build the 49ers.

He brought in 4 really talented guys here by my count (Vernon, Staley, Gore, Willis) and whiffed on too many late rd or early picks. My biggest complaint with him was that he built zero depth and trust me, I posted the same exact thing on Sfgate.com when he was with us. Maybe he did better for you (I have no idea who he brought in in Seattle). It's interesting that he left SF under mysterious terms as well for the exact same issue - to deal with family issues. Maybe he does not vibe well with other personnel people.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... l-matters/

We'll survive.

He was a key cog in the FO machine, but I think we get somebody else in there who will be effective.

I never heard of the guy. But he must be the nuts and bolts guy, the guy that notices the intangibles, and the guy that actually talks to the prospects and families.

Niners did okay without him, not perfect though. He got a ring with us though. FO's gets rings as well no?

Anyway, definitely will be missed. He was the x factor to our team.

The heavy lifting for this draft is pretty well done, I would suspect.
As he was Schneider's assistant (or extra eyes) he's going to be missed. When you trust someone and have success, that position is difficult to fill.
I hope the person that gets that job has as good an eye as McCloughan does.

He might be someone to keep on your radar for next year's draft when he gets his draft service going. He knows what Seattle wants so he might have some insight into who they could be looking at - assuming the service he intends to set up will be offered to the public.

When he left SF to come here 4 yrs ago, there was some speculation that drinking had something to do with him leaving the 49ers. If that's the case again now, I wish him well. Oddly enough, he left one month before the draft in 2010 the last time he did this.