Niners needs: Draft hits wanted and needed

You have coach killers, and then you have fan killers. And the San Francisco 49ers are fan killers.

Every year you half expect them to make a move, and every year they do ... to the bottom of the NFC West. Only something different happened in 2008 after Mike Singletary took over as head coach. The 49ers showed honest-to-goodness signs of becoming a legitimate team, winning four of their final five and coming this close to knocking off Arizona in Arizona.

When the season was over it was San Francisco that was second in the division, its best finish since winning the West in 2002. OK, so it didn't break .500 for the sixth straight season. Big deal. You must start somewhere, and the 49ers' run under Singletary has optimists at it again, predicting good things for his team in an attempt to get ahead of the curve.

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It makes sense. The NFC West is wide open. The club performed well under Singletary. And, frankly, the law of averages says that one of these days the 49ers will play .500 or better football. But there are some unsettled issues that must be resolved, and quarterback is one of them. The 49ers haven't had a legitimate starter since Jeff Garcia left, and maybe that guy is Shaun Hill and maybe it's not. All I know is that Singletary hasn't made up his mind, and that's not good.

Then there is the offense in general. There aren't enough playmakers, particularly at wide receiver, and the offensive line is a question mark. Then there is the loss of Mike Martz. Say what you want about Martz as a head coach, but there aren't many offensive coordinators who are as imaginative or as productive. The Lions fired him because they said they wanted to run more. So they produced 28 more carries and didn't win a game. Now the 49ers turn their offense over to Jimmy Raye.

Good luck, Jimmy. You'll need it. And so will the 49ers.

QB: The 49ers are saying they won't name a starting quarterback and that Hill and Alex Smith will compete for the job in practice, but who's kidding whom? Hill is the frontrunner, with Smith trying to prove he's not a bust. Hill is 7-3 as a starter and was the quarterback who led the 49ers down the stretch last season. If he doesn't win the job it's an upset. Damon Huard was signed as a security blanket, and it's a good move. He can step in and win a game but is no threat to the starter.

RB: Frank Gore is the focus of the offense, and he should be. He led the team in rushing, he led the team in touchdowns and he was its third-leading receiver. Gore's average per carry was a respectable 4.3 yards but down considerably from his career-best 5.4 average of 2006. His 1,036 yards were the fewest in three years, too. So Gore needs help, and you won't find it here. DeShaun Foster is gone, but he wasn't the answer, anyway. Neither is Michael Robinson.

TE: When the 49ers drafted Vernon Davis they thought they found the second coming of Brent Jones. Not quite. Davis has been a disappointment, never catching more than 52 passes in a season or scoring more than four times. Davis was used more as a blocker in 2008, with Singletary calling him the best blocker he had seen at his position, and maybe he's right. But so what? You don't spend the sixth choice of a draft on a blocking tight end. Behind him there is virtually nothing.

WR: Once the 49ers had one of the top passing games around, but that happens when Jerry Rice is in your lineup. The club hasn't had a playmaker at this position since Terrell Owens left after the 2003 season, with Isaac Bruce last year becoming the first wideout in four years to break 60 catches in a season. He had a team-high 61. Here's the problem: Bruce turns 37 this year. Somebody must step in as a No. 1 receiver, and, no, Brandon Jones is not what I have in mind. He's another Bryant Johnson. The 49ers need a deep threat and now.

OL: Maybe you should ask the team's quarterbacks what they think of the offensive line. The 49ers were ravaged for 55 sacks, most in the NFL, though the line wasn't completely to blame. J.T. O'Sullivan, then the 49ers' starter, shared some of the responsibility, holding the ball too long before making a decision. Nevertheless, the line has holes. Center Eric Heitmann is the most consistent player, and rookie guard Chilo Rachal might be a keeper. But the 49ers must find a right tackle. Marvel Smith could be the answer, but injuries limited him to 17 games the past two years, and he has a bad back. I might be wrong, but he sure sounds like Jonas Jennings all over again.

DL: I thought Justin Smith would be a bust. I was wrong. He was named team MVP after leading the 49ers in quarterback pressures and finishing second in sacks. Smith was also solid against the run. So, yes, Smith was good, but he needs help that wasn't there. Isaac Sopoaga was a disappointment. Ray McDonald was benched. And Kentwan Balmer was a non-factor. Somebody please find this club another pass-rushing defensive end.

LB: Patrick Willis is one of the most dominant linebackers in the game, and, finally, the 49ers got a draft pick right. Willis led the team in tackles for the second straight season, was named to his second straight Pro Bowl and chosen second-team All-Pro. Parys Haralson was the team's best pass rusher, leading with eight sacks, while Takeo Spikes played well alongside Willis. Manny Lawson has a chance to be something special if he can avoid injuries.

DB: If there is something that stands out about the team's pass defense it is this: Not enough interceptions. Two years ago the 49ers had 12. Last year they had 12. In two years they had fewer interceptions than Baltimore did last season (26), and that must change. The 49ers need playmakers, and they thought they had them at the corners with Walt Harris and Nate Clements, but Clements was beaten by too many deep passes and Harris turns 35 and is winding down. Safety Mark Roman hasn't had an interception in two seasons, and strong safety Michael Lewis is more of a linebacker. Shawntae Spencer returns from a knee injury and might help at cornerback.