Does Singletary regret his draft-day praise for Crabtree?

SANTA CLARA — Within minutes after selecting receiver Michael Crabtree with the No.10 overall draft pick, 49ers coach Mike Singletary expressed surprise the college star was still around.

Every year, players get drafted higher than expected. Every year, players get drafted lower than expected.

The 49ers did not expect to be in a position to select Crabtree.

Clearly, Crabtree did not expect the 49ers to have the opportunity to draft him, either.

Crabtree is the last NFL draft pick to remain unsigned. The 49ers and Crabtree have not negotiated during the 35 days of the contract impasse because the sides are so far apart, league sources said.

Singletary revealed a peek at the 49ers’ draft board with his comments about Crabtree on the day he was chosen.

“Crabtree on our board was the best receiver — really one of the best players,” Singletary said on April 25.

“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.”

The sentiment Singletary expressed appears to be the same argument Crabtree’s camp uses to justify the contract demand. Crabtree and his agent, Eugene Parker, apparently want to be paid an amount similar to what the Raiders awarded receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, the No. 7 overall draft pick. Heyward-Bey signed a five-year, $38.25million contract with $23.5million in guaranteed money.

The 49ers have offered Crabtree a contract commensurate with the No. 10 overall pick, according to sources. It’s a disagreement of approximately $7 million in guaranteed and $18 million over the course of a proposed five-year contract, according to sources.

Singletary said Monday he does not regret speaking so glowingly of Crabtree, who is believed to be spending a lot of time in the Bay Area while the regular season approaches.

“In the Crabtree case, regardless of what I said, it would be one of those things where he knows and anybody else who has any sense of football knows that they’re going to say the same thing,” Singletary said.

“I could play the low ball. Yeah, I could do that. But I just think it was one of those things where I always want to be honest.”

An NFL source who has been on both sides of contract negotiating said he would often cringe at what coaches say about players on the day of the draft. He admitted that some of those statements are used in contract negotiations, but rarely do they have any impact.

“Everybody knows it’s just hyperbole,” the source said. “Every team always talks about how excited they are to draft their players - and how they were surprised the player was still there when they took him.”

And, sure enough, that’s exactly what Singletary said after the 49ers chose Crabtree.

“We had no idea that he would be there at 10,” Singletary said that day. “It was one of the last scenarios that we thought we’d end up with.”

Niners general manager Scot McCloughan was a little more guarded with his comments after the draft. When asked where Crabtree ranked on the 49ers’ draft board, McCloughan said, “He was high. I don’t want to get into specifics, but he was definitely one of the higher guys.”

Singletary said Monday that his enthusiasm for Crabtree’s talents as a wide receiver has not diminished as the contract stalemate drags on.

“I am excited we drafted him at the 10th slot,” Singletary said. “I am excited we were able to see the value and take him. I am excited that right now he’s a guy that we have the rights to. All the other stuff, they have to work that out, but I don’t take back one thing that I said because eventually, hopefully, he is here and when he does come, we’re going to go to work.”

Crabtree will either play for the 49ers in 2009 or no other NFL team. The deadline passed two weeks ago in which Crabtree can be traded - whether or not he’s under contract to the 49ers.

For more on the 49ers, go to Instant 49ers at blog.pressdemocrat.com/49ers. You can reach Staff Writer Matt Maiocco at matt.maiocco@pressdemocrat.com.