The 2019 NFL supplemental draft is scheduled for Wednesday, July 10, according to a number of reports and sources, and it worked its way back into the San Francisco 49ers' offseason news cycle.
One supplemental draft prospect, West Virginia wide receiver Marcus Simms, is drawing some interest from a number of teams, including the Niners, according to Draft Analyst's Tony Pauline:
Workout for supplemental draft prospect Marcus Simms /WR/WVU getting underway. Among those in attendance are Directors of Scouting for the Vikings & 49ers, Director of Personnel for the Ravens and Mike Mayock of the Oakland Raiders. About 16 teams in attendance.
— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) July 1, 2019
Simms, 6-foot-0 and 194 pounds, has speed to burn and managed 699 yards on 46 receptions for two touchdowns last year. In total, over his three collegiate seasons, Simms has 87 catches for 1,457 yards and eight touchdowns.
According to a report earlier this year from the Associated Press, Simms sought a transfer from the Mountaineers and put his name into the NCAA's transfer portal. Now, he's trying his lot to make the NFL ranks.
A key reason few NFL teams use the supplemental draft is teams have to give up some sort of compensation in return. It winds up being something of a bidding war, too, with teams offering up the highest draft pick(s) for the following year getting rights to that player.
As for those players, their eligibility has to have changed since the previous NFL Draft.
In addition to Simms, Syracuse linebacker Shyhem Cullen and Northland Community College tight end Devonaire Clarington are entering the supplementary draft.
From a quick bit of research, the last 49ers player to have entered the league by way of the supplemental draft was linebacker Ahmad Brooks, although it was the Cincinnati Bengals who picked him up.
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Written by:Peter Panacy has been writing about the 49ers since 2011 for outlets like Bleacher Report, Niner Noise, 49ers Webzone, and is occasionally heard as a guest on San Francisco's 95.7 FM The Game and the Niners' flagship station, KNBR 680. Feel free to follow him, or direct any inquiries to his Twitter account.
