My post mini-camp 53 man roster prediction
QB )2)
Trey Lance
Nate Sudfeld
I'm very excited with Trey as our starter. I think he will have a very good season and career. I'm not to confident with Sudfeld as the backup
RB (5)
Elijah Mitchell
Davis-Price
Jeffrey Wilson
Trey Sermon
Juice
Do we have a true #1 RB??? I like Mitchell but is he a true #1? Can he stay healthy?!! Davis-Price is a wild card. Kyle and Anthony Lynn seem to really like him, I wasn't to big on him but we'll see..... Wilson adds solid veteran depth. I hope Sermon steps it up and makes the team over Hasty. I'm still not ready to give up on Sermon. Does Mason make the 53 or do we stash him on the PS?
WR (6)
Deebo
Brandon Aiyuk
JaJuan Jennings
Ray-Ray McCloud
Danny Gray
Malik Turner
This unit keeps getting deeper every season it seems like. We have a good deep, young group. Obviously everything is based on Deebo playing which I think he will. Aiyuk is poised to have a big season with Trey Lance at QB and my guy Jennings is having a heck
Of an off-season and impressing in mini camp. He showed he can be a very productive and valuable #3 WR last season in his second season and I think he can even be a solid #2 WR. Brandon Aiyuk has some competition behind him. Ray-Ray McCloud is another guy is impressing in mini camp from what I have read. He's not just a punt returner, he can be a very effective & valuable slot receiver. I like Danny Gray and I'm excited to see what KS can do with him but I think he will basically redshirt as a rookie. I do think we will continue to carry 6 WR's and as of now, I would give Malik Turner the nod as the 6th WR.
TE (3)
George Kittle
Ross Dwelley
Woerner
Pretty obvious here. Kittle is a stud #1. Woerner is a really good blocker who is developing into a decent receiver. I thought Dwelley was going to take a bigger jump and become a really good #2 TE and borderline starter. Instead he seemed to fall back on the depth chart and is no lock to make the team this year.
Offensive Line (9)
Trent Williams
Aaron Banks
Jake Brendel
Daniel Brunskill
Mike McGlinchey
Jaylon Moore
Colton McKivitz
Spencer Burford
Justin Skule
With Mack's retirement, this unit worries me. Trent Williams is a a stud at LT. McGlinchy gets a lot of flack but he is a more than capable starting RT and having him back is a big upgrade over Tom Compton. I think Aaron Banks will be more than fine at LG replacing Tomlinson but the center spot is now a big ? With Mack retiring. The coaching staff seem to like Jake Brendel a lot but I don't know... thus far he's been a journeyman 29yr old center who has only started a few games in his career. I am a big Dhonovan West fan who was projected as a 3rd or 4th rd pick and had we taken him in either of those rounds, I would have been happy. Instead we steal him as a undrafted FA because of hand injury that appears to be now healed up. I think West could be our starting center in 2023, he is a perfect fit in the zone blocking scheme but I think we stash him on the practice squad as a rookie. Watch out for Jaylon Moore, I think he could sneak up and take Brunskill's starting spot at RG. He has more athleticism than Brunskill and is a good fit in this scheme with his athletic ability. Skule is a solid backup tackle as is McKivitz who can also play guard. I really like the rookie Burford who will likely start his NFL career as a guard but he could see action at RT down the road. I think he will be a good player for us.
Defensive Line (10)
Nick Bosa
Arik Armstead
Javon Kinlaw
Drake Jackson
Kevin Givens
Kerry Hyder
Komeko Turay
Charles Omenhiu
Hassan Ridegeway
Samson Ekubam
What a deep group! Last year, Ekubam was a locked in starter, this season he may not even make the team, the DE position in particular is loaded! If Turay can stay healthy, I think he will make a significant impact with Koucerek coaching him up to his talent(s) I can see 7-9 sacks out of him. We absolutely need Kinlaw to stay healthy with no D.J Jones. Besides Bosa, I think Kinlaw is the most valuable guy on the D-Line with his size, run stuffing and the ability to take on multiple blockers. Bosa is obviously a tremendous player! Arik Armstead has found a home as a defensive tackle and has been a very good player for us the last few years.
Kerry Hyder comes back to the team and adds quality depth as he can play any spot on the D-Line.
Kevin Givens is a great example as one of Kris Koucerek's success stories.... an undrafted FA in 2019, Givens has gotten better each season and is a valuable rotational guy at DT. Omenhiu is a wildcard. He played well when given playing time time, especially against the Cowboys in the playoffs. I have a feeling he could be seeing more action as a DT this season.
This group Is so loaded and deep solid players like Jordan Willis and Maurice Hurst likely won't make the team. I can see us getting a 6th or 7th rd pick for Willis. I think Ridegeway makes the cut with his experience and the fact he can play both DT positions.
Linebackers (5)
Fred Warner
Dre Greenlaw
Azeez Al-Shaair
Oren Burks
Flannagin-Fowles
As far as a starting trio goes... you won't find a better trio than Warner-Greenlaw-Al-Shaair! All of them are in their prime as well.
Burks adds good ST's value and Fowles adds versatility.
Secondary (10)
Charvarius Ward
Emmanuel Mosley
Ambry Thomas
Jason Verrett
Samuel Womack
Qwuantrezz Knight
Jimmie Ward
Hufanga
Tavarius Moore
George Odum
I love the Ward signing. He's gotten better each season and seems to keep trending that way and into a #1 CB. With the addition of Ward, we now have 3 legit starting corners with him, Moseley & Thomas. All three guys are 26 or younger to. Mosley is a
Really solid football player. If he could just stay healthy a little more, he's really become a good NFL CB who can play outside or the slot. Ambry Thomas looked lost early on as a rookie but literally got better each game and by the end of the season was playing at a high level and looked like a legit NFL starting cornerback!
Corner has gone from a huge hole to a what now appears to be a strength. Jason Verrett could add good veteran depth if he can stay healthy. I really like this Womack kid from Toledo. He has really good ball skills and natural CB athleticism. I think he's going to be a player for us down the road. Really excited about Samuel Womack as a 49er!
I also predict that another rookie, Qwuantrezz Knight an UDFA from UCLA, will beat out Dernard and surprise many to make the 53 man roster. I think he has a future as our nickel corner.
Our safety position is a little more shaky with Jimmie Ward the only real "sure thing". The longest current tenured 49er, Ward has turned into "Mr.Reliable". Hufanga appears to be the front runner to start at strong safety after a strong mini camp where he reportedly looked bigger and faster. I'm definitely rooting for him to be our starting SS. Odum is a solid veteran and a heck of a special teams player but he is backup material. T.Moore adds good depth at free safety and as a nickel DB. He could replace Hufanga on passing downs as well.
ST's (3)
Gould
Mitch
Pepper
[ Edited by StubbyNBY on Jun 12, 2022 at 10:43 AM ]