Latu coming on strong in competition for final 49ers roster spot

Tight end Cameron Latu went up to haul in a 24-yard pass from quarterback Brandon Allen on Friday night. A few yards away on the 49ers' sideline, George Kittle reacted with an abundance of enthusiasm. He jumped in the air, pumped his fist and looked as if he wanted to rush the field to congratulate Latu. Latu is beginning to show some of the promise the 49ers saw in him when they selected him in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He finished the exhibition season with eight catches for 84 yards. "He made a bunch of good plays (Friday)," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said of Latu following the 24-24 tie against the Las Vegas Raiders in the preseason finale for both teams. "I thought he blocked well. He's been doing better and better each week in practice. It's been nice to string together here a training camp where he stayed healthy. I think it's showing out there in the games." Latu had a difficult first summer with the 49ers a year ago. He often looked unsure of himself. He had an abundance of dropped passes, and his confidence appeared to plummet. When he sustained a knee injury in the final preseason game, Latu was placed on season-ending injured reserve. He underwent surgery...