Both the offense and the defense had their moments on Day 1, with a ton of spotlight being shined on the quarterbacks, but several other positions being highlighted as well.
Here were the standout players from Day 1, which I talked about in-depth when recapping the day of practice in our podcast down below.
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WR Brandon Aiyuk
Are you even surprised?
Brandon Aiyuk was the hottest name out of the 49ers' camp in 2022, en route to his first 1,000-yard season, and has picked up right where he left off.
The 2020 first-round pick caught both of his targets, a crazy high-pointed catch over Deommodore Lenoir on the left sideline for 10 yards from Trey Lance, and a wide-open 15-yard catch off a curl/comeback route from Sam Darnold.
Aiyuk seems in good shape, as usual, and his energy is vibrant during team drills. He's a clear winner on Wednesday.
RB Tyrion Davis-Price
Perhaps the biggest winner of the day on Day 1 of training camp, Tyrion Davis-Price looks much better coming into Year 2 than he did as a rookie, where he struggled throughout the year, beginning in training camp.
Davis-Price had several highlights on the day, moving fluidly as a runner while working downhill instead of bouncing rushes to the outside, and making a nice 15-yard catch from Trey Lance on a wheel route in stride, gaining extra yardage after the play.
On a day where Christian McCaffrey did not practice in team drills, the 49ers got an extended look at Elijah Mitchell, Jordan Mason, and Ty Davis-Price, and the latter arguably was the best back of the trio on the day.
Now, he must remain consistent and continue to stand out to jump up on the depth chart, but it's a good start for the third-rounder in a crucial offseason where he could be supplanted by one of the few undrafted running backs on the team.
S Talanoa Hufanga
Talanoa Hufanga is a playmaker. That's just what he is.
The 49ers starting safety made one of the plays of the day in coverage when defending a deep pass against Sam Darnold that was intended for Danny Gray, who had beaten Ambry Thomas on a go-route. Gray almost assuredly could've scored a touchdown had Darnold hit him in stride, but was still in a solid position to make a play before Hufanga appeared out of nowhere, instinctively running across the field and nearly intercepting the pass.
Hufanga's instincts and quick burst/trigger were main reasons that he earned All-Pro honors in 2022, but his consistency waned towards the end of the season. However, he's off to a great start to training camp, where those traits shown during the beginning of the season were present.
LB Fred Warner
Fred Warner is a one-of-a-kind player who continues to make one-of-a-kind plays.
The 49ers linebacker was in the spotlight again on Wednesday, running stride-by-stride with Deebo Samuel on a crossing route, breaking up a pass from Trey Lance, who was attempting to place the ball in the bucket near the right sideline.
The ball could've potentially been thrown a little sooner, but, nonetheless, it was a phenomenal play by Warner, who was able to cover the wideout and tip the floating pass before it could reach Samuel. Warner's energy was well-received, as he had himself a moment with the defense after his pass breakup.
Written By:
Rohan Chakravarthi
Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
All articles by Rohan Chakravarthi
Rohan Chakravarthi
Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
All articles by Rohan Chakravarthi