49ers announce 11 undrafted free-agent signings

Houston wide receiver Steven Dunbar (88) was named the most valuable play for his team at in the Hawaii Bowl NCAA college football game, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017, in Honolulu. Fresno State beat Houston 33-27. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)

The 49ers have announced 11 of their undrafted free-agent signings for 2018. Here are their names and bios, courtesy of the 49ers P.R. department.

 

WR Steven Dunbar

6-3, 202

Houston

Appeared in 51 games (38 starts) during his four-year career at Houston. Registered 180 recepts. for 2,430 yds. and 11 TDs while adding 3 KORs for 51 yds. As a senior in 2017, started all 12 games and registered 76 recepts. for a team-high 1,070 yds. and 3 TDs and earned All-American Athletic Conference Honorable Mention honors. In 2016, started all 13 games and recorded 53 recepts. for 692 yds. and 5 TDs. As a sophomore, appeared in all 13 games (12 starts) and totaled 31 recepts. for 382 yds. and 3 TDs along with 1 KOR for 37 yds. In 2014, appeared in 13 games (1 start) and recorded 20 recepts. for 286 yds. and 2 KORs for 14 yds. Attended Archbishop Rummel (Metairie, LA) HS, where he had 51 recepts. for 695 yds. and 5 TDs as a senior, 31 recepts. for 659 yds. and 5 TDs as a junior in 2012 and 6 recepts. for 134 yds. and 2 TDs his sophomore year. Born 12/19/95 in Metairie, LA.

 

TE Ross Dwelley

6-5, 240

San Diego

Appeared in 47 games (44 starts) and totaled 197 recepts. for 2,305 yds. and 26 TDs during his five years at San Diego. As a senior, earned First-Team All-Pioneer Football League honors. Appeared in all 12 games (10 starts) and registered 50 recepts. for 663 yds. and 10 TDs. In 2016, started all 11 games and recorded a team-high 70 recepts. for 843 yds. and 10 TDs to earn Second-Team All-Pioneer Football League honors. In 2015, appeared in 12 games (11 starts) and earned Second-Team All-Pioneer Football League honors after totaling a team-high 54 recepts. for 580 yds. and 3 TDs. Made starts in 12 games in 2014 and notched 23 recepts. for 219 yds. Redshirted in 2013. Attended Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills, CA) HS, where he registered 43 recepts. for 568 yds. and 5 TDs. Born 1/26/95 in Sonora, CA.

 

S Corey Griffin

6-2, 199

Georgia Tech

Appeared in 49 games (26 starts) and recorded 168 tackles, 8 PDs, 8.0 TFLs, 1 FR and 1 sack during his five years at Georgia Tech. As a redshirt senior in 2017, started all 11 games and registered 50 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 3 PDs and 1 INT. In 2016, started all 13 games and totaled 82 tackles, 5.0 TFLs, 2 INTs, 3 PDs and 1 sack. As a sophomore, appeared in 11 games (1 start) and recorded 21 tackles. Saw action in all 14 games (1 start) as a redshirt freshman in 2014 and registered 15 tackles, 2 PDs and 1 INT. Redshirted in 2013. Attended Sandy Creek (Tyrone, GA) HS, where he was named first-team all-state honors as a safety and finished his senior season with 71 tackles, 8 PDs and 1 INT. Born 1/8/95 in Tyrone, GA.

 

QB Jack Heneghan

6-4, 230

Dartmouth

In four years at Dartmouth (2014-17), played in 22 games (19 starts) and completed 437 of 717 atts. for 4,900 yds. and 28 TDs. Rushed 126 times for 389 yds. and 4 TDs. In 2017, made 10 starts and completed 185 of 293 atts., for 2,136 yds. and 17 TDs to go along with 51 rushes for 162 yds. and 1 TD. Appeared in 10 games (9 starts) as a junior in 2016, where he ranked second in school history in comps. (247) and atts. (414) and third in yds. (2,725) in a single season, to go along with 11 TDs. Ran for 249 yds. and 3 TDs on 73 rushing atts. In 2015, appeared in 2 games and completed 5 of 10 atts. for 39 passing yds. As a freshman in 2014, appeared in 3 games for the school’s junior varsity program where he finished with 64 comps. on 90 atts. for 847 yds. and 8 TDs. Attended Menlo (Atherton, CA) School, where he passed for 2,974 yds. and 37 TDs. Born 2/13/96 in Atherton, CA.

 

OL Alan Knott

6-4, 290

South Carolina

Spent five years at South Carolina and appeared in 49 games (42 starts). Made 13 starts at center as a fifth-year senior in 2017. In 2016, started 12 of 13 games played. As a redshirt sophomore in 2015, appeared in 10 games (9 starts) at center. In 2014, appeared in all 13 games (8 starts). Redshirted as a true freshman in 2013. Attended Sandy Creek (Tyrone, GA) HS, where he was named first-team Class AAAA all-state by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and by the Georgia Sportswriters Association. Born 12/16/94 in Tyrone, GA.

 

OL Jamar McGloster

6-7, 309

Syracuse

Spent five years at Syracuse and appeared in 30 games (24 starts). Made 12 starts at right tackle as a fifth-year senior in 2017, where he aided a Syracuse offense that ranked third in the ACC in total offense (456.3 YPG) and second in passing (294.8 YPG). In 2016, started all 12 games at right tackle. As a redshirt sophomore in 2015, appeared in 3 games at right tackle. In 2014, appeared in 3 games in his first game action. Redshirted as a true freshman in 2013. Attended St. Anthony (Jersey City, NJ) HS, where he helped lead the Friars to an 8-3 record and the NJSIAA Group 1 Non-Public semifinals as a senior. Born 6/4/95 in Newark, NJ.

 

CB Tarvarus McFadden

6-2, 205

Florida State

Appeared in 33 games (26 starts) and recorded 54 tackles, 16 PDs, 8 INTs and 3.0 TFLs during his three seasons at Florida State. As a junior in 2017, started all 13 games and registered 30 tackles and 10 PDs and earned Second-Team All-ACC honors. In 2016, started all 13 games and totaled 20 tackles, 8 INTs, 6 PDs and 3.0 TFLs. Earned First-Team All-ACC honors while his 8 INTs were the most by an ACC player since 2014 (Gerod Holliman, Louisville). As a freshman, appeared in 7 games and recorded 4 tackles. Attended American Heritage (Plantation, FL) School, where he led the team to a second-consecutive 5A state championship after registering 41 tackles, 5 INTs (1 returned for a TD), 6 PDs and 2 FFs. Born 1/28/97 in    Fort Lauderdale, FL.

 

CB Emmanuel Moseley

5-11, 184

Tennessee

 

Appeared in 51 games (30 starts) and recorded 142 tackles, 31 PDs, 2 INTs and 9.5 TFLs during his four seasons at Tennessee. As a senior in 2017, appeared in 12 games (11 starts) and registered 38 tackles, 8 PDs and 1 INT. In 2016, appeared in 13 games (10 starts) and totaled 57 tackles, 6 PDs and 3.5 TFLs. As a sophomore in 2015, appeared in 13 games (7 starts) and finished with 28, 2.0 TFLs, 1 INT and a team-high 11 PDs. In 2014, appeared in 13 games (2 starts) and recorded 19 tackles, 2.0 TFLs and 6 PDs. Attended James B. Dudley (Greensboro, NC) HS, where he played both quarterback and cornerback and ran for 1,443 yds., threw for 1,370 yds. and accounted for 47 total TDs on offense while making 28 tackles and 4 INTs on defense. Born 3/25/96 in Greensboro, NC.

 

DL Niles Scott

6-3, 295

Frostburg State

Played in 43 games (38 starts) in four years at Frostburg State and registered 150 tackles, 43.0 TFLs, 25.5 sacks, 1 FF, 3 FRs and 2 PDs. In 2017, earned First-Team Associate Press Little All-America Division III honors and was named the D3football.com All-East Region Defensive Player of the Year. Started all 13 games and tallied 51 tackles, 16.5 TFLs, 10.0 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR and 2 PDs. As a junior, earned Second-Team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association and was named Second-Team All-NJAC. Started all 11 games in which he appeared at recorded 55 tackles, 17.5 TFLs, 9.0 sacks and 1 FR. In 2015, played in 10 games (8 starts) and notched 24 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks. As a freshman, played in 9 games (6 starts) and registered 20 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 4.0 sacks and 1 FR. Attended Elkton (MD) HS and earned second-team all-state honors as a senior. Also was an All-Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference honoree and Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and senior. Born 9/30/95 in Elkton, MD.

 

OL Najee Toran

6-2, 305

UCLA

Played in 31 games (24 starts) in four years at UCLA. In 2017, started all 13 games and earned Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 honors. As a junior, played in 11 games (10 starts). In 2015, played in 6 games and saw action as a reserve along defensive line, offensive line and on special teams. As a freshman, started in the season opener and it marked the third consecutive season that a true freshman started the season along the offensive line. Attended North Shore (Houston, TX) HS and helped his team to a 12-1 record as a senior. Born 11/15/95 in Houston, TX.

 

S Terrell Williams

6-4, 212

Houston

Played in 25 games (17 starts) in two seasons with Houston and registered 95 tackles, 4 INTs, 1 FR and 7 PDs. In 2017, started all 12 games and notched 66 tackles, 4 INTs, 1 FR and 7 PDS. As a junior, played in all 13 games (5 starts) and tallied 29 tackles. Attended Northeast Oklahoma A&M for two seasons (2014-15). In 2015, earned First-Team All-SWJCFC honors as he recorded 51 tackles, 2 INTs and 4 PDs. As a freshman, registered 24 tackles, 1 INT and 2 PDs. Attended Lawton (OK) HS and had 56 tackles and 5 INTs as a senior. Born 6/29/96 in Lawton, OK.

This article has 144 Comments

  1. I like the Vikings undrafted free agents, which include LB Garret Dooley, CB Holton Hill, Hercules Mata’afa, and WR Jake Wieneke.

    1. Vikings are solid defensively, so I hope the Niners pick up Mata’afa when he is victim of the 53 cuts.

  2. Some of these players look better than the one’s drafted or are already on the team.

    OL, McGloster 6-7, 309

    DL, Niles Scott, 293 Lbs., Frostburg St., 25.5 sacks

    1. TomD UDFA’s

      You’re exactly correct…and they hit all the bases…Steven Dunbar at 6’3″ -200 WR can be the RZ threat as well as Ross Dwelley TE at6’5″ 240…Is Terrell Williams 6’4″ S fast enough to become our single high Safety ? Despite the expert’s opinions, I don’t think I can recall a better draft class for consistancy…BOY ! Training camp is going to be exciting….Can Jack Heneghan work his way into the 3rd QB slot ?….At 6’4″ 230, I’d hate to meet him in an alley to tell him he’s been cut….

  3. Ross Dwelley is like watching 1950’s NFL highlights in black and white. Slow unathletic white dude.. Hope one of these O line guys stick..

    1. @don you sir are the problem I cannot believe Grant allows blatant racism to be posted here. Don you can take your racism and shove it up your blown out a**

    1. Good question… This was widely reported earlier:

      “The 49ers on Tuesday made the addition of Florida State undrafted rookie Tarvarus McFadden official, giving the team another long-armed cornerback after adding two others in the NFL draft over the weekend.”

      1. Why wasn’t McFadden drafted? I always thought he was a pretty good player.

          1. 4.58 at his Pro Day? Everyone knows Pro Day times are faster, but a full second? Seems a little disingenuous to me….

  4. Another Safety?! What’s the deal with that? I am glad they are looking at a taller WR that is north of 200 lbs. I feel like we are too small at that position outside of Garcon. Is it sad I am getting excited over the prospect of this UDFA Pass Rusher?

    1. No, because Idea’s break out every season. Remember Merton Thanks? How about Steve Young? Jeff Garcia, Tony Romo, John Sandler, just to name a few. Someone always breaks out.

  5. Oh, look, Niners did pick up a pass rusher, so all is good…….
    .
    Right now, he is better than Street, because he can play right away.

      1. Are you the Freddy that’s parked outside Seb’s house?
        Did you make threats to Seb’s wife?

  6. Shanny vs. Zimmer. I like being hungry underdogs that have trained all summer to eat Vikings.

  7. Let’s not get carried away with UFA’s. Their odds of success are lower than my odds of bagging Taylor Swift

        1. You come on with a ‘come on’
          You don’t fight fair
          But that’s OK, see if I care

    1. Some notable (Pro Bowl) UDFAs of the modern era…

      Wes Welker WR
      Brian Waters (G)
      Chuck Harris (CB)
      Nate Newton (G)
      Jason Peters (OT)
      Adam Vinatieri (PK)
      Priest Holmes (RB)
      Donnie Shell (DB)
      James Harrison (LB)
      Rod Smith (WR)
      Joe Jacoby (OT)
      Antonio Gates (TE)
      Tony Romo (QB)
      John Randle (DT)
      Warren Moon (QB)
      Kurt Warner (QB)

        1. Very very low, but every year someone gets excited about sone player that will soon be forgotten!

    1. Last year I thought Lorenzo Get one was gonna be something. But he was cut after making the roster, if memory serves

  8. Also, don’t overlook Jullian Taylor, an underrated penetrator and backfield disruptor.

    1. TomD Taylor’s highlights are fun to watch. He hits gaps, but still has a good sense of where the ball carrier is. Good eyeballs+quickness+explosive power.

  9. Where’s the dirt, Dude? Grades? Prognostications? As Ostler would say, “Cheap Shots, Bon Mots?”

    1. il cohn just put out the exact script that the Niners sent out to all beat writers.

      I doubt he even read it.

  10. Kaepernick and now Reid, who exercised their rights to protest our National Anthem prior to the start of football games, are now suing the NFL for exercising their rights to not hire them. Too funny….

  11. For those lamenting the cost to get Pettis, the Bears paid more for Miller by giving up a 2nd round pick.

    1. To trade was not what people were mad about. It’s not even that the didn’t like the player. It was the fact that most believed there were players that were ranked even higher at positions of need.
      For example Mayock had Oliver ranked at 33 and Pettis at 70, Brandt had Oliver at 44 and Pettis at 60. SI had Oliver at 22 at 70. And that was just 1 guy, Jackson had similar ratings to Oliver.
      Now, I believe Shanahan will make Pettis very effective,and trust his we evals.
      But it’s easy to see why it’s very confusing to fans, when almost no publications have Pettis rated as highly as some of the available prospects at a position of need, and most have them being better by about 20 picks.

      1. Sometimes for whatever reason, talented players fly under the radar in the lead up to the draft. No two better examples than Pettis and Warner, while another was being caught up to as it drew nigh, and that was McGlinchey….

        1. I guess my problem is, I still have ptsd from the last receiver we drafted that “fell under the radar” this far, from Illinois. * His name shall not be mentioned.

            1. Being that wr is the position I trust Shanahan to know best, I will give him the benefit of the doubt.
              The later pick of Street will not get the benefit of the doubt from me.

  12. A walk down memory lane and Trent Baalke interupting Jim Tomsula’s press conference to tell other NFL GM’s:

    “I think somewhere in there he said we’re going to run the football.”

    TomD’s Take: Trent, you sure told ’em. You ‘ARE’ the salmon of knowledge incarnate, savant, genius.
    And Trent, you really pulled a fast one on all of us (NFL fans and NFL employees) the day you signed stud WR Torey Smith to a $44 million contract, $22 mil guaranteed, then continued to run the Ball….Wow, that one fooled the NFL experts–many a fan were surprised at that and coronaries occurred across Niner Nation on this play.

    Thanks for the memories, Trent, your run 1st, run always philosophy filtered down from you, through the coaching staff, and to our QB.

    10 to one you will never see a Shanahan coached QB fail to notice, then audibilize on, and get this, two wide open WR’s…..Yes, I actually found a video showing not only an uncovered, Torey Smith, but the other wide receiver at the top of the screen is uncovered (we all know Baalke called the shots on offensive philosophy—Trent Baalke said so the day he interupted Tomsula’s hiring press conference to say the coach will run the football).

    Kaepernick doesn’t see a wide open Torey Smith
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2MUiIcwQPM

  13. Mike “Drago” McGlinchey gave up 14 QB pressures out of 351 pass attempts scoring 97 in Pass Pro according to PFF. His opponents:

    Georgia LB Lorenzo Carter
    Georgia LB Davin Bellamy
    Boston College DE Harold Landry
    USC OLB Uchenna Nwosu
    USC DL Rasheem Green
    North Carolina State DE Bradley Chubb
    Miami (FL) DE Chad Thomas
    Miami (FL) DE Joe Jackson (Sophomore, not Draft eligible)
    Stanford OLB Peter Kalambayi
    Wake Forest DE Duke Ejiofor

    Drago was a wise selection by Mr. Lynch….

    1. Razor,
      Nice play on the moniker “Drago” but someone here called MM “Mt. McGlinchey” which was pretty cool.
      I have to go with Mt. McGlinchey, but we could use nicknames for Pettis and Warner.

      1. I’m just using the nickname he liked here at ND. Mt. McGlinchey is cool.

          1. Everybody said he looked like him, plus Mike liked the nickname so it kinda stuck.

      2. I like Mt. GcGlinchey better as well but Drago was the nickname he gave himself apparently.
        They funny thing is I dont think he looks at all like Drago in rocky 4.

    1. Great article Tom D. he was definitely coveted, be interested to know some of these proposed trades they turned down. Still in less than two years this organization has found their QB and an important young tackle with out mortgaging their future like other organizations have done. I think we are in good hands, Can’t wait until the day the team wins a Super Bowl and Grant will write an article blasting them for something and it really doesn’t count.

  14. Greg Cosell was on Tom Tolberts show Mon afternoon. He is absolutely in love with the Warner and Moore Picks. He believes both have a great chance of becoming true difference makers on D.

  15. Oregoniner,

    Reviewed Heneghan before the draft.

    If there’s one thing to be said about Shanny’s choosing an Ivy League QB it’s that you know he paid attention to 49er TC’s growing up. The dynasty Niners loved gifted intelligence—Montana (Marketing degree involving calculus mathematics), Young (Juris Doctorate).

    It’s not a coincidence. Nobody in the recent history of the National Football League has nurtured quarterbacks as successfully as Bill Walsh has.

    Bill Walsh:
    ”You can’t make something out of nothing, I’ve had failures,” the 49er coach was saying now. ”But if a quarterback has basic intelligence and basic ability, you can develop him.” NYT’s “By Sports of Times; Bill Walsh’s QB’s.”

    1. TomD

      Yes, that was a low-lite of TB interrupting Tomsula’s presser…see, some good things did come of all this….

  16. My god, one of these guys might make the 53 man roster, with 2 to 3 more on the PS.

    Can’t believe we have people thinking almost any will start or provide any significant impact on the team outside of getting the starters ready for gameday.

    1. 1. Name your 2018 starting offensive linemen and their backups ?
      2. Name the 2018 starting defensive backfield ?
      3. Name the 2018 starting linebackers ?
      4. Carlos Hyde is gone. Name the 49ers starting RB and his backups ?
      5. Jimmy G’s backup ?
      6. 49ers backup TE ?
      7. Who will win the LEO position ?
      8. Who will win the Kick returner’s spots ?…Pettis looks good, but so does Richie James and N. Texas State RB Jeffrey Wilson.
      9. Who will be our starting LB’s ?
      10. 49ers brought in some interesting D-Linemen. I like Temple’s Jullian Taylor…Who wins the DT battles ?

      This was a sub-500 team. Many jobs are up for grabs. Not much is set in stone.

    1. Is this the new go-to for players that kneeled and have question marks that existed before said choice?

      1. MM said that before the draft the Niners had offered him a one-year “prove it” contract. I like Reid as a person and admire his commitment to his cause, but it sounds like they no longer think he’s starter material. Also, if a team wants a player who focuses 100% on football, it’s their right imo.

        1. George, what does that mean “a player who focuses 100% on football”
          Is this person allowed to have an opinion about anything besides football? Is Tom Brady ” a player who focuses 100% on football”, he did say something that didn’t relate to football.
          Is a player who has a girlfriend, a wife and or kids “a player who focuses 100% on football”???
          Isn’t having a social life too much of a distraction for a player who focuses 100% on football?
          I’d like to know what your criteria are for “a player who focuses 100% on football” , since the PLAYERS who worked with Kap during his last season said he wasn’t a distraction.
          The press was a distraction, the fans were, the president was/is

        2. And while you’re at it, George, tell me what the flag/anthem has to do with football???
          It really is an inappropriate distraction for a player who wants to focus a 100% on football!

            1. UC, thanks for showing that the flag/anthem has NOTHING to do with football!
              But you shouldn’t do it with a link to a propaganda youtube that has been debunked as not factual…..

    2. Both Kap and Reid aren’t the perfect athletes. Reid’s game fell off the last few years, and while Kap’s stats looked good under Chip Kelly, he still has big problems he had coming out of college.

      As far as their lawsuits, I don’t mind anyone sticking it to NFL owners. They only started showing the National Anthem on TV because they get money from the Defense Department. Maybe the Redskins cheerleaders can file one too.

      Hell, I’m still ticked off that Goodell got away with suspending Brady for four games because he disregarded the laws of gases proven over four hundred years ago

    1. Could be a potential… transfer trade. Armstead for Fowler. Armstead gives them a disciple for Camble and Fowler gives us a possible Leo.

    1. I’m too cheap to pay to read this but I wonder if Reuben Foster is listed as one who needs some “advanced development” too. I still can’t get over the fact that according to what we read he is being charged with causing injuries that his girlfriend had when she arrived at his home.

      1. Didn’t realize it wouldn’t link up. Here is a copy and paste:

        The 2018 NFL Draft is done, the 49ers have followed it by signing a bevy of undrafted rookies, and the offseason program is about to enter full swing. With the roster loaded up, it’s time to break down the 49ers’ collection of talent by position group and analyze the potential impact of all of the team’s new acquisitions.

        By the end of training camp, the 49ers will need to whittle down their roster to 53 players (during the offseason, the limit is 90 players). The competition over the next few months, then, is expected to be intense. Take this breakdown as a preview of what can unfold for all parts of the roster. New rookie acquisitions are listed in bold.

        Defensive tackles
        DeForest Buckner
        Sheldon Day
        Jullian Taylor
        Post-draft status: Barring some very bad injury news, it’s reasonable to assume that Buckner will be a 49er through a least 2020, as the team can exercise his fifth-year option for that season at this time next year. And with the way Buckner is playing — he led all NFL defensive tackles with 19 quarterback hits last year — it might behoove the 49ers to ensure that he’s a cornerstone for longer than that.

        Day’s active late-season presence helped boost the 49ers’ run defense from the NFL cellar in 2016 (4.8 yards per carry allowed) all the way up to No. 6 in 2017 (3.8 yards per carry allowed). Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is a big fan of Day — this goes back to shared time with the Jacksonville Jaguars — and he should be an integral part of the rotation again in 2018.

        How the 49ers deal with Taylor, one of their seventh-round picks, will be fascinating. Taylor has massive upside simply because he has so little experience under his belt: He first played organized football as a senior in high school and didn’t play more than two games in a college season until his senior year at Temple.

        The 49ers were blown away by Taylor’s game film against elite competition, particularly a game at Notre Dame. He fared very well against guard Quenton Nelson, the eventual No. 6 pick in this year’s draft. Taylor has several similar performances on his film, which is loaded with plays of brilliant athleticism up front.

        Taylor has added over 50 pounds in the past couple of years, but most of it is clearly muscle. His 40-yard dash, 10-yard burst, three-cone, and broad jump measurements all grade out at the 86th percentile of defensive linemen or better.

        The 49ers may have a developing diamond in the rough with Taylor. Can he make the team, or can the 49ers somehow ensure that he sticks around long enough to realize his potential? Roster limitations are real, so that’s the question.

        Nose tackles
        Earl Mitchell
        D.J. Jones
        Niles Scott
        Post-draft status: Mitchell is the veteran stalwart in the middle, Jones (a sixth-round pick in 2017) is the young player that the 49ers are grooming in hopes of eventually taking over, while Scott is an undrafted prospect that the 49ers acquired from Frostburg State.

        The machinations here should be more straightforward. Unless Jones has made a quantum leap this offseason, Mitchell still projects to be the lead nose tackle in 2018. The 49ers hope that Jones can remain healthy and see an increase in playing time year, while Scott is unlikely to stick. But there’s always a chance, and Scott will have an opportunity to prove himself starting with this weekend’s rookie minicamp.

        Defensive ends
        Solomon Thomas
        Arik Armstead
        Ronald Blair
        Kentavius Street (not expected to be available in 2018)
        Post-draft status: If the 49ers are to take the next step of improvement defensively in 2018, Thomas is a central piece of the puzzle. We analyzed the specifics of what the 49ers can reasonably expect from Thomas in 2018 here, and it boils down to this: He needs more inside alignments on pass-rushing situations. Saleh has also said that he believes this to be a key for Thomas to surge in his second year.

        Armstead and Blair are both holdovers from the era of former general manager Trent Baalke. The 49ers exercised Armstead’s fifth-year option for the 2019 season on Monday, but that’s not binding until March of next year (barring an injury), so the team has simply bought itself more time to assess Armstead’s fit in the rotation of defensive ends.

        Last year, the 49ers tried Armstead at the LEO edge-rushing spot, but that experiment is over. If he’s going to stick, Armstead will have to demonstrate consistent effectiveness at the strong-side defensive end position, where there’s currently a slight logjam between him, Thomas, and Blair.

        Depth is always welcome, but the 49ers will strive to fill limited roster spots with the best-fitting talent available, so 2018 is huge for Armstead — for all intents and purposes, it’s still a contract year.

        Street, a fourth-round draft pick, recently tore his ACL and likely won’t be available at all in 2018. His massive strength projects well into the future, but in a funny way, a redshirt year for him is essentially what gives GM John Lynch’s draft pick actual potential to work out down the road, since the 49ers have a bunch of other veteran linemen already on the roster for at least one more season.

        There doesn’t project to be room until 2019, anyway.

        Edge-rush specialists (LEO)
        Jeremiah Attaochu
        Cassius Marsh
        Eli Harold
        Pita Taumoepenu
        Patrick Choudja
        Post-draft status: The 49ers didn’t pick an edge rusher the draft, and Lynch explained why in detail. It boils down to this: He and coach Kyle Shanahan believe that there’s enough untapped potential within the group listed above to make things work.

        The brain trust’s position is rooted in the fact that Attaochu has been a productive pass rusher before, and he’s only 25 years old. Attaochu was buried behind Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram with the Los Angeles Chargers last year, and now that he’ll get a chance to start, he feels primed for a breakout campaign.

        Marsh was productive down the stretch of 2017 for the 49ers, and Saleh hopes that Marsh can form an effective one-two duo with Attaochu. At the very least, the 49ers have gotten younger in age and closer to ideal physical measurements at this spot, which 33-year-old Elvis Dumervil manned at 5-foot-11 last year.

        Now the 49ers have a group of 6-4 players who all weigh around 250 pounds, and that includes Choudja, an undrafted free agent from Nevada. Choudja’s story is remarkable. He came alone to America from Cameroon, in the midst of violent political upheaval, as a 10-year old.

        Choudja is currently 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds. Those measurements, combined with the fact that he was an effective special teams player at Nevada, presumably make him a fit at this LEO edge-rushing spot, where the 49ers have targeted faster and lighter talent.

        Strong-side linebackers
        Eli Harold
        Dekoda Watson
        Pita Taumoepenu
        Post-draft status: Harold is also listed above in the LEO section because Lynch has said that the 49ers will experiment with him there, but it appears that Sam linebacker is still his primary spot, especially since the 49ers didn’t acquire any rookies for this particular position.

        Harold was a below-average performer in 2017. Per Pro Football Focus, he rushed on 49.1 percent of snaps last season. No 4-3 outside linebacker in the NFL rushed on more snaps, by a wide margin. But Harold still managed only six total quarterback pressures all year.

        The 49ers need more production here. They have an inkling that Harold might benefit from occasional speed rushes from the LEO spot, but even if that turns out to be true, it won’t fill the deficiency at Sam linebacker. In an ideal world, Tamoepenu, a sixth-round draft pick in 2017, would round into form (he’s working to add necessary muscle) and at least start giving the 49ers valuable snaps here.

        There’s clearly a lot of work to be done, and it’ll have to be accomplished by player development. The 30-year-old Watson is an NFL journeyman; he can only be counted on to provide linebacker depth and valuable special teams contributions.

        Middle and weak-side linebackers
        Reuben Foster
        Malcolm Smith
        Korey Toomer
        Fred Warner
        Brock Coyle
        Elijah Lee
        Mark Nzeocha
        Post-draft status: Assuming Foster is available for at least the majority of the season (given his injury and current legal issues, that’s a tough assumption to make, but we’ll roll with it for the sake of analysis), he’s the obvious centerpiece. Foster’s performance, when he was actually on the field in 2017, was sensational. But availability is the best ability, and 2018 is certainly putting that up to a major test in Foster’s case.

        Can Smith be a good starter at the NFL level? So far, as evidenced by below-average PFF grades during a stint with the Raiders, he hasn’t been. Perhaps a reintroduction to the 4-3 scheme under which Smith saw success while he was the fourth linebacker with the Seattle Seahawks will do the trick.

        All of this will determine how exactly Warner, one of the 49ers’ third-round draft picks, fits in from the get-go. Even if Foster and Smith are available and productive, Lynch has already indicated that the 49ers will try to find a role for Warner as soon as possible. At 6-3 with a safety’s athleticism (he lined up over the slot on more than 80 percent of snaps in college), Warner brings a unique skill set to the defense.

        Lynch said he wants to experiment with that length, which is rare for the inside linebacker position, to close passing lanes. He added that he’s comfortable in Saleh’s ability to integrate a unique talent into the defensive scheme.

        If the Warner experiment goes well, maybe the 49ers will be direct contributors toward the overall evolution of this 4-3 scheme, and tall inside linebackers like Warner will start popping up with greater regularity around the NFL.

        Once Coyle (shoulder surgery) returns to health, this can be a position of newfound depth for the 49ers. That’s because they also signed Toomer, who’s graded as a very effective backup with the Chargers in recent years, to fill out the roster.

        Coaches like Lee, a second-year player, but there’s now an absolute crowd in front of him. In fact, the 49ers had to release Donavin Newsom and Boseko Lokombo, two other inside linebackers, to stay under the offseason 90-man roster limit on Monday.

        Strong safeties
        Jaquiski Tartt
        Chanceller James
        Marcell Harris
        Terrell Williams
        Even though he’s a Baalke-era draft product, Tartt’s play in what amounted to only about half of 2017 convinced the 49ers that he’s the answer for strong safety in the Cover 3. Lynch has spent the past several days tacking on depth here, since James (torn ACL last August) won’t be back until training camp this year.

        A potential issue: Harris, the 49ers’ sixth-round pick this year, is coming off a ruptured Achilles and also likely won’t be back to up full speed until the season rolls around. That leaves Tartt as the roster’s only truly available strong safety after the draft and likely encouraged the 49ers to sign the undrafted Williams, a 6-4 prospect out of Houston.

        Whether or not Williams sticks remains to be seen, but it should be noted that James made the 90-man roster after a rookie minicamp tryout last year and was playing very well in training camp before his ACL injury. It’s definitely possible for an unheralded safety to make offseason noise, and Williams will have that opportunity since both James and Harris are still working their way back.

        Free safeties
        Adrian Colbert
        Jimmie Ward
        Tarvarius Moore
        Post-draft status: Ward is listed here simply because he provides depth at the position, but he’s working at cornerback for the time being. Colbert, who grabbed the 49ers’ attention after running a 4.25 hand-timed 40-yard dash at his pro day, has positioned himself in the starter’s role. The 49ers drafted Moore, a prospect with similarly blazing speed, in the third round.

        Moore played only safety at Southern Mississippi, but his 6-2 height has encouraged Lynch to also try him out at cornerback. The sheer athleticism is what stands out here: Moore’s metrics in the 40, the 20-yard split, and the broad jump all fall in the 99th percentile of the NFL’s incoming defensive backs, so the 49ers feel that they have an adaptable weapon that can contribute at whatever spot is best for the team.

        That’s particularly important in the league’s current iteration, where defensive versatility is so necessary to guard offenses that attack with multiple sets. In fact, Colbert impressed the 49ers with the very same type of flexibility: He initially arrived as a corner last year before grabbing that free safety spot.

        Cornerbacks
        Richard Sherman
        Ahkello Witherspoon
        Jimmie Ward
        Greg Mabin
        Tarvarius Moore
        Tarvarus McFadden
        D.J. Reed
        Don Jones
        Tyvis Powell
        Trovon Reed
        Corey Griffin
        Here’s another crowded room. Upon signing Sherman, the 49ers were forced make contingency plans in case he isn’t available since he’s coming off an Achilles tear at age 30. Ward is moving to corner to hold the fort while Sherman finishes his recovery during the offseason program, but Tarvarius and Tarvarus — Moore and McFadden — reveal the true long-term replacement plan.

        Both are 6-2, so they fit the Sherman profile. McFadden, an undrafted addition from Florida State, picked off eight passes his junior year and broke up 10 more his senior season. McFadden can be considered the 49ers’ headlining post-draft signing, and there’s a very good chance that he makes the roster as the 49ers look for both cornerback depth and a long-term solution opposite Witherspoon.

        It wouldn’t be wise to sleep on Mabin, either. He’s also 6-2, and he saw meaningful playing time last year, especially when Dontae Johnson struggled against the Houston Texans (the 49ers used Mabin to helped stymie DeAndre Hopkins late in that game).

        Mabin will certainly have a say in how the cornerback room develops this summer, but those on the bottom portion of this list — Jones, Powell, Reed, and the undrafted acquisition Griffin — have a steep uphill climb.

        Nickel backs
        K’Waun Williams
        D.J. Reed
        Emmanuel Moseley
        Post-draft status: Williams is the incumbent starter, and he played well down the stretch last year. But the 5-9 Reed, who’s also listed among the outside conerbacks because of his abnormally long 32-inch arms (that’s the same length as Sherman’s arms), should immediately push Williams.

        The 49ers selected Reed in the fifth round, and Lynch said that he’ll see opportunities in the slot and on the outside.

        Moseley, an undrafted rookie from Tennessee, rounds out the competition here. But the headliners are certainly Williams and Reed, who had spectacular numbers at Kansas State and has already declared that he’s been slighted by not being picked until the fifth round.

        Whenever a talented and motivated player that can contribute on special teams arrives, any players ahead of him on the depth chart should take notice. Reed, who finished second in the NCAA in both kick and punt returns last year, fits the exact profile of a rookie who can give Williams a run for his money.

        And increased competition is what the 49ers want more of on their roster. With this draft and flurry of player acquisitions now done, it appears that they’ve fostered just that.

    1. yup. Dunbar was productive in college even though he was playing with a QB who was a better runner than a passer. Dunbar is a big, physical receiver. My only issue with him is he doesn’t really separate on his routes. I don’t think he has great speed. BUT I like the kid and I hope he makes it.

      1. Houston, maybe you or someone else can school me. I’m thinking a comparison to Boldin. The kid is tall and has great hands and huge wing span. He is strong and fights for the ball. He runs after the catch with desperation. And for a guy his size he’s very quick and sudden. His 3 cone is a fraction over 7. In that video I do see separation. And once he hits stride he is fast.

      2. I don’t know about his times or any video. The University of Houston has a GREAT stadium. The atmosphere is absolutely awesome and the stands are basically right on top of the field. I like to go watch games there when there is a good matchup. I’ve seen Dunbar play several times and I’m definitely a fan of his. He is big and physical. He fights for the ball in the air and he runs with urgency after receptions. He does not look overly fast to me. If he was getting separation it may have been against inferior opponents. He doesn’t look quick to me either. He has a long stride and it looks like it takes him some time to get going but his straight line speed is good enough for the NFL – I think. One thing you can’t measure with times is heart and desire. My opinion is Dunbar has plenty of heart and desire. Clear Eyes, Full Heart, Cant Lose.

  17. — per Maiocco:
    “There is a belief that the 49ers are in a much better spot than they were a year ago at the guard positions. Among Laken Tomlinson, Jonathan Cooper, Joshua Garnett, Zane Beadles and Erik Magnuson, the 49ers believe they can put two capable guards on the field on either side of center Weston Richburg.”
    — 2 “capable” guards??????
    — what, Cooper & Magnuson???

    NBC Sports Bay Area headline:
    “Lynch: 49ers talking with Laken Tomlinson’s agents ‘about trying to make something happen'”
    — making something happen like…make him wear another team’s uni????

    1. Might be time to accept the 49ers are higher on Tomlinson, Cooper and Garnett than the rest of us.

      1. sorry– still have to get thru denial, anger, bargaining, and depression before acceptance of our dismal OG situation can be reached….
        I’m stuck at anger…
        many here are floundering at the bargaining stage (i.e.- hope that Beadles, Tomlinson, or Garnett might work out)

    2. Cooper actually did well at LG with the Cowboys, we have yet to see what Garnett looks like in this offense, and the coaching staff seemed to be impressed with Magnuson last season. Beadles, while terrible, offers a diverse backup that can step into a starting role at any position if needed. Tomlinson… I have no defense for him.

      1. Beadles, like Snyder back a few years, has mediocre but reliable versatility. Magnussen could take his spot. Tomlinson is better than given credit for.
        Garnett = ?

            1. Well, not in every aspect…

              “Although valued as a gem stone, garnet(t) is generally of low monetary value because of its relatively common occurrence.”

              1. Well…

                Proverbs 27:17 — Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another

                In theory then, Garnett playing well would cause others along the OL to up their game.

              2. more likely to just oxidize…
                and that’s quite a wild theory of yours that Garnett would be “playing well”

        1. — Beadles is far, far worse than Snyder — not a good comparison…Adam was at least mediocre at worst…competent at best…
          — if Beadles, “while terrible” is plugged into the starting lineup at any position at any point in a given season, it’s the OL’s version of the “emergency QB”….with similar results…
          — Garnett is being “groomed” for trade….like Trent Brown, 2017’s TC showed he could not function as an OZ blocker, the “body transformation” won’t help his issues with missed assignments in free space run blocking…
          — Tomlinson is gonna be low-balled $$-wise to be a backup, or traded if he’s not OK with a big pay cut compared to the 9 mil. his option was to cost….
          — we all need to send daily affirmations to the football gods that Cooper & Magnuson can cut the mustard…
          — can’t have this year’s run game suffer stuffage on 1/4 of run plays like last season….or a low % of OZ run success…

          1. – You and I remember Snyder in completely different ways. And yes, it is a good comparison because Snyder and Beadles are not starter material, but they offer a versatile backup that can step in if need be.
            – You’re assuming in regards to Garnett and nothing more. I won’t deny that Garnett could be traded, but it will only occur he gets beat out for the starting position at RG; the rest is only your pure speculation.
            – There is no evidence to back up the claim that Tomlinson will be low-balled with a contract. In fact, the evidence supports the likelihood he will get a higher than expected contract if the 49ers do want him after this season.
            – Why?
            – Ya think that is why they drafted McGlinchey perhaps?

            1. ok…

              “You and I remember Snyder in completely different ways. And yes, it is a good comparison because Snyder and Beadles are not starter material, but they offer a versatile backup that can step in if need be.” — wow…just look at Beadles snaps from last season….Snyder never played this badly as a 9er:
              Exhibit 1- Snyder>Beadles:
              https://www.ninersnation.com/2018/2/14/17011052/the-most-pitiful-sacks-allowed-by-the-49ers-in-2017-zane-beadles-edition

              — Garnett: revisit 2017 TC reports of OLine in camp — Garnett & Brown were ID’d as bad “scheme fits” in zone scheme — code for poor IZ & OZ performance– until Garnett had his injury and the team stashed him for the year…
              — then look at the PR campaign the FO (Lynch included) have waged talking up Garnett’s slenderizing– “sexy” etc…keeping him in the press…

              Lynch on Tomlinson on 5/2/18:

              “Those options are tricky deals … I actually pulled Laken in here (Lynch’s office) yesterday and had a great talk with him — we’re gonna work towards making Laken a part of us for the long-term future,” Lynch said. “The numbers are different at each position. Offensive guard was a little skewed because they include all offensive lineman — tackles get paid a lot so that number was extremely high.
              “But we’ve already been talking with Laken’s guys (representatives) about trying to make something happen, and we’ll see if that goes into next year.”
              “Tomlinson’s fifth-year option would have been $9.625 million.”

              Tomlinson will settle for a “long term” deal well under 9 mil a year,
              — IF he starts in 2018 and lights it up (in which case I’ll apologize to the blog), he’ll renegotiate that deal…

              McGlinchey will help, but the interior line is still a big worry–

              1. How is Tomlinson settling or taking a pay cut? He was not and never has been on $9.6 million a year. It is simply the amount the 49ers needed to pony up if they wanted to exercise his option. They did not take that option. He is in the last year of his contract, and is slated to earn $1.6 million this year.

            2. You have forgotten the ugly sacks and stoppage of the run game that was committed by Snyder while he played for the 49ers tjf.

  18. Side Note –
    Apparently the extension of Armstead has a few benefits that I didn’t think about.
    The final year is only guaranteed in case of injury.

    What does this mean.
    Because the niners own his rights for the next 2 seasons (he is a more tradeable asset) they can
    A) Trade him this year
    B) Play him this year, and if he plays well, trade him next year for a premium
    C) Play him this year, and if he plays well, keep him, because he has shown the talent they saw when they drafted him.
    D) Play him this year and if he sucks, cut him next year and lose nothing
    E) Play him this year and if he gets injured pay him lots. (This is really the only bad scenario)

  19. I hope the 49ers swing a deal to get Dante Fowler Jr.
    He’s young and has 12 sack in 2 years. 8 coming last year.
    Marsh and Attaochu have a combined 16 sacks in 9 seasons.

    1. Interesting article. Not sure if I agree on where he ranked position groups. In many cases I think the writer ranked them higher than they were.

      What was most interesting was last year’s article. Provides good insight and also underscores why being a prognosticator a fool’s errand.

      Thanks Gabriel.

    1. Hats off to Clark…

      And a reminder–this is why we do our homework and pursue UDFAs…

      “That June of 1979, the 49ers drafted Clark with the 249th pick, reportedly to the dismay of Walsh’s personnel crew, who argued that they could just sign Clark as a free agent if they really wanted, because who else would draft him? But Walsh saw in Clark a potential linchpin, a steady, smart route-runner around whom he could fashion his offense.”

      1. If we had the internet (and Grant’s blog) back then, Grant would rip the Clark pick mercilessly. If Grant had been born a few years earlier…

    2. I’d encourage readers and all 49er fans to listen to Maiocco’s two part interview with Clark in his podcast. They are touching and insightful. Clark mentions that he’d like to put together a book on the fan’s memories of The Catch. Those old timers here on this blog may consider writing Clark a letter of their memories of what they were doing when the game was being played in 1971. The letters can be mailed to Maiocco at the following address and he promises that they will be delivered to Clark in Montana.
      Matt Maiocco,
      NBC Sports Bay Area
      360 Third St Suite 200
      San Francisco, CA 94107

      MM’s podcasts can be found at the following link. Scroll down in the list in that page to find the two podcasts
      http://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/page/49ers-insider-podcast-matt-maiocco

      1. Ah, that ’81 season was magical. Niners did not start out well. The Niners were 1-2. Then they started playing like a cohesive unit, and ran off 7 straight wins.
        .
        I started to believe that the Niners were special when they beat Dallas during the regular season. They scored 3 times in the first half and blanked them. It was so improbable, because the Niner RBs were Paul Hofer, Ricky Patton and Amos Lawrence.
        .
        In the second half, Joe made a 78 yard pass to Dwight Clark, which put the Niners up by 24. Ronnie then iced the game by intercepting a pass for a pick six. Niners put up 45 points on ‘America’s ‘ team, and they did it with a no name backfield and a rookie defensive backfield.
        .
        The Niners only lost one more game, to Cleveland.
        .
        In the championship game, I knew that the Cowboys were smarting from that earlier beatdown, so I expected a hard fought game. Joe was not infallible, because he threw 3 picks, and they lost 3 fumbles, but when the game was on the line, he was clutch.
        .
        The drive before ‘The Catch’ was equally impressive. Bill Walsh called a masterful sequence, out thinking Landry. It seemed as though the Niners passed when they should have run, and ran, when they expected pass. I was in section 10, and most the action was on the north end of the field, so my viewpoint was limited. When Joe rolled out, I thought. OK just throw it away because he was getting pressure in his face and it was only third down. However, Dwight soared through the air, and made history. Joe threw it in the place where only Dwight could catch the ball. Dwight was magnificent. We were all euphoric, but then our guts tightened into a knot because some were saying that the Niners scored too soon, and gave the Cowboys time enough to drive down the field for a FG. My father was a big fan of Brodie and Washington, but he cautioned me before the game that past history showed that the Niners would go ahead, only to lose out in a heartbreaker to the Cowboys with a last second score. We were very worried, but were also yelling as loud as we could to exhort the team to stop the dreaded Cowboys.
        .
        All of us fans were screaming our lungs out, and when Lawrence Pillers caused the fumble that Stuckey recovered, we went insane. Other than my wedding day, and the birth of my children, I think it was one of the happiest moments in my life. My wife said I came home, and could only whisper. Took me a couple days to regain my voice.
        .
        Those other SB seasons were great, but that 1981 season was magical, and special.

        1. Nice personal story Seb,
          I’ve never been to Candlestick, or any field for a niner game for that matter, so I just experienced a vicarious victory!

          Thanks for sharing…

      1. St. Lou …

        thanks for the DC piece … for me ..
        it was worth about a ½ box of kleenex !

        I remember once taking the wife to
        Clark’s by the Bay … in hopes for an autograph …
        from the man, himself … but …
        he wasn’t there at the time

        1. I always enjoyed business trips that took me to the City. I’d hoped to run into one of the players just to say “Hi” and thank them for filling my Sunday afternoons with many good memories.

          One of the things that struck me about the article is the lasting sense of “family”, and the timelessness of the friendships among the 49er team that arose from that era.

          Maybe that’s a “pre free-agency” thing? … but I also think it’s an Eddie D thing.
          We all heard the stories of his lavish spending, and the sense of inclusion that extended well into each of the player’s families.

          There was nothing gimmicky about it… it was sincere. From what little I know, that caring, generosity, and support seems to carry on to this day.

          The Hall of Fame ceremony was a great indicator, but beyond that, I’m still awestruck by that part of Eddie’s character. No matter the outcome, it’s comforting to know that Dwight Clark has Eddie in his corner.

        2. I was at Clark’s by the Bay for a business Christmas luncheon–around 1988-89. Saw Dwight walk through the dinning area a couple times–perfectly congenial.

  20. As a crusty old Niners fan I love to hate the Cowboys, but I have the utmost respect for Jason Witten. Terrific career; HoF. They’ll miss his presence as well as his production.
    It’s hard to have favorites on teams I like to root against, but on reflection there are a number of CowBums who’ve won my grudging admiration:
    Howlie
    Lilly
    Renfro
    Waters
    R.White
    Smith
    Moose
    Irvin
    Sanders
    Woodson

  21. I gotta say the draft pick that intrigues me the most is Tarvarius Moore… I know he’s a possible “projection” pick but this guy is an athletic freak and seems to have the ball skills to match. Not sure he can make a successful switch to corner but Imagine a backfield with him and Tartt. I know Colbert showed us a lot last year, but he lack a lot of the athleticism this guy has.

    Should be interesting to see how this works out.

    1. Yeah, he’s definitely the biggest projection of the lot. Great athlete. Hopefully they can coach him up.

      The guys that intrigue me the most are Pettis, Warner and James.

      1. Projection+SPARQ+Game film corroboration+Coaching gives me hope that Tarvarius can become much, much Moore than your average 3rd round pick. Witherspoon’s development speed was a pleasant surprise, and now Sherman will expedite it even Moore.

        I’m with both of you two as far as where my intrigue lies within this draft class.

        1. I’m a little embarrassed to say I didn’t realize they continued to do SPARQ Ratings for college athletes. Very curious if NFL talent evaluators use the ratings in their draft prep. For high school athletes a high Sparq rating can open lots of doors. My son was invited to a Nike combine and did well so the college coaches started coming out of the woodwork. At first I thought it was weird that colleges would put so much stock into a combine event but kids can definitely get noticed just from participating in a Nike combine. Those combines started getting big around 2010 or so and now they are almost a must do event for better high school athletes. When those combines first started, it was an open event and you could just show up and register. Now they are usually invite only but there is an avenue for kids to submit video through Hudl to receive an invite into the event. Outside the Nike events there are other organizations that are more open like Prep Football America but the Nike event is really the gold standard. I wonder if John Lynch knows his draft picks Sparq rating.

  22. The Athletic wrote up the offensive players as well. Since it is behind a pay wall, I copied and pasted below:

    With the 2018 NFL Draft finished and a collection of undrafted rookies signed, we broke down the 49ers’ collection of talent by defensive position group on Wednesday. Now, it’s time to analyze the potential impact of the team’s new offensive acquisitions.

    By the end of training camp, the 49ers will need to whittle down their roster to 53 players (during the offseason, the limit is 90 players). The competition over the next few months is expected to be intense. Take this breakdown as a preview of what can unfold for all parts of the roster. New rookie acquisitions are listed in bold.

    Quarterbacks
    Jimmy Garoppolo
    C.J. Beathard
    Nick Mullens
    Jack Heneghan
    Post-draft status: Coach Kyle Shanahan rolled with only two quarterbacks on the active roster throughout all of 2017, and there’s no indication that he’ll bump up to three in 2018. The 49ers didn’t draft a QB; Nick Mullens was a practice-squad guy last year, and Heneghan is an undrafted rookie out of Dartmouth who’s the son of former 49ers executive Lal Heneghan.

    Heneghan, who played at Menlo High, participated in a pro day for local prospects that the 49ers hosted before the draft. But he’s very likely only aboard to fill out the QB room for the offseason and possibly into training camp. When the 49ers cut their roster down to 53 players, expect only Garoppolo and Beathard to be a part of it.

    Offensive tackles
    Joe Staley (LT)
    Mike McGlinchey (RT)
    Garry Gilliam (swing)
    Zane Beadles
    Darrell Williams Jr.
    Pace Murphy
    Andrew Lauderdale
    Jamar McGloster
    Post-draft status: McGlinchey immediately replaces Trent Brown atop the pecking order at right tackle. Shanahan feels that the 49ers’ run-blocking capabilities are instantly enhanced, since McGlinchey is a clear athletic upgrade for the outside-zone blocking scheme.

    At his introductory press conference, McGlinchey pointed out that many of the NFL’s elite pass rushers line up over right tackle. He mentioned the Raiders’ Khalil Mack, whom the 49ers face in October, and the Denver Broncos’ Von Miller by name. The 49ers are counting on McGlinchey to reach NFL pass-blocking speed quickly. Otherwise, the quickness of Garoppolo’s release will be tested yet again.

    The rest of this crew serves as depth.

    The 49ers re-signed Gilliam in February to be their swing tackle. Will Beadles, a holdover of the previous regime, make the team? His adaptability actually buoyed the 49ers last season when injuries tattered the offensive line, so that’s a big plus in his favor. But the 49ers may consider younger developmental options like Williams and McGloster (an undrafted signing) — if they progress far enough this offseason — to be better options for roster spots.

    Interior linemen
    Weston Richburg (C)
    Jonathan Cooper (RG)
    Laken Tomlinson (LG)
    Joshua Garnett
    Erik Magnuson
    Coleman Shelton (C)
    Alan Knott (C)
    Najee Toran
    Post-draft status: There’s a chance that all three of 2017’s starters here are replaced once 2018 kicks off. For now, we’ll give the nod to Tomlinson over Garnett at left guard, but that’s subject to change. Garnett has dropped to a spry 300 pounds and should have a chance to recapture the starting role that he had in training camp last season before undergoing knee surgery (that was before the 49ers traded for Tomlinson).

    By the way, the 49ers won’t be picking up Tomlinson’s fifth-year option for the 2019 season. They did exercise defensive lineman Arik Armstead’s fifth-year option earlier this week, but general manager John Lynch told KNBR on Tuesday that the pre-set fifth-year option salary for offensive linemen — $9.625 million — is too steep to justify for Tomlinson’s guard position.

    “These are tricky deals,” Lynch said on the radio. “I actually pulled Laken in here yesterday and had a great talk with him — we’re gonna work toward making Laken a part of us for the long-term future. The numbers are different at each position. Offensive guard was a little skewed because they include all offensive lineman. Tackles get paid a lot so that number was extremely high.”

    Lynch said that the 49ers have already been in contact with Tomlinson’s representatives about signing an extension. The manner in which this offseason progresses may play a significant role in those talks, as the 49ers have other potential options. Garnett remains under team control on his rookie contract through 2019 (and he’ll also have a fifth-year team option for the 2020 season).

    At center and right guard, Richburg and Cooper are clear upgrades over Daniel Kilgore and Brandon Fusco, neither of whom are 49ers anymore.

    The goal of Shanahan’s maneuvering is clear: He’s building a lighter, more adaptable offensive line that can get out in space to bulldoze for running back Jerick McKinnon and protect Garoppolo from speed rushes.

    In all likelihood, four of five starters on the 49ers offensive line in 2018 — everyone but Richburg, one of their marquee free-agent signings — will be a former first-round draft pick.

    Magnuson earned the brass’ respect for his versatile performance last year. He made the team as an interior lineman, but flexed out to tackle — and played hurt — when the 49ers needed him in dire injury straits against the Philadelphia Eagles.

    “The kid was valiant in his effort,” Lynch said last week.

    If Beadles is still around come September, he’ll also add depth to this group. Shelton, Knott and Toran are all undrafted acquisitions. If Shelton or Knott do not make the team, Magnuson has the capability of being the backup center, although the 49ers won’t release their first depth chart until the season.

    Tight Ends
    George Kittle (X)
    Garrett Celek (Y)
    Cole Hikutini (X)
    Cole Wick (Y)
    Ross Dwelley (X)
    Post-draft status: The ‘”X” or “move” tight end specializes in receiving, while the “Y” or “in-line” tight end specializes in blocking. Both types of tight end, however, must be willing and able to execute the opposite of their specialty, as Shanahan demands versatility from all his offenses pieces. He’s not shy about sending a blocking tight end downfield on passing routes, as illustrated by “Celek Time” in 2017.

    The situation at the top here remains relatively unchanged. Kittle delivered sensational efficiency at the end of last season, when he was healthy and paired with Garoppolo. Celek has two years remaining on his deal. Hikutini, entering his second year, may become somewhat of a factor, but Kittle and Celek have a clear grip on the top two spots here.

    The 49ers must find someone to reprise the blocking-heavy role that Logan Paulsen, now with the Atlanta Falcons, played last year. That may be Wick, who was on the practice squad in 2017. Dwelley, an undrafted free agent from the University of San Diego, is 6-foot-5 and weighs 240 pounds right now, so he measures out as a receiving tight end.

    Outside receivers
    Pierre Garçon
    Marquise Goodwin
    Dante Pettis
    Kendrick Bourne
    Mac McCaffrey
    Aaron Burbridge
    Steven Dunbar
    Post-draft status: Consider how much the storyline at this position has changed in less than a year. Before Garoppolo took over, the prevailing theory stated that Shanahan was working with a relatively bare cupboard at outside receiver. It appeared as if Garçon was this group’s only real horse, and he landed on injured reserve midway through 2017.

    Then December happened. Goodwin exploded and Bourne emerged into a talent with very apparent developmental potential. The 49ers return both of those players, and they’re also reintroducing a healthy Garçon to the mix.

    Add Pettis, 2018’s second-round draft pick, and there’s suddenly a group to be reckoned with here.

    Most importantly, that unit has a quarterback who’s clearly capable of getting them the ball.

    Notice that Pettis and Bourne are listed among both the outside receivers and the inside receivers below. That’s because they’re adaptable targets capable of running routes from either position.

    “He can line up all over,” Lynch said of Pettis.

    That gives Shanahan more options when it comes to the schematic construction of his offense, something he covets as a play-caller.

    Dunbar, a 6-3 undrafted rookie from Houston, immediately becomes the tallest receiver on the 49ers roster. Dunbar isn’t fast, but he uses his size effectively to create separation. The film is impressive in that regard.

    Shanahan has repeatedly emphasized that he won’t add height to the receiving corps just for the sake of doing so — above all else, any additional receiver there must be able to generate separation. We’ll see if Dunbar has what it takes to make Shanahan’s team.

    Inside receivers
    Trent Taylor
    Dante Pettis
    Kendrick Bourne
    Aldrick Robinson
    Victor Bolden Jr.
    DeAndre Carter
    Richie James
    Post-draft status: Pettis might take Taylor’s punt returning role, but he won’t usurp Taylor’s spot as Garoppolo’s man in the slot.

    “Trent Taylor has got a skill that works very well on our team, particularly with Jimmy and his ability to throw accurately,” Lynch said.

    Lynch is referring to the fact that Garoppolo finished a perfect 15 of 15 for 189 yards while throwing slant patterns to Taylor last year, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s obviously a dose of lethal efficiency.

    Robinson, a veteran with one year left on his contract, may end up being an odd-man out once this roster is cut to 53 players, and Bolden also projects to be on the bubble.

    The ability to contribute on special teams will be critical for the players lower on this list. Shanahan said that James, the 49ers’ final pick of the 2018 draft, will have a chance to make the roster if he performs well on special teams.

    Running backs
    Jerick McKinnon
    Matt Breida
    Raheem Mostert
    Joe Williams
    Jeremy McNichols
    Jeffery Wilson
    Post-draft status: Will the 49ers carry three or four running backs in 2018? That’s one of the key roster questions to watch throughout this offseason. In 2017, Carlos Hyde, Breida, and Mostert made the team, so Shanahan went with three.

    Since McKinnon is a lock, Mostert is a special teams ace, and Breida looks to be on the inside track for that No. 2 job, the future of Williams with the 49ers may indeed hinge on whether or not Shanahan carries four running backs.

    And even if four do make the cut, Williams will have to win a competition against fellow second-year man McNichols, who has the type of all-purpose versatility that Shanahan covets.

    Wilson, an undrafted acquisition from North Texas, was electric in college — albeit against lesser competition. He’ll have an opportunity to make noise this offseason, but this is a crowded backfield room.

    Fullbacks
    Kyle Juszczyk
    Malcolm Johnson
    Post-draft status: Juszczyk, a Pro Bowler, is obviously the man here. The 49ers signed Johnson as a free agent this offseason for depth purposes, but the team will only carry one fullback once its 53-man roster is set.

  23. Common theme on the undrafted players = played a high number of games in college

  24. I have not forgotten the ugly stuffed run non-blocks. I’m saying that Snyder and Beadles were Band-Aids in times of dire needs.. I think Magnussen may emerge into the three position interior guy, and Tomlinson makes the team.

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