McDonald Developing Nicely as 49ers’ No. 2 Tight End
When the 49ers decided to let Delanie Walker depart in free agency this past offseason, many Niners fans clamored for the team to draft Stanford tight end Zach Ertz.General manager Trent Baalke and has staff had other ideas, however. They knew about Vance McDonald.In the second round of the NFL draft in April, the 49ers traded up to take McDonald, a tight end from Rice that one scouting analysis called "the most intriguing tight end on the board."At 6-foot-4 and 267 pounds, McDonald was a big target at Rice, but smooth enough to many times work out of the slot, playing the role of wide receiver. His versatility obviously caught the eyes of the 49ers, who had used Walker in much the same way in San Francisco.Over his final two seasons at Rice, McDonald caught 79 passes for seven touchdowns.Now trying to win a job as the backup to starting tight end Vernon Davis, McDonald is off and running.In his first exhibition game against the Denver Broncos last week, McDonald made four catches for 66 yards, and his work in the team's Santa Clara training camp has drawn praise from coaches and teammates, from offensive coordinator Greg Roman to head coach Jim Harbaugh and Davis."Everybody has...
The above link leads to an external page. 49ers Webzone has no control over its contents.
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
Two reported 49ers pre-draft visits didn't end up happening
By David Bonilla
Apr 18
Despite initial reports, two draft prospects who were set to visit the San Francisco 49ers ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft ultimately did not meet with the team. Matt Barrows of The Athletic revealed that former USC wide receiver Brenden Rice and former Oregon safety Jamal Hill didn't end up visiting the Bay Area organization.
Barrows wrote, "Meanwhile, a report in March indicated that USC receiver Brenden Rice, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, would visit the 49ers, but he didn't end up coming, according to two league sources."
Justin Melo of The Draft Network first
49ers sign WR Trent Taylor, reuniting with former draft pick
By David Bonilla
Apr 16
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
Draft Watch: Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley visiting 49ers on Wednesday
By David Bonilla
Apr 16
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Rapoport: 49ers send clear message to teams inquiring about Brandon Aiyuk
By David Bonilla
Apr 16
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his