The San Francisco 49ers will host Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith for a pre-draft visit at the team's headquarters, which was first reported last month by the Macon Telegraph. Smith will be one of three known pre-draft visitors. The other two are center James Daniels of Iowa and wide receiver Byron Pringle of Kansas State.
Smith said he also has visits scheduled with the Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, and Indianapolis Colts. It's safe to say he likely has visits on his agenda with other teams in the top-15 of the draft. Smith would be a solid fit for the 49ers' Will linebacker spot. Malcolm Smith, who is slated as a starter at the position, is expected to be ready for the team's offseason program, which kicks off on April 16.
The future for second-year linebacker Reuben Foster, who would start next to Malcolm Smith, is murky. He is expected to be disciplined by the league following two offseason arrests, one of which involved suspicion of domestic violence. Under the NFL's domestic violence policy, players are subject to a baseline suspension of six games without pay following the first incident and a lifetime ban from the league for a second infraction.
Roquan Smith, the 2017 Butkus Award winner, registered college career highs of 137 combined tackles, 14 for a loss, 6.5 sacks, two passes defensed, and two fumble recoveries in 15 games last year, according to Sports Reference. He also had a forced fumble. In 2016, Smith recorded 95 combined tackles, five for a loss, a pass defensed, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in 13 games and 10 starts.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, the 6-foot-1 and 236-pound Smith had a 40-time of 4.51 seconds. Other measurables for Smith include an arm length of 32 inches and hands that measure 10 inches.
NFL.com projects Smith to be a first-round selection in the draft, likely even a top-15 or even top-10 pick.
"Smith is an ascending linebacker prospect with elite athletic ability, plus intelligence and an ability to be an effective cover linebacker on passing downs. While he's a little undersized, he does have the quickness and speed to keep himself from being mauled. He was good in 2016, but great in 2017 and projects as a player who hasn't tapped his full potential. Smith has Pro Bowl traits and talent and will come off the board in the first round."
49ers' home venue, Levi's Stadium, selected to host FIFA World Cup 2026
By Site Staff
Jun 16
The San Francisco 49ers announced that the team's home venue, Levi's Stadium, has been selected to be among the NFL stadiums to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
"We have been bidding on the World Cup for 2026," team president Al Guido said last week during the 49ers' State of the Franchise event, which was shared with fans on Wednesday. "I think it's an amazing opportunity for all of us."
Guido added that the 49ers are also working to have Levi's Stadium host another Super Bowl, possibly in 2026 (Super Bowl LX) or 2027 (Super Bowl LXI).
"We are talking to the NFL and all of our partners around the ability to bring Super Bowl 60 and/or 61 back to the
Ex-49ers QB Alex Smith shares story of daughter's emergency brain surgery
By David Bonilla
Jun 25
Retired NFL quarterback Alex Smith will forever be remembered for the courage it took to return to the league after suffering a horrific leg injury that nearly cost him his life. While with Washington, Smith sustained a spiral and compound fracture to his tibia and fibula in his right leg. Many assumed the injury was career-ending.
Smith returned to the football field in 2020, earning NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors before retiring last offseason.
On Saturday, Smith shared the story of his family's latest struggle. In May, his daughter, Sloane, had to undergo brain surgery to remove a large and rare type of cancerous tumor. The good news is that neurosurgeons removed the entire tumor, and it sounds like Sloane is recovering well.
Smith
PFF's 2020 re-draft has 49ers passing on Javon Kinlaw for cornerback help
By David Bonilla
Jun 22
Fans like to play "What If," wondering what things might be like had their favorite team opted for a different choice at a pivotal moment. Fans aren't the only ones, though. Take former San Francisco 49ers safety Jaquiski Tartt, now with the Philadelphia Eagles, for instance. His missed interception of a Matthew Stafford pass intended for receiver Van Jefferson in the NFC title game might have sent the Niners back to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years.
"That's a play I should make in my sleep, and I didn't make it," Tartt said after the game. "... I know that was a big play in the game, a big opportunity for me and for the team, and as a player, I just feel like I let my brothers down."
Had Tartt made the play, maybe the 49ers win their sixth
PFF ranks 3 play-callers ahead of 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan
By David Bonilla
Jun 16
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is still widely regarded as one of the NFL's top play-callers, which is reflected in Pro Football Focus' 2022 ranking of the best offensive play-callers.
How did the analytics site determine its ranking? Contributor Eric Eager used the massive amount of data available to him and adjusted each coach's success based on opponents faced. He also factored in expected points based on available talent and the play-caller's success rate, among other things.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay were left off last year's ranking. Eager explained that Pro Football Focus dinged the
