Kyle Shanahan and the coaching staff will finally get an opportunity to look at rookie defensive lineman Kentavius Street on the practice field. The San Francisco 49ers made him a fourth-round draft pick out of N.C. State in April.

"He won't be playing in the games," Shanahan told reporters on Monday, "but we can have him out on the practice field soon."

Street tore his ACL in March during a private workout with the New York Giants. His recovery time was expected to last about nine months, which would put an end date somewhere in December.

"He's ready to go," Shanahan continued. "He's been working his tail off with [head strength & conditioning coach Ray Wright], lifting too many weights. No, but he should be big. He can't lift too many. But, we're excited to get him out there and hopefully, he'll be good this week."

Shanahan envisions Street being a contributor in 2019. How he will contribute hasn't been determined yet because he hasn't had an opportunity to practice.

"We just want him to get as healthy as he can be," Shanahan said. "We're very excited about him. [...] It's tough to wait a year to have to wait for him to play, but we loved his college tape, and he's been working his tail off to get healthy. I think he'll be definitely in the mix next year."

Street registered 121 combined tackles, 19.5 for a loss, and 9.5 sacks in four seasons at N.C. State. 5.5 of that sack total came in 2016 alone with 3.5 coming in 2017. Street was a three-year starter for the Wolfpack.

You may also remember Street from the following pre-injury viral video that showed him reportedly squatting 700 pounds.


"I just knew it was another challenge ahead of me, and I knew I was going to be able to overcome it," Street said of his injury after being drafted. "I've been blessed throughout my whole career to not really be spanned with injuries and stuff, and I think this is another challenge that God has put in front of me and I'm going to overcome it."