Linebacker Fred Warner was a pleasant surprise for San Francisco 49ers fans coming out of the 2018 draft. He immediately showed flashes of what he could be during his rookie campaign, leading the defense in tackles not only then but in each of his three NFL seasons.
After spending some time with Warner, the 49ers immediately knew that he might be someone special. They were already impressed with his on-field play at BYU. What sealed the deal in their minds was getting to know the person.
Once again, there won't be pre-draft visits this year. As was the case last year, all interviews will be conducted virtually over Zoom or FaceTime. It's unfortunate because those 30 allotted visits can be a great tool in evaluating an incoming rookie. Of course, given the current circumstances, preventing visits is understandable.
Leading to his pre-draft visit in 2018, Warner had already shown the 49ers that he could be a great asset on the field. His visit showed the team he would be a great off-the-field asset, too.
"We got him in on a 30 visit and he blew us away with his presence, his football knowledge, his personality — everything we saw," 49ers VP of player personnel Adam Peters recently told The Athletic. "We thought he was going to be a team captain right then."
With no NFL Scouting Combine, private workouts, or visits, NFL teams will have to rely on video meetings to assess draft prospects further. A year into the pandemic, most are comfortable with the process. While teams are limited to a maximum of five video calls per player, there is no set maximum number of phone conversations that can take place.
"It's not as good as being in person," Peters said of the virtual meetings, "but it's a lot better than being on the phone, too."
The 2021 NFL Draft begins on April 29.