Standout players from Week 1 of 49ers preseason

The San Francisco 49ers were ousted by the Las Vegas Raiders in brutal fashion, losing 34-7 in their first preseason bout during a game where nearly none of the starters played on either side of the ball.

San Francisco significantly struggled offensively, with their lone scoring play coming off a near interception, while the defense struggled to contain both quarterback Aidan O'Connell and the run game in a disappointing effort.

Here were the standout players from Week 1 of the preseason, which I talked about in-depth when recapping the game on our podcast down below.

CB Ambry Thomas

Ambry Thomas was the player of the game for the 49ers in a disappointing loss, as the cornerback opened his eyes with two pass breakups and a key fourth down run stop.

After some ups and downs in training camp, following an inconsistent start to his career, Thomas played with supreme confidence and looks solid as the season is around the corner.

It's been a good week for Thomas, who reportedly is seeing some first-team reps at outside cornerback with Deommodore Lenoir being tested inside on nickel downs.

If he continues playing as he did on Sunday, Thomas could go from being on the roster bubble to a potential likely for a 53-man roster spot.

WR Ronnie Bell

On a porous day for the offense, Ronnie Bell was one of the lone positives, alongside running back Tyrion Davis-Price, as the wideout had a 15-yard end around, as well as a team-high three catches for 58 yards.

Bell won in different ways, securing a 37-yard deep go-route from Sam Darnold in the third quarter, and found himself open on other progressions, although he wasn't targeted.

Bell's lone poor play came on a wide-open drop where the wideout had run a nice route, but let a ball from Brandon Allen slip through his hands, leading to an interception.

Still, the seventh-round wideout had a good start to his career, and continued to make a compelling case for a 53-man roster spot.

CB D'Shawn Jamison

D'Shawn Jamison was the other player to earn reps as a returner, and he looked like the best on the team.

Mixing in a combination of fluidity, speed, and vision, Jamison looks the part of a potential NFL returner after a solid special teams career at Texas.

Now, the main question that precludes Jamison from earning a spot on the 53-man roster is: how do the 49ers view him as a cornerback?

I think, when it's all said and done, that Jamison will end up finding a way onto the roster, even with as competitive of a cornerback room that the 49ers have.

DE Clelin Ferrell

Ferrell was one of the lone positives from the front seven on Sunday, working his way to a sack on a nice pass-rush move, which was the lone time that a 49ers' defensive player got to the quarterback on the day.

In addition, Ferrell had a nice run stop, and is continuing to solidify a spot on the 53-man roster, if his contract didn't guarantee that already.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see Ferrell start opposite defensive end Nick Bosa to begin the season, as he's arguably been the better option thus far when compared to second-year defensive end Drake Jackson.

S Tayler Hawkins

The 49ers' defensive back unit didn't have a bad game, in comparison to their counterparts on defense, and Tayler Hawkins was one of the positives in the group on Sunday.

Hawkins was good at filling run lanes when called upon, which wasn't the case with several 49ers players on Sunday, and his performance earned unprompted praise from defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.

It'll be tough for Hawkins to crack the safety rotation of Tashaun Gipson, Talanoa Hufanga, Ji'Ayir Brown, and George Odum, but he'd be the first name should the 49ers go with five at the position, or could continue to chip away with a strong training camp.

• Rohan Chakravarthi
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  Rohan Chakravarthi
  Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
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