B. Williams could fill slot role

The San Francisco 49ers had a unique draft, making nine selections, but making their first selection in the third round. However, they made three third-round selections, including a trade up to No. 87 for Penn State safety Ji'Ayir Brown. With a good number of selections, but only starting in the third round, how will the 49ers utilize their rookies in 2023? S Ji'Ayir Brown The 49ers' top selection was Penn State safety Ji'Ayir Brown, who the team moved up 15 spots to take. Brown was a draft favorite of mine, as he possessed good instincts and ball skills in coverage, as well as his quick close speed. He profiles as a similar athlete to Talanoa Hufanga, and could be a contributor in Year 1, as he's the most

Ranking season has kicked off over at Pro Football Focus. Brock Purdy recently came in at No. 23 in the analytics site's ranking of NFL quarterbacks. Now, Pro Football Focus has turned its attention to offensive tackles. While there are some question marks along the San Francisco 49ers' offensive line, left tackle is not one of them. Trent Williams has earned a grade of 91.9 or higher in each of his three seasons with the 49ers, including a career-high and Pro Football Focus all-time best mark of 97.8 in 2021. The 34-year-old has been the highest-graded tackle in each season

The San Francisco 49ers have found themselves in a quarterback conundrum for the third consecutive season, with 2022 seventh-rounder Brock Purdy at the forefront of the conversation due to a torn UCL that he sustained in the NFC Championship Game that is expected to sideline him for six months. That led the team to sign former Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold to a one-year deal, allowing him to compete with former first-rounder Trey Lance for the backup job, and potentially even the starting job, should Purdy not be ready for Week 1. However, Purdy's recovery is reportedly going on track, as head coach Kyle Shanahan said last week that he anticipates that the seventh-rounder will be able to begin throwing this week, right at the three-month line of his

The San Francisco 49ers know who their starting safeties will be in 2023. They are All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga and 12th-year veteran Tashaun Gipson. Gipson, who is 32 years old, reportedly flirted with the idea of retiring this offseason before returning to the Niners on a one-year deal. The always forward-thinking 49ers used their first pick in April's draft, a third-rounder, to add a player they hope can be Gipson's eventual replacement—Ji'Ayir Brown out of Penn State. Don't expect Brown to simply be an observer on the sidelines during his rookie season while Hufanga and Gipson do all the work. The 49ers plan to find ways to get him onto the football field and gain valuable experience. According to The Athletic, the coaches plan to utilize some three-safety