The 49ers have 11 total picks in this draft and 7 of those are slated for Day 3. Of course we want to hit on our early picks, but this team has a lot of needs and is lacking depth, so it will be imperative to find impact players with some of these later picks. Needs will have to be met with gems in the later rounds. I've put together a list of guys I have outside the top 100 spots that I could see the 49ers targeting on Day 3. Some have been brought in for visits, some have had documented conversations, some guys seem like gold helmet types, some I just see their playing style meeting needs. But I've highlighted a few at each position that could be future 9ers.
Serves as a quick draft guide on later round prospects, but let me know what guys I am wrong on, who I am missing, who are your gems?
RB
Best Fit – Treveyon Henderson, Kaleb Johnson
Bhayshul Tuten – Plus athlete. 9.32 RAS score. Elite speed and 210 pounds. We know KS likes 4.3 RBs. Has some receiving chops. Special team experience and could be a kick off returner. But ultimately is just a big play waiting to happen. Different look from the size of IG but every bit the home run threat. Needs to clean up the fumbles, but with his speed and smooth hips, you're going to be compelled to manufacture touches right away. Not sure we are going to use the draft capital necessary here, but then again KS is known for using those comp picks on toys.
Brashard Smith – I hyped a similar player last year named Tyrone Tracy that I would love to have now. Brashard is a converted WR. Excellent hands and route running. Highest PFF receiving grade in the class. Has loads of return experience. 4th in FBS in all purpose yards last year. Guy is a chess piece on offense. I think he presents more value to a team that runs RPOs or wants to utilize him as a third down back so not sure he falls where he have him rated. Chargers would be a great fit. But he would excel in a KS system as well.
RJ Harvey – A bit undersized at 5'8" 205, but I love his tape. Runs a 4.4 flat so the speed is there. I see elite lateral quickness and cutting angles at top speed. He's shifty but then explosive and gone. I love his balance and pad level. He has 2 years of elite production, both on the ground and as a receiver out of the backfield. Absolute TD machine with 43 total over 2 years. Not sure the pass blocking chops are there. I don't think the short yardage ability is there. He's not going to be your bell cow, but maybe an excellent change of pace guy. Reminds me of a Jaylen Warren type.
Raheim 'Rocket' Sanders – Not the sexiest pick of the bunch, but at 6 foot and 217 pounds he fits the body type of Sermon, TDP, Mason that KS has previously sought. Perhaps a better pairing with CMC, then trying to overlap skillsets. Still has wheels though running a 4.46. He can thump and pound and bulldoze inside, but his nickname is the Rocket because he has the juice. He's not the most nimble guy. He's not going to go in motion and line up in the slot and wow you. But hes a really good one cut zone runner that can break off big plays, while also having the power and drive to win short yardage and goaline situations. Sneaky RAS score of 9.82 because of speed/size.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt – Met at Shrine Bowl where he was a big time standout. 5'10, 206 pounds with 4.4 speed. Ruled ineligible for most of 2024, but you never heard a peep from him and stayed on at Arizona working on the practice squad. Speaks to his character and desire. Big time one cut zone runner with explosion. 99 percentile vertical. 84 percentile broad jump. When he decides to hit the hole, it is go time. I also like his willingness in pass pro. Runs a little upright, looks to bounce outside too much, is an older prospect without sustained production, but he looks capable of filling the Elijah Mitchell void.
WR
Best Fit – Luther Burden, Jack Bech, Royals
Savion Williams – 6'4, 222, runs a 4.48. Insane physical gifts. The lateral speed on tape is bonkers. Critique away at the route running and catch technique. He's not going to be Justin Jefferson, but neither was Deebo. Youre looking for returner upside, gadget plays, redzone script and hoping theres some Courtland Sutton or honestly even Quentin Johnson upside to him as a receiver. Risky pick indeed and I've seen him mocked too high, but maybe the fulfillment of the vision for Jalen Hurd. In this shell coverage era with a QB that's not taking the top off, we need some playmakers. Roc Taylor might be the second option in this role.
Chimere Dike – 6'1, 196 pounds. Dynamite athlete. 9.80 RAS score. 4.34 speed. Vertical, broad, and ten yard split are all 85 percentile or above. Has instant value as a return man. Led the SEC averaging 16.50 yards per punt return and I am so desperate to see the 49ers do something in the return game. 4 time conference all academic honors. Very natural feel for the game from the slot. Understands zone coverage. Find soft spots and runs into windows. Great body control and disrupt the corners motion to gain an edge on the route. Not the biggest hands but hes not a body catcher. Showed versatility at Florida, lining up in the backfield at times. He excels post motion, where can makes reads on the defense. Shows the ability to be schemed open.
Tai Felton – Ascending versatile WR. 4th in the country in catches in 2024. Should find a home in the slot at first as a crafty Cowing/Taylor type but with more size and high end speed. If he can add some mass to his 6'2 frame and keep his 4.3 speed and shiftiness, could develop into a Z receiver. Runs crisp routes and is adept at creating throwing lanes and staying open against zone. The athletic profile, the body type, and even the tape remind me of Danny Gray. That might turn some people off, but the idea is there that KS wants someone who can take the top off while also being a legit underneath target.
Jordan Watkins – Met with 49ers. 5'11, 196. Smaller arms and hands, but he has the bulk to bang around. Average explosion, but great speed with a 4.37 forty. Ascending talent that put up better numbers each year. Love that he was a red zone target with 9 TDs at his size. Not afraid of physicality. He played 65% of his snaps from outside. Runs really well after the catch, shows the ability to shed tackles, battles press coverage and is a willing run blocker. Moving to the slot likely gives him a better chance to get off the line. Or at least with a system putting him in motion or playing him in bunch formation. Has shown some return potential but may need to develop that further to stick around. Your hoping he can be a Devin Duvernay type. WR4 that is a homerun threat on deep balls or gadget plays and some special teams contributions.
Ricky White – Another smooth route runner that is slippery after the catch. Back to back 1000 yard seasons. The slow 40 at the combine might have hurt his stock big time, but he was never a burner. Likely slot WR with long arms and a good catch radius for his height. Decent size at 6'1, 184 pounds. Not sure the frame is going to support much more weight. Capable of earning a roster spot through special teams. Had 4 punt blocks in 2024 and played as a gunner. You don't see a lot of college WR1s doing that. Could do a lot worse in round 7.
Bru Mccoy – Hmm.. Number 15 from Tennessee. Big physical WR at 6'2 210. Big hands, big wingspan, big target and actually has decent speed running a 4.5 flat. Mccoy's a high level run blocker. He's physical and nasty. He's a contested catch guru. He fights for yardage after the catch and has a mean stiff arm. He is a load to bring down. Plays X, plays slot, has played in multiple schemes. Here's your Jennings clone that's willing to do the dirty work for KS. We've got some medicals to go over but he looked nice at the Senior Bowl. Beat Maxwell Hairston several times with physicality. He lacked production but I'm making the UDFA call ASAP.
TE
Best Fit – Warren, Taylor
Jackson Hawes – Met with 49ers. I've cooled on Hawes since the signing of Farrell. At one point he was a no brainer as a Charlier Woerner clone. Hawes is a very good and passionate blocker. No doubt the tape and profile fits the scheme for KS. If you think he can develop some passing chops, he may be worth drafting, but I don't think we want to roster an arsenal of pure blockers. That being said, Hawes probably sticks around the league and in 4 years will be seeing a second contract worth more than most of the TEs drafted around him because he has some high end skills.
Jalin Conyers – Met with 49ers. A little short for the position at 6'3.5, but he's 260 pounds with 33 inch arms and a 35.5 inch vertical. Has that power forward body type, control, and ability to box out and high point. Big time top 75 prospect coming out of high school in Texas. Bounces around Oklahoma, ASU, and Texas Tech. Never has elite production but shows the ability to play in line, slot, H-back, and wildcat QB. 30 carriers during his college career with 3 rushing and 1 passing TDs, on top of his 11 receiving TDs. Shows potential red zone threat. Certainly has the skills for KS to move around and create favorable matchups. Not a comparable player to Brayden Willis, but has the same ability to line up all over the field that the 49ers covet. Needs to work on the blocking, but should have the body type, weight, and arm length to develop there. Could see him making the team as TE3 with upside.
CJ Dippre – Tons of special team experience could help him make a roster and develop. Has solid speed running a 4.69. 6'5 255-pound frame looks like it could add even more weight. Very strong dude putting up 32 reps on the bench. 2nd best of all positions at the combine. 9.13 RAS score. His YAC is full of leaping over defenders, dragging bodies, throwing stiff arms. The tape, body type, and athletic profile remind me of a very poor mans Vance McDonald. Needs to work on his routes and fluidity and too often lets the ball come to him. UDFA call to get him on the practice squad and develop.
OT
Best Fit– Bank, Simmons, Connerly
Charles Grant – Had semi private workout with 49ers. Great LT build at 6'5 311 pounds with nearly 35 inch arms. Love the 5.09 forty, but the other measurables don't match the tape. Sub 30 inch vertical, slower shuttle and 3 cones at his pro day. Would like to see more than 19 reps on the bench. Makes you question if what are you seeing is just because of the competition level. That being said, he played in a very heavy outsize zone offense. William and Mary is one of the better offenses to watch and ranked fourth in rushing attack last year. PPF has him graded as the best outside zone tackle. So there's plenty of tape showcasing fluidity and later quickness. Late convert to football as a junior in high school suggests more growth. It's possible he needs a redshirt year or some people think a move to guard, but down the road you could have a starting tackle, possibly limited to RT only.
Logan Brown – I normally stay away from one year starters, but we just pulled Puni from Kansas and theres some crossover to our zone schemes. Brown carried an 82.6 PFF grade on outside zone runs. 32 of his best 83 graded running plays come on outside zone runs. He has the traits and physical profile at 6'6" 311 pounds with 33 7/8" arms. 9.45 RAS score. Short shuttle is 90 percentile for an OT. KS will like the positives. Instant swing tackle and Jaylon Moore replacement. Held his own at the Senior Bowl.
Jack Nelson – Possible late round McKivitz clone. Similar prospect to Chase Lundt but with more speed, more weight, more functional strength, and longer arms. Has the physical tools and length to be a zone RT. Experience at RG before spending 2 seasons as a LT. Plenty of experience with 50 career starts in the Big Ten in a pro style offense with mixed zone concepts. 3 Time Academic All Big Ten. His movement skills are legit on tape. Ran a 5.10 forty. Looks adept as a blocker in space. 90.4 PFF grade in outsize zone blocking. He's got good feet and can mirror pass rushers. You'd like to see a little more power in the run game although the demeanor is there, and he's vulnerable to speed outside and quick counters, but the foundation is there for a swing tackle with guard flexibility, and possible starting RT after a year.
Carson Vinson – Small school HBCU prospect, but has elite traits at 6'7, 314 pounds, with 34.5 inch arms. Wingspan is 99 percentile. Tested great as well. 9.43 RAS score. 5.12 forty, 3 cone and broad and above 80 percentile. He has all the physical tools to play LT. Lack of competition is a major concern but he looked good against Auburn and was very impressive in individual reps at the Senior Bowl despite looking bad in the actual game. He's going to need some time to develop more strength and work on technique with the hands and coming out of his set, but I think in a zone scheme he might be able to handle the swing tackle role early on. Potential to start in year 2 with LT ability.
IOL
Best Fit– Zabel, Donovan Jackson
Jackson Slater – Smaller prospect at 6'3 311 pounds, but I almost prefer that in a guard in front of a short QB. Played at Sac State but thoroughly dominated the competition. Great movement skills running a 5.01 forty and 108 inch broad jump. Explosive first step, natural mover, looks good in space. Definitely fits the KS scheme. Loads of experience all across the line with 44 starts. Need to check the medicals on the knee but he looked good at the combine, pro day, and senior bowl. Ran a 7.68 3 cone and supposedly jumped 4 inches higher at his pro day to 32.5. That would give him an elite RAS score. I'm all over this guy in the mid rounds.
Connor Colby – Started 50 games at multiple positions for a zone based rushing team, 43 of those at guard. Should be a permanent move to guard at the next level. 6'6" 309 with a sneaky 9.50 RAS score. 4 year Academic All Big Ten. That's sometimes overlooked and a good trait for Shanahan's scheme. Plenty of tape as Iowa was a running force. Colby gets to the second level with ease. Really impressive movement down the line to seal defenders. Works well in combo blocks. He is routinely lauded for his pre snaps diagnostic skills and cerebral understanding of protection schemes. The demeanor and nastiness is there as well. Fair criticisms of his pass blocking sets and hes not the twitchiest guy to mirror pass rushers, but hes an instant depth piece with that could find a starting role by midseason. Guy just screams 12 year career backing up multiple positions and spot starting.
Clay Webb – Former 5 star center, top 25 overall prospect that got buried on the depth chart at Georgia. He transfers to Jacksonville state and moves over to guard. He keeps that positional flexibility at 6'3 312 pounds, but I like him at center. 9.36 RAS score. 5.14 forty, 1.74 10 yard split, 31 inch vertical attest to the movement skills. On tape he has no problem getting to the second level and looks great in space. I like that he keeps his feet move and continues the drive while run blocking. Has a 93.8 pass block win rate in one on one situations. The competition is lacking on film, but he looked fantastic in reps at the Senior Bowl. I'm betting on the pedigree, efficiency metrics, and the scouting reports on his technical savvy and football IQ.
Caleb Rogers – Met with 49ers. You start with the athletic profile. Advertised 9.03 RAS score as an OT, but when switched to OG its 9.73. Runs the fastest shuttle at the combine for offensive lineman and second fastest 3 cone. 6'5 312 pounds with high end movement skills. 55 consecutive games played. Mostly played RT but also LT and started games at RG and LG. Absolute iron man. Hes going to get dinged for lacking power, getting upright in his technique, and shorter arms and an abysmal wingspan, but a lot of that is mitigated by moving inside and playing in a zone scheme. Took reps at guard at the Senior Bowl and looked comfortable at times but needs to add some strength to handle the bigger bodies inside. I think year one he's as experienced as any rookie, available, versatile, and has starter potential at guard but may need a redshirt year.
Bryce Cabeldue – Back to Kansas once again. Hoping to strike gold once more. Bryce was a 4 year starter at tackle playing on the right and left side. Not a lot of reps at guard, so this is a bit of a projection on body type, arm length, and playing style. The athleticism we covert is there. 9.51 RAS score, 32 inch vertical, 4.95 forty. 80th percentile short shuttle. The guy has really good movement skills and is an ideal fit for a zone scheme. The feet are there. He looks comfortable in space and can get to the second level. Because Kansas plays a similar system the film is littered with reach blocks, backside cuts off, combo blocks, angle blocks down the line. Bryce is well versed and skilled in these areas. I suspect he needs a year to adapt to guard and add a little weight in the lower half, but this is a great late round target.
Base DE
Best Fit– Mykel Williams, Burch
Savion Jones – Ideal size and length at 6'5, 280 with 10 inch hands and 33.5 inch arms. High motor, high energy guy. Gives it all on each rep. Looked good at the Senior Bowl. Seems to know his lane and rarely work beyond the QB so he does well to setup others and minimize lanes to escape. His initial punch is strong and gets guys moving backwards. He has the strength to hold the edge against the run and has the ability to shed blocks. The pass rush is still in development. Could do better with speed to power but does have a few moves and can counter. Right away he's a useful rotation piece and potentially playing early downs as 4 tech against run heavy teams. His highs are really high. If you can get more out of him coaching wise he could be a heavy usage player.
Elijah Roberts – Met with 49ers. Great size at 6'4, 285 pounds. 75% wingspan. Tests as an average athlete, but numbers are more than respectable at his weight. 4.78 forty shows the speed. Became team captain at SMU and 93 tackles, 17.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles over his last 2 years are impressive numbers. PFF loves him. Had a 91.2 grade last year. He led the country in QB pressures from the edge. Mostly linedup outside of the tackle at SMU, but has the size and interior swim and push pulls move to move to the B gap on passing downs. You see more power then refined moves, and certainly doesn't have elite bend or flexibility. Has some tackling issues to work on as well, but the physical tools are hard to pass up.
Barryn Sorrel – Sort of a jack of all trades master of none which can be a good or bad thing. Undersized at DE at 6'3 256 pounds, but hes shown the ability to move all across the DL for Texas. Also played a lot of DE in a wide 9. 4.68 40 with a 7.06 3 cone is very good. Not sure he is ever a full time starter, but makes for a great rotational piece that could out perform his draft stock. The motor is always running but hes not over extending himself. Stays in lanes, maintains leverage, just shows a high IQ for the game. Some concern Texas got the best out of him already with their elite D line, but if you can coach up the pass rush, you could have something here.
Ahmed Hassanein – Reported meeting. Undersized 4-3 end at 6'2, 267 pounds that isn't particularly long either. Generally tests as an average athlete but his 3 cone is near 7 seconds and the 4.77 forty is 81 percentile. Has big time strength though having formerly been a crossfit champion. Only started playing football in 2019. Showcased rapid development in college and had a 9 game sack streak in 2023 attesting to his quick ascension. Selected as a Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year which might make him a gold helmet type. On the field we see 22 sacks over the last 2 years, but he might be more advanced as a run defender. His has a full go motor, shows great pursuit, has base strength to set the edge. I see him winning the pass rush with more effort, speed, and power, but if you can coach up his hands and technique, you could have a legit sack threat as well and could make him a 3 down player down the road.
Tyler Batty – Excellent size at 6'6, 271 pounds. Surprised me with his athletic testing. Broad jump is 77 percentile, 4.78 forty and 34 inch vertical are 60%. For his size hes a much better than average athlete. Older prospect but has loads of experience. He excels as a strong side end in the 4-3. He's a big, strong dude. Put up 27 reps on the bench and he uses that in his anchor when setting the edge. He's able to shed blockers and has a hot motor in pursuit. As a pass rusher, he is most effective as a speed to power guy or hitting with an inside swim, but he does flash some spins and chops. Shows high football IQ making the right calls on RPOs and counters. Shows potential to move inside on passing down. He's never going to be the twitchiest guy or showcasing bend, but I think he has one of the better floors of the guys in his draft range.
Adin Huntington – Reported meeting. Sign me up. Short and lacks length and 6'1, but this guy is a freak athlete. His build at 280 reminds me of Levon Kirkland where hes just a ball of muscle like a widened linebacker. Flies off the edge with 4.64 speed. Vertical jump was 38 inches. 9.64 RAS score brought down by size alone. Otherwise this guy is an absolute freak. 30 reps on the bench. His 21% pass rush win rate is second in the class to Mason Graham. He mostly played on the edge, but has experience moving inside on passing downs. Could be a real chess piece similar to how the Chiefs used Tershawn Wharton. Hot motor.
EDGE
Best Fit: Pearce, Swinson
Kyle Kennard – Possible pass rushing specialist in wide 9. He's really good at converting speed to power. His bull rush at 255 pounds is exceptional at times. He get pushed around sometimes, but he's got a long frame capable of adding some mass. Great height/length measurables and plays with a high motor. 6'4 with 34 inch arms. Rush moves are a little limited, but hes got a double digit sack type of ceiling. Had 24 sacks in college. Last year he generated 10 hurries and forced 3 fumbles. SEC Defensive Player of the Year. He's a menace.
Kaimon Rucker – My pick for the Dee Ford role. Undersized at 6'1, 254 pounds. Coming off a cracked fibula injury, so lacking testing numbers besides 27 reps on the bench. 8.5 sacks his junior year. 6 sacks in 6 games before the injury during his senior year. This is a pass rush specialist that wins one-on-one battles at 26.9%. Abdul Carter is 27.7%, Pearce 27.40%, Mike Green 25.80%. Watch the tape. He is disruptive. Has speed, quickness, hand usage, dip and bend. He's not going to give you off ball LB versatility. He's not going to be strong against the run. But on third and 10, you want him on the line.
Powell-Ryland – Another undersized guy at 6'3 258, but 4.69 speed and the vertical and broad are through the roof. Explosive athlete. The tape is impressive as he wins with speed and technique and is a violent tackler. His short arm length and lack of wingspan sometimes show up where he gets there but cant finish the play and sometimes tackles will get a strong touch and just erase him from the play. But at the end of the day he's incredibly fast, crafty, is a technician, and projects to be an excellent pass rushing specialist.
Tyler Baron – Ideal size at 6'5, 258 pounds. 9.77 RAS score with elite 4.62 forty while vert and broad jump are 76+ percentile. Play style is better suited to a pass rushing specialist. Not the strongest player, doesn't handle double teams well, shows weakness in tackling. But in a wide formation he shows quick burst, natural feel in setting up the tackle, senses weight shifts and makes quick plans. He has a well developed chop and has great speed to power. He shows a few counter moves as well when the initial plan stalls. Has a motor to him despite heavy usage. Miami played a 3-4 where I don't think he shined as an end. He needs more reps 1 on 1 vs tackles where his tools stand out. PFF gave him a 22.60% pass rush win rate in these situations with 167 reps. Donovan Ezeiruaku had a 22.40% grade with 310 reps. I think you put Baron in those situations and the sack totals go way up.
DT 3Tech
Best Fit: Darius Alexander
Omar Norman Lott – Met with 49ers. Tough to project draft position after drawing a medical red flag. Possibly some discipline issues as well. I'm also wondering why he played less than 1000 snaps over 5 years despite being productive and never more than 33 in a game. Still, the tape and analytics are mesmerizing. 6'2, 291 pounds. Undersized but has 33.75 inch arms and an 80+ inch wingspan. Huge hands as well. Vertical is 77 percentile. Broadjump is 90 percentile, so the explosion is there. Sacramento kid that played for ASU and Tenn. Shows great burst, speed, and long levers to push back on interior lineman. Strong hands and great technique when pass rushing. Has a great motor and will counter and counter with a variety of moves. Second best in class 27.1% pass rush win rate in one on one situations. The run defense is lacking, but it appears to be more technique then will or physical limitations. His high moments are epic. Has immediate use as a pass rushing specialist but could develop into more. Could be a Nnamdi Madubike type if he is healthy and can put it all together.
Aeneas Peebles – Met with 49ers. Another one that is tough to project but I'm going with outside the first 100. Severely undersized at 6 foot even, 282 pounds, with short arms and 13 percentile wingspan. Doesn't test well athletically either. You'd expect him to crush some of these bigger guys, but hes below average on the shuttle and broad. Not sure he's going to be a 3 down player. He gets overwhelmed in the run game by bigger and stronger players. And he just doesn't have the mass or length to shed blocks well. But he is an exceptional pass rusher and is very sudden and quick as a 3 tech. His jump on the snap is high level. He maximizes all his tools and has great hands and variety of moves including a high level spin. Active feet, elite contact balance. Won a class best 27.8% pass rush win rate in one-one-one situations. He projects to be an immediate situational pass rusher. I think the physical limitations create a hard ceiling though. You're going to need the right DT group around him to cover deficiencies. Feels more like a luxury piece to an already established group but will still have the 49ers FO interested.
Vernon Broughton – Development 3 Tech with ideal size and athleticism. 6'4, 305 pounds, 4.90 forty. Production is lacking, but he's hasn't been playing football long and has gotten better every year. Seemingly, got better every game last year. Has showed the versatility to play multiple spots on the line which should make him a rotational piece right away, but if you can catch his head and hands up to the athletic profile, you could have a 3 down starter down the road. It's a name to look out for if we miss on the position early in the draft.
Joshua Farmer – Love the size at 6'3, 305 pounds and with 35 in arms and an 88 percentile wingspan. Big 10+ inch hands. Has the frame to add more weight and possibly 2 gap. Average athletic testing results, but he has an explosive straight line first step and loads of initial power. Thought he absolutely dominated in one-on-one reps at the Senior Bowl. Fantastic push-pull and swim moves. His arm length lets him gets blockers on their heels. There's going to be some question marks on the motor and his ability to shed blocks in the run game. He's sort of a positional tweener without the anchor to handle double teams and without the athleticism to really been an effective pass rusher. For some teams that's going to be a big negative, but others will appreciate the versatility. For the 49ers he's an immediate rotational piece at both spots and could develop into an average starter. He's a good piece to build around especially if you skip the position early.
Simeon Barrow Jr – Slightly undersized at 6'3 290 but he is country strong. Super thick and compact build. Put up 32 reps at his pro day. Runs a 4.88 forty. 5.5 sacks last year show his pass rush potential. PFF has 16% pass rush win rate in one on one situations. I thought Miami misused him in their 3-4 defense. Hes a 3 tech in my opinion that played NT and 4i/DE for them and was often doubled, but the experience and versatility should be beneficial. His run stopping ability is currently ahead of the pass rush. He's got low pads, natural leverage, strong hands, and is willing to pursue hard down the line. I think hes a rotational run stopping 3 tech with upside into a 3 down player. One of those players that could easily out perform his draft stock.
Kyonte Hamilton – Ascending talent. Nationally ranked wrestler in high school. Switches to football his freshman year at Rutgers when he weighed 230. Now he's 6'3 305 and carries his weight very well. Excellent athlete. 9.28 RAS score. 4.95 forty. 29 reps on the bench. 4 sacks his senior year. I think he's still learning the game and has his best football ahead of him where he can really be a pass rushing specialist as a 3 tech. He's only been playing DT at this body weight for 2 years but he understands leverage really well. Can rip and pull. Has great balance. Strong core and explosive off the snap. Not a Peebles worth spin move, but its pretty good. The motor is always running. He's going to need some development on counter moves. Needs work against the run. But theres a lot of upside here.
Davin Vann – UDFA type. Undersized player at 6'2 280 pounds but is an A+ athlete. Homie can do a back flip. Made Feldman's Freaklist running a 4.69 40-yard dash, benching 440 (31 reps of 225), and squatting 580 pounds, along with a 33-inch vertical leap. Former state wrestling champ that understands leverage and hand usage. Super consistent player that posted at least 25 pressures, 6 sacks, and 20 run stops in each of the past four seasons. Had 5 forced fumbles last year. On tape, the motor runs all day and he's an excellent run defender. You can play him as a base end and then move him inside on passing downs. NC State also plays a weird 3-3-5 that I don't think did him any favors. He's not a NT and that exposed him to double teams. Need to get him 1 vs 1 on guards and see what he can do.
DT 2i/NT
Best Fit: Grant, Collins
CJ West – Met at Shrine Bowl. I see a 2 down run stopper from day 1 with developmental pass rush upside. Over the past 2 seasons posted a 90.4 PFF run defense grade. Completely transformed Indiana's run defense. A bit undersized, but hes strong, powerful, fast, and disruptive. He's got a great sense of when to split doubles, when to shed, he's patient chasing down the line. Just really solid fundamentals. Going to be a better one gapper than a 3-4 NT. One of our biggest needs, early potential for snaps, and possibly obtainable on Day 3, it's a no brainer.
Jamaree Caldwell – 6'2 332 pounder. Not going to test well as an athlete but for his size he moves very well. 5.16 forty is not bad. He has a great first step and very good lateral quickness. I love the motor and toughness. Watch the end of the Ohio State game where Oregon is getting blown out and hes still chasing down RBs on the last drive. Some might project him as a 3-4 NT but hes played multiple spots on the line for both Houston and Oregon. The calling card is power, heavy hands, backfield disruption. His traits should carry over day 1 and make him a valuable rotation piece. You'd like to see more pass rushing production but as is his bull rush shrinks the pocket and he was a force in one on one drills at the Senior Bowl. This guy will see the field.
Cam Horsley – 6'3 312 and an average athlete. Is not going to wow anybody on tape, but Cam is a high floor, lunch pail to work kind of guy. The sack production is lacking, but we saw 42 tackles in 11 games last year. He's very good against the run. Able to split double teams, pursue down the line, excellent anchor. Understands when there's an opportunity to make a play or when his role is to take on blocks and free up linebackers. For this spot in the draft, I think his skills translate into some immediate reps. And he does have some pass rush potential indicated by his 17.20% pass rush win rate. Nolen is 19.4% and Darius Alexander at 17.5% for reference.
Zeek Biggers -Massive 6'6 320 pound frame with 35 inch arms. His wingspan is 96 percentile. Blocked 3 FGs over the last 2 years. Great athlete at his size with a 34 inch vertical, 5.14 forty, 111' broad jump. 9.7 RAS score. He's dropped 50 pounds over his college career so he just getting better and more athletic but the functional strength is lacking. This is a 6-7th rounder who has immediate value in a rotation as a run stopper. His length, agility, anchor against double teams, and strong bull rush will get him early reps. But your hoping a year in an NFL weight room is going to help him recomp more and improve core strength and contact balance. And with his size and agility, you might really have something here.
LB
Best Fit: Campbell, Schwesinger
Chris Paul Jr – Met with 49ers. Wish he had more speed and a bit better man cover skills, but plays with violence, is a sure tackler, and is so good against the run or blitzing. He's tested against SEC competition and his instincts and motor wins out. Sneaky good pass rusher with 3.5 sacks and 11 QB pressures in 2024. Has potential to be a three down player. Have seen Azeez Al Shaair comps. Paul has also logged over 300 special teams snaps, so he can help out there immediately.
Nick Martin – Undersized LB at 6 foot 221 pounds, but plays like he was shot out of a cannon. The build and athletic profile remined me of Dee Winters. Legit 4.5 speed, excellent vertical and broad and he plays explosive. The tape shows good instincts, the ability to navigate blockers, and high level tackling ability. This is your guy to limit big plays from the Kyler Murray type QBs that take off. And he has the coverage ability to be on the field for 3 downs with some refinement.
Teddye Buchanan – Had virtual interview. Local kid that is a turnover forcing machine. 8 career picks, 14 forced fumbles. Hes looking to make plays and is impactful. Had a tackle for loss in 10/13 games last year. And at least half a sack in 5 games. Hes good in shallow zones. Worries me in man coverage, and he doesn't have the size or technique to displace blockers, but with the right DL in front of him, he can be a playmaker. He also comes in with NFL strength putting up 26 reps and handled himself well against Big 10 competition after the Cal transfer. Great length at 6'2 with a 79% percentile wingspan and 40 inch vertical. I think some of the weaknesses can be fixed here with coaching. Lots of special teams experience as well. Tempting to have his size and length along side Warner.
Jeffrey Bassa – Another safety to LB convert that really excels in coverage. His rushing ability is also underrated. He doesn't rack up sacks but does generate a lot of pressure. He might start off in sub packages on passing downs, but gives coordinators flexibility to drop into coverage or bring heat. His tape defending the run is pretty weak. He looks robotic at times and spends too much processing rather than reacting. He's not an immediate 3 down player, but being new to the position suggests more growth. I'm not as high on Bassa as many rankings, but do see the fit here with the 49ers. I've also seen positive coverage of his demeanor from the Senior Bowl and him taking on leadership roles.
Jackson Woodard – Former walk on at Arkansas who earned a scholarship and then transferred to UNLV. Two time team captain. Elite production in his 5th year at UNLV. 4th in the country in total tackles. 10th in the nation with 17 tackles for loss. 1st in passes defended for linebackers and 5th when including defensive backs. He absolutely excels in coverage. His highlight film is funny because usually LBs are crushing RBs or chasing sideline to sideline and he is deflecting passes from zone coverage. He has phenomenal zone instincts. 12th lowest passer rating against. 16th lowest completion percentage against. Great size at 6'2 and 234 pounds. Wingspan is 86th percentile. 36 inch vertical and 4.62 forty make him a respectable athlete. Pretty good B gap blitzer and can pressure the QB up the middle. I think he has a chance to be a 3rd nickel LB with upside.
CB
Best Fit : Will Johnson, Trey Amos
Zy Alexander – Simple formula here. Zy is 6'1", has 13 career picks against elite competition in a zone heavy scheme and is a high end tackler that takes pride in run defense. He's a KS boundary corner through and through. Yes, he lacks top end speed. He's not an elite athlete, but the 10 yard split is 70th percentile. Tore his ACL in 2023, and while he played well in 2024, I think his best football is still ahead of him. He shown the ability to play press man when needed, but he's got great instincts in zone. You just don't want him playing a lot of pure man. The Shrine Bowl probably turned some team off because hes got turned around. But you let him look at the QB and I think he has a chance to develop into a CB2.
Quincy Riley – Met with 49ers. Slightly undersized at 5'11 with 31" arms, but I see elite ball skills on tape. 24 PBUs over the last 2 years. He always has his head turned back to the QB and is playing the ball. Very natural player with great timing. I think he thrives in a zone setup where he can view the QB, but he also has high end man to man cover skills. In Senior Bowl drills, he was by far one of the most impressive players. He has great hips and feet. Doesn't have elite make up speed, but he is very sticky. He's going to have to improve his run support, but initially he can move inside to nickel in obvious passing downs and let Lenoir bounce out.
Nohl Williams – Local guy over at Cal. Unreal production with 14 picks. Scheme diverse but lacks top end gear so probably best in zone. Cover 3 and quarters experience. Lots of special teams experience. One of the biggest knocks on him is tackling, but he's got good size, weight, put up 19 reps on the bench, plays aggressive in press so he has it in him. Make the team on special teams and coach him up and we could have a boundary corner. I thought he looked great in 1 on 1 drills at the Shrine Bowl. His size at 6'0 and feistiness gives WRs problems.
Bilhal Kone – Met with 49ers. Good size at 6'1, 190 pounds. He looks long on tape, but just 31 inch arms is a let down. Good top end speed with a 4.43 forty, 63 percentile 10 yard split is not bad at his size. Poor athlete when it comes to explosion, but he has smooth hips and maintains speed when mirroring routes. Played a lot of Cover 3 in college and looks natural playing press bail technique. Needs to work on his tackling, but is known for his high motor and effort plays so it may just be a matter of coaching. Limited competition at Indiana State and Western Michigan but the tape against Ohio State and Wisconsin look very good. I thought he looked good in one on one drills at the Senior Bowl as well. Thought he was able to match the pace and physicality of Jayden Higgins. Projects as rotation boundary CB that might have average starting potential.
Korie Black – Reported meeting by Ryan Fowler. Traits corner. Athletic profile is similar to Ambry Thomas. 6 foot 192 pounds. Near 32 inch arms. Wingspan is 79th percentile and it shows on tape. Led the Big 12 in pass breakups even though QBs tended to avoid his side. Only 16 completions against last year. 4.35 forty, 39 inch vertical. Played a ton of man at Oklahoma State and generally shadowed the opposing teams best WR so the stats are true and not a product of defensive system. He's not the best in run support. Tends to stop his feet and lose momentum coming into the tackle.
Odonnel Fortune – Late round selection whos athletic profile is just dreadful. But hes 6'1 with 31.5" arms and is just an absolute playmaker. Watch the tape against Alabama. Watch the tape against Notre Dame. Watch the Shrine Bowl where he won Defensive MVP. He's a top 5 PFF rated CB in both man and zone. He's a safety converted to CB and he has great instincts in zone coverage. Hes baiting throws, hes crashing screens at the line of scrimmage, hes breaking up passes at the high point. He's a classic cover 3 guy with infectious energy and special teams experience. Top rated corner by PFF on passes thrown under 3 seconds as well, speaks to his hands, aggressiveness, ability to jump routes. Put him in a lot of man coverage and he will suffer though.
S
Best Fit: Xavier Watts
Jordan Hancock – Really high end athlete. 9.82 RAS score. 6 foot 4.42 forty. Hes rangy and brings a lot of versatility having play outside CB, nickel CB, and safety. He has the ability to cover guys in man, to line up over TEs and RBs and to play press man, but he excels as a zone defender. It's a bit of a projection as a cover 3 free safety, but the speed and size are there. The cover ability is there. Hes not a liability in the run game. Hes shown the ability to make plays on the ball with 8 PBUs. If safety doesnt work out, we have a need a CB and you try him at nickel. Versatility here is a big positive.
Jonas Sanker – Great frame for the position. 6 foot, 200 pounds, 32 inch arms, 4.48 forty. High end special teams player with over 500 special teams snaps. Has size and range to backup both safety spots. Doesn't have elite athleticism and isn't the best man cover guy, although he held his own in 1 on 1 drills at the Senior Bowl, but in a zone he can excel. Really tough, high IQ, coachable kid. He makes the roster easily and has potential to develop into a starter down the road.
Caleb Ransaw – Interesting tape on this kid. 5'11 197, runs a 4.33 and they have him playing the "spear" position at Tulane where he is basically a weakside LB. There's no questioning his tackling ability and willingness to get involved in the play. Hes nasty. Has a 95% tackle success rate. He's bursting through offensive lineman to bust up screens. If, and it's a big if and the reason why hes a late pick, you can work with his elite athleticism and get him playing man in the slot at a respectable level, then you could have a really good big nickel in the Jimmie Ward mold. In man to man drills at the Senior Bowl he looked pretty good, so I think its doable. And I'd be really interested in what he can do at safety. In the interim, I think you have a hell of a special teams player.
JJ Roberts – Slightly undersized at 5'11 192, but has decent arm length and wingspan. Incredible athlete. 9.67 RAS Score. 4.41 fort. 40 inch vertical. 4.11 shuttle. 6.76 3 cone. Guy is explosive with burst and top end. Starts off as an outside CB at Wake where he gets some experience and has decent tape playing off man coverage. Last 2 years at Marshall he switched to free safety where he lined up 71% of the time. He excels in the deep area of the field. His range is top notch. He was top 5 in the country in passes defended in 2024. As a tackler, he lacks mass but gives full effort. He seemed to improve every year and given the newness to the position there's hope for more strides to be made. In the mean time he's got 450 special team snaps and a blocked FG on his resume so he can look to contribute there.
Kittan Crawford – Traits guy that looks like Mbuka light on tape. Slightly undersized but an elite athlete. 9.90 RAS score. 4.41 forty, 6.81 3 cone, 41.5 inch vertical. Guy has speed, explosion, quickness and it shows on tape. He got buried on the depth chart at Texas but picked up loads of special teams experience which will help him make a team. Honorable mention Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year in 2023. Transfers to Nevada so the starting experience at safety is limited but he puts up 76 tackles, 2 INT, 1 FF and demonstrates the ability to play near the line of scrimmage, in man on TEs, or covering the deep middle. I think his best football is still ahead of him, and with his special teams usage he can make a team right away and continue to develop.
[ Edited by scooterhd on Apr 17, 2025 at 2:53 PM ]