Marcelino McCrary-Ball

9erred · 2022-08-21T09:02:46-07:00

I had the privilege of meeting this UDFA out of Indiana while I was staying at the Santa Clara Marriott. I chatted him up in the lobby and after eating his rather large protein meal he got from the training staff he came back downstairs and sat and the bar with me and talked football (he did not drink, only water.). He told me he ramped up the Pilates training to help him with his coverage skills. He was Uber polite and laser focused on making an impact in training camp. I was emphasizing Special Teams is the key to the roster and i though his worst case scenario would be practice squad which is still an accomplishment. He said he never thinks about practice squad his goal is to make the 53 man roster. We shall see, but I think as a tweener the 9ers got a great udfa player.

Aug 2, 2023 at 8:49 AM

Tru2RedNGold25
Veteran
Posts: 8,024

Looks like the kid is about to take over Al-Shaair position. Keep hearing great things about him so far this off-season.

Aug 2, 2023 at 9:18 AM

KiwiM3
Veteran
Posts: 742

Thanks for sharing - seems like a solid dude. Linebacker is going to be very difficult to make a decision on.

Aug 2, 2023 at 6:51 PM

49ers808
Veteran
Posts: 16,485

Originally posted by Tru2RedNGold25:
Looks like the kid is about to take over Al-Shaair position. Keep hearing great things about him so far this off-season.

There was good things about him last season too. Kid balled in the preseason. Yup, mark me down as pegging him winning the SAM

Aug 2, 2023 at 7:21 PM

brodiebluebanaszak
Veteran
Posts: 15,367

Originally posted by 49ers808:

Originally posted by Tru2RedNGold25:
Looks like the kid is about to take over Al-Shaair position. Keep hearing great things about him so far this off-season.

There was good things about him last season too. Kid balled in the preseason. Yup, mark me down as pegging him winning the SAM

Burks.

Aug 2, 2023 at 7:23 PM

49ers808
Veteran
Posts: 16,485

Originally posted by brodiebluebanaszak:

Originally posted by 49ers808:

Originally posted by Tru2RedNGold25:
Looks like the kid is about to take over Al-Shaair position. Keep hearing great things about him so far this off-season.

There was good things about him last season too. Kid balled in the preseason. Yup, mark me down as pegging him winning the SAM

Burks.

Yup could see that too

Aug 3, 2023 at 5:39 AM

AB81Rules
Hall of Fame
Posts: 33,981

I have McCrary-Ball making the team as the starting SAM right now, LB will be a tough position to cut down, I almost want to keep 6, but numbers don't make it possible, hope we get Graham on the PS don't want to lose him.

Aug 3, 2023 at 9:25 AM

btthepunk
Veteran
Posts: 23,304

Originally posted by AB81Rules:
I have McCrary-Ball making the team as the starting SAM right now, LB will be a tough position to cut down, I almost want to keep 6, but numbers don't make it possible, hope we get Graham on the PS don't want to lose him.

Same here, I wish we could keep Warner, Greenlaw, Burks, McCrary-Ball, Winters, and Graham but it would make it really hard to carry less somewhere else. Hopefully Graham and DFF make it to the practice squad.

Aug 3, 2023 at 9:29 AM

OnTheClock
Hall of Fame
Posts: 38,459

Sounds like he's stepping up ready to take that third LB spot. He's a year ahead of the rooks, so he's got a real good chance.

Dude is a top-flight athlete. S to LB convert who ran a 4.51 at his pro day with a 35" vertical, so he's got some explosiveness.

Aug 3, 2023 at 10:37 AM

Waterbear
Veteran
Posts: 18,527

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
Sounds like he's stepping up ready to take that third LB spot. He's a year ahead of the rooks, so he's got a real good chance.

Dude is a top-flight athlete. S to LB convert who ran a 4.51 at his pro day with a 35" vertical, so he's got some explosiveness.

Krueger says he looks better than Azeez… which is insane to me because Azeez was awesome.

He's making the roster for sure.

The biggest question is, who makes the roster with Minter, Burks, or Graham.

Aug 3, 2023 at 11:10 AM

#10

OnTheClock
Hall of Fame
Posts: 38,459

Originally posted by Waterbear:
Originally posted by OnTheClock:
Sounds like he's stepping up ready to take that third LB spot. He's a year ahead of the rooks, so he's got a real good chance.

Dude is a top-flight athlete. S to LB convert who ran a 4.51 at his pro day with a 35" vertical, so he's got some explosiveness.

Krueger says he looks better than Azeez… which is insane to me because Azeez was awesome.

He's making the roster for sure.

The biggest question is, who makes the roster with Minter, Burks, or Graham.

Sure seems like he's got the inside track. I think Burks' ST and NFL XP gives him the edge as the #4 guy. But might be hard to keep more than 5.

Winters, Graham, and Flannigan-Fowles the incumbent are battling for that last one or two spots. DFF has looked pretty poor any time he had to see the field in backup or mop-up duty. I'd really love for one of the rookies to take his spot in that role and on STs.

Aug 3, 2023 at 11:22 AM

#11

Shorteous
Veteran
Posts: 3,299

So glad he was drinking water!

Aug 6, 2023 at 12:58 PM

#12

LasVegasWally
Veteran
Posts: 24,837

Even if he doesn't start - from what I've been reading he probably will - having someone like him coming off the bench is very reassuring.

Aug 6, 2023 at 8:35 PM

#13

9moon
Veteran
Posts: 22,152

this KID is gonna turn out to be the LB that Foster should have BEEN !!