49ers rookie Marques Sigle eager for a new audience to get to know his name
He didn't have a lot of followers back then, but Marques Sigle took to what was then known as Twitter on Jan. 7, 2023, to let everyone out there know. And … maybe the former reserve cornerback for North Dakota State was telling himself something, with a nudge, as well.
If you didn't know my name, you will soon!!! pic.twitter.com/EbVmsmYA9h
— Marques Sigle (@MarMar1k30) January 7, 2023
Sigle had entered the transfer portal a month and a half earlier, just as North Dakota State's regular season ended. He sat out of the FCS playoffs as the Bison tried to make a run at a second straight national championship — they lost in the title game to South Dakota State — and transferred to Kansas State in December. After not starting a game in three seasons at North Dakota State, he made an immediate impact at Manhattan, Kan., moving to safety and leading the team in tackles one year and interceptions the next.
Advertisement
Now, his old tweet meets a new audience after Sigle was drafted in the fifth round by the San Francisco 49ers two weeks ago.
'Now they know my name,' an excited Sigle said Monday in a phone interview ahead of the team's rookie minicamp that begins Friday. 'I just kept working, and people still didn't know my name before the scouting combine. People thought I was going to run a 4.5 or a 4.6 … And some people still didn't know my name before the draft, but now they do.'
The post still rings true, and always will.
'I am always going to try and prove myself, even when I start getting credit,' Sigle said.
Sigle ran a 4.37 40-yard dash after receiving a late invite to the NFL Scouting Combine. It was the fastest time among safeties. A strong tackler in the run game, the 5-foot-11, 199-pound Sigle impressed scouts with his coverage skills at the East-West Shrine Bowl — yes, after another last-minute invitation.
'He's awesome,' said 49ers general manager John Lynch, a Hall of Fame safety. 'He's played nickel. He's a guy who can really run. I never knew watching him on the field (but) that is a blazing time, and he's got a lot of versatility to his game.
'He's a good tackler. He takes the fight to the ball carrier to the receiver. I think he's going to be a really good fit for us.'
While we thought the 49ers drafted five possible defensive starters, the number might even be six with Sigle when you consider that safety Malik Mustapha is expected to miss the start of the season. Mustapha started 12 games as a rookie in 2024, but didn't finish the season finale after he damaged the graft that was used to repair an ACL tear he sustained in 2022.
(We had some fun with player comps in Wednesday's story, and new and former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh may be seeing a little Jimmie Ward in Sigle. They are the same size, fast and can play different spots.)
Advertisement
It's a great opportunity for Sigle, who tends to make the most out of those.
'Marques is tremendous,' Kansas State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman said in a phone interview. 'I think he is going to play for a lot of years. He is versatile and can play a lot of different positions and is a hard worker, and I think he is going to be a good leader. I think the world of him.'
The chip on Sigle's shoulder is permanently attached.
'He has had that since high school, and that's why he is going to be successful,' Klanderman said. 'He is going to outwork a lot of people on the 49ers, and he is not afraid to do the dirty work. He looks forward to special teams.'
Sigle had first started thinking the NFL was a possibility during the 2022 draft when Bison teammate Christian Watson was selected in the second round by the Green Bay Packers. Sigle felt he had held his own against Watson in practice and wanted to prove himself on a bigger stage.
Sigle had gone to North Dakota State because 'not too many people are recruited' out of Omaha, Neb.
'I have been overlooked my whole life, so it was nothing new, really,' Sigle said.
His first fall season was cancelled due to COVID-19 — aside from one game against Central Arkansas that was essentially a Trey Lance showcase — and he redshirted after playing only in the opener of the rescheduled spring season. Then a back injury buried him on the depth chart in his second season. He thought he made his opportunities count, but, for whatever reason, never cracked the lineup until he changed schools.
Klanderman thought moving Sigle to safety made too much sense.
'He is a natural leader and a good communicator, so we wanted to take advantage of that, and he was big enough and physical enough,' he said. 'It was a natural change for him.'
The coach was watching the combine at home, and like Sigle's teammates, he had been a little skeptical when Sigle told him his practice times in the 40.
Advertisement
'We were dancing around the living room, going crazy when he did that,' Klanderman said.
Sigle said he was 'actually disappointed' that he didn't set a new safety record at 4.34.
Marques Sigle had the fastest 40-yard dash among safeties (4.37s) @KStateFB
According to @NextGenStats, Sigle's speed within the first yards of his run (15.13 mph) is the third-fastest mark by any prospect over the last three years, regardless of position.
📺: #NFLCombine on… pic.twitter.com/vXas8z7M9R
— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) February 28, 2025
'The 4.37 definitely turned a lot of heads around the league,' The Athletic's draft expert Dane Brugler said. 'And he's a guy that you feel good about his floor. Because at the very least, he is going to come in and he has all the tools to be a very good special-teams player.
'You always bet on that speed.'
The Shrine Bowl did after overlooking him at first, and Sigle said he 'treated every game like a practice. I wanted to prove I deserved to be there from the second I walked on the field.'
After watching him all week, Shrine Bowl director of player personnel Eric Galko thought Sigle should have been drafted before the fifth round.
'He was one of the most athletic DBs in the entire draft class, and Kansas State moved him around quite a bit,' Galko said in a phone interview. 'He can play both safety spots and nickel and even outside corner in a pinch. It's hard to find guys who can hold their own at all those spots.
'He can go against all different kinds of receivers, and he trusts his athletic ability.'
#49ers got an extremely twitchy and bursty defensive back in Marques Sigle.
He showcased his ability as a coverage and run-defending nickel and safety at Kansas State and during @ShrineBowl week (including this hit and forced fumble in the game).
Great, versatile value for the… pic.twitter.com/clVSObO3In
— Eric Galko (@EricGalko) April 26, 2025
A key part of being versatile, Sigle said, is 'being able to learn a playbook in a short amount of time.' And that's something he plans to show 49ers coaches when he hits rookie camp this week.
Sigle's heard the Ward comp and said, 'I know I can fit in well in this system. They have a vision for me, and now it's time to turn that vision into reality.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
21 minutes ago
- New York Times
For Carson Hocevar, heartbreak on his home track as first Cup win stays elusive
BROOKLYN, Mich. — If Carson Hocevar allowed himself to dream of the possibility, it would've been understandable. Here he was, leading on his home track, Michigan International Speedway, and his first-career NASCAR Cup Series victory felt within reach. Hocevar knew better, though, so he held off thinking about what it would be like. The talented 22-year-old kept his attention focused forward on Sunday afternoon. Too much could still happen, even with so few laps remaining. He knew he was low on fuel and likely needed a caution to make it to the finish. And there was also the chance something beyond his control could prevent what would've been a popular win before his home state fans. Advertisement It's a good thing Hocevar didn't begin envisioning what that win would've felt like because it would've only compounded the disappointment he felt leaving the track after a flat tire suffered with 18 laps remaining derailed his bid. Instead of a euphoric victory, he finished 29th, a deflating result he admitted stung. 'We did everything right,' Hocevar said. 'We never lost the lead by our own doing. We lost it by a tire going away.' A flat tire forces @CarsonHocevar to pit road late 😱 #NASCARonPrime — Sports on Prime (@SportsonPrime) June 8, 2025 Hocevar may not have even made it to the end of the 400-mile race without needing another pit stop, with his Spire Motorsports team expecting his fuel tank to run dry with about four or five laps remaining. Still, the team was going to go for it. The team presented Hocevar with the option of either slowing down to conserve fuel or continuing to run hard and hoping for a caution that would've aided their cause, helping save fuel due to the slower speed. Without hesitation, he answered 'caution.' For a young driver like Hocevar, still coming into his own, an opportunity like this isn't common yet — even if he had one of the fastest cars on the track for a third consecutive race. Nor has Spire, though full of promise and certainly on the upswing, yet evolved into a powerhouse team contending for wins on a near-weekly basis. For both parties, this is still new territory. And this was the big takeaway crew chief Luke Lambert shared while dissecting the calls made over the final laps. 'It's hard on all of us, but we got to just step back a little bit and look at where we are, running consistently in the top three,' Lambert said. 'That, in and of itself, is an accomplishment. And if we keep doing that, our day is coming, and we just have to recognize that and focus on controlling what we can control.' Advertisement Because of the flat tire, we'll never know if Hocevar's gambit of pushing it on fuel would've worked. It's likely he would've had to pit, just as second-place William Byron and others were forced to do. There is a strong chance Hocevar would've lost either way. Still, a win was on the table and slipped away. And that this was Michigan, of all places, only added to the heartbreak. 'It's such a double-edged sword,' Hocevar said. 'There's nothing I could go back and just be like, we could be better in this moment to win the race or not. There are so many moments where we're just like, 'Man, I just wish we had that opportunity to see if we even would have had a fighting shot at the end at these races.' I'd much rather be in these spots and have these things happening than be slow.' When Hocevar stepped out of his car, he grabbed a snack, then walked around pit road, alone, to collect his thoughts. He then discarded the Uncrustable after only a few bites, obviously frustrated. This season has put Hocevar on a rollercoaster. Two weeks ago at Charlotte, he had an engine failure while running second. Last week at Nashville Superspeedway, he placed second, matching his career-best finish from earlier this year at Atlanta Motor Speedway. But Nashville, like Atlanta, also saw him immersed in controversy for exhibiting a level of aggressive driving many of his competitors felt crossed a line. All of which has made him a somewhat polarizing figure. Many young drivers go through these trials early in their careers. Hocevar, the 2024 Rookie of the Year, is just the latest example. And similar to those before him, he'll have to learn to navigate the delicate balance of not shying away from what makes him a special talent and knowing when to choose his spots to be aggressive. 'I certainly give him his fair share of s— on Mondays on my podcast, but that doesn't mean that I don't respect his talent,' said Michigan race-winner Denny Hamlin, who at age 44 is the oldest full-time driver in the series. 'Absolutely just a superstar when it comes to actual raw talent. When he figures out how to harness that, pick and choose the moments where he is aggressive, he's going to put it all together and just be the next whoever. Advertisement 'There are five to six elite drivers in this field. He can be one of those five or six very easily when he puts it all together.' Eventually, Hocevar will put it all together. And likely soon. His first-career win is very much on the horizon. If one or two things had unfolded differently in any of the past three races, and he'd be celebrating in victory lane. But he sure would've loved to have had it happen on Sunday. And after it didn't, there was only way to summarize what he was feeling. 'It's unfortunate,' Hocevar said. (Photo of Carson Hocevar leading the pack during Sunday's Cup Series race in Michigan: Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
Associated Press
29 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Sports betting roundup: Stanley Cup Final and NBA Finals each at 1-1 headed into Game 3s
The Stanley Cup Final and NBA Finals have each played two games, and both series are knotted at a game apiece. In the NHL, the Panthers won a double-overtime game Friday night against the Edmonton Oilers to tie that series at 1-1 heading into Monday's Game 3 in Florida. Both games have gone to overtime. In the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder bounced back from a Game 1 loss to even the series against the Indiana Pacers. Game 3 in that series is Wednesday night in Indianapolis. Trends of the Week After losing Game 1 to Indiana, Oklahoma City was an 11.5-point favorite in Game 2, and they comfortably covered, winning 123-107. At the BetMGM sportsbook, the Thunder took in 70% of the money, but only 37% of the bets. Since 2005, teams to lose as double-digit favorites in the NBA playoffs and be favored by 10 or more points in the next game are now 5-2 against the spread. Oklahoma City ended the first quarter on a 9-0 run to lead 26-20 after 12 minutes. This allowed the 4.5-point first quarter spread to cash, with 91% of the money coming in on the Thunder. Following Edmonton taking Game 1 against Florida, the Oilers were -235 to win the Stanley Cup. Now, with Florida winning Game 2, Florida is a slight favorite to win at -115, with Edmonton coming in at -105. Upset of the Week At the French Open, Coco Gauff (+185) upset Aryna Sabalenka to win the women's title. Only 29% of the money was on Gauff to win. On the men's side, Carlos Alcaraz came back from two sets down against Jannik Sinner to win a second straight French Open title. Alcaraz was +5000 live when he was down to sets. Ryan Fox won for the second time on the PGA Tour this season at the RBC Canadian Open. Fox beat Sam Burns on the fourth playoff hole after both players finished the event at 18 under. He was +5500 in pre-tournament winner betting, and took in only 0.8% of the bets and 1.7% of the money. Coming Up NFL minicamps get underway this week and the Philadelphia Eagles remain the favorites to win the Super Bowl at +650. The Eagles are followed by the Baltimore Ravens at +700, the Buffalo Bills at +750 and the Kansas City Chiefs at +800. The Detroit Lions round out the top five at +1000. ___ This column was provided to The Associated Press by BetMGM online sportsbook. ___ AP sports:
New York Times
32 minutes ago
- New York Times
THE BAT X fantasy baseball cheat sheet: Add Ben Brown, stream Agustín Ramírez
Baseball season is well underway, and with a plethora of articles, statistics and metrics available, it can be challenging to know who to start, sit, fade and trade. Using Derek Carty's THE BAT X projection system, The Athletic has developed a weekly program that helps fantasy managers with difficult roster decisions. Advertisement THE BAT X has been the most accurate original projection system in fantasy for five consecutive years and provides estimates based on a wide range of metrics, including Statcast metrics like exit velocity and barrels, as well as ballpark effects, weather conditions, matchups and much more. Another important concept to understand is regression to the mean, which means players performing above their typical level of play are likely to decline, while those underperforming are likely to improve. This week's iteration suggests adding Ben Brown and streaming Agustín Ramírez. And there's more … so much more. Let's get to it. Projections are based on a 12-team, mixed-league roto format with 23-player rosters. For a more thorough explanation of THE BAT X, read Carty's explainer. For first-time readers, we compare players' year-to-date value (value to this point in the season) against their projected rest-of-season value (value for the remainder of the season and not including YTD value). Values are expressed as dollars, and $0 represents a starting caliber player in the aforementioned 12-team mixed roto league format. This gives you an idea of which players may be available on your waiver wire, their value for the remainder of the year and why you should grab them before anyone else can. The differential can tell you all you need to know, but because this is a model, you'll want to use the projections alongside knowledge of your league. For example, Colton Cowser has thus far performed at a -$17.10 value, but THE BAT X expects him to have a rest-of-season value of $10.60. Cowser has only had 37 at-bats this season so far, so his Statcast numbers aren't validated yet, but they're trending toward red. While his .216 batting average and .275 OBP don't stand out, his xBA is .243 and his xwOBA is .337 (not spectacular but better), and he's hit three home runs so far. Last year, he finished with a .242 BA, a .321 OBP, 24 home runs and nine stolen bases in 499 at-bats. At age 25, he could improve this year, but it's too early to tell by how much. On this list, J.T. Realmuto, Luis Robert Jr. and Brenton Doyle have the highest predicted rest-of-season values but are relatively highly rostered. On the pitching side, Ben Brown (who has been on this list frequently) and Reese Olson (IL15) have the best projections for the remainder of the season, despite playing at -$18.50 and $2.70 levels, respectively. Brown is still available in many leagues, while Olson (even on the injured list) is more highly rostered. To date, Brown is 3-4 with a 5.37 ERA (4.23 xERA) in 63.2 innings pitched; however, his fastball velocity is in the 74th percentile, and his strikeout percentage is 27.7 (80th percentile). Additionally, he's in the 67th percentile or better in chase percentage, whiff percentage, walk rate and extension. He could certainly improve going forward. Like the waiver wire, fades are determined based on the year-to-date roster value compared to THE BAT X's projected rest-of-season value. THE BAT X has suggested fading or trading Steven Kwan for weeks. In a previous iteration, Carty said of THE BAT X projection on Kwan, 'It just doesn't buy his power at all. He doesn't hit the ball hard; he doesn't hit the ball in the air much…. He has one of those extreme outlier profiles, though, where he has insane bat control, which is tougher to quantify, and maybe that just carries him beyond the projection. But all the Statcast metrics going into the projection just say he's got no power.' Advertisement Since then, Kwan's year-to-date value has dropped by over a dollar, but his ROS value has risen slightly. If you haven't traded him yet, it could be time. For players like Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cal Raleigh and Pete Alonso, you're looking for high-level players as returns. While these three have been playing great baseball, THE BAT X expects some regression. So, you could attempt to ship them for players who are also playing at a high level today and have a ROS value that matches PCA's, Raleigh's, and Alonso's YTD values. None of these players are drop candidates though. Alex Bregman, who has the only negative valuation for the remainder of the season, is highly rostered and on the IL but is nearing a return. Keep an eye on how he performs. His xBA, xSLG and xwOBA to date are all lower than his actual stats. According to THE BAT X projection system, the following pitchers are overperforming their rest-of-season projections and could be considered fades or trade bait. Kevin Gausman has a low YTD value and an even lower ROS value, so THE BAT X suggests ridding yourself of him now before it gets worse, maybe for someone on the trade targets list below. Through 76.2 IP, Gausman is 5-4 with a 3.87 ERA, which is serviceable. He relies heavily on his four-seamer (662) and split-finger (460), while sometimes turning to his slider (101). With a fastball velocity in the 52nd percentile, that strategy may not continue to work. Outside of Gausman, Kodai Senga and Merrill Kelly have performed relatively well but could be great trade bait, as THE BAT X expects regression. Trade targets are similar to the waiver wire and fades, determined by current roster value versus THE BAT X's projected rest-of-season value. These are players you might want on your roster for the rest of the season. You can even compare this list to the 'Fade or Trade' list above, and see if there are deals to be made. For example, maybe you think of shipping Kwan for Jazz Chisholm Jr., who just came off the IL and has performed below expectations but is on the hard-hitting Yankees with plenty of chances to score and bring batters in. While Chisholm's YTD value is far below Kwan's, his ROS value is superior. This isn't to say, 'Go make this trade today,' but instead to illustrate how to use the two lists in coordination. Advertisement Gunnar Henderson, whose YTD value increased by $2 over the last week, is another great player to target with a ROS valuation of $29.70. He's now hitting .265 with eight home runs and seven stolen bases. He also had a 54.7 hard-hit percentage, which is in the 96th percentile. Given his K% (26.4) and BB% (7.7), he needs to find more discipline at the plate, but if he does, he could fare much better going forward. As for pitchers, last week we discussed George Kirby, who tops this list again. Since then, his ERA has dropped from 11.42 to 6.53, and his xERA is 4.23. He has one win under his belt now and has pitched in only 20.2 innings. The rust continues to come off, and his fastball velocity (96.2 mph), K% (28.4) and BB% (4.5) are all above the 80th percentile in the league. He's still not performing as expected, so managers may be willing to let him go for a lesser return, and a ROS value of $25.10 from THE BAT X is promising. With negative YTD values, Cole Ragans, Spencer Strider and Dylan Cease may have managers willing to deal. Here are hitters with favorable pitching matchups this week. On Tuesday, many of the San Francisco Giants could have a good game, including Heliot Ramos, Matt Chapman and Jung Hoo Lee, as they go against the Colorado Rockies. Marlins Catcher and first baseman Agustín Ramírez is available on many waiver wires and could have a big game Monday evening against Pittsburgh. Here's a look at hitters who have been over- and underperforming using weighted on-base percentage (wOBA) and expected weighted on-base percentage (xwOBA). Batters with an xwOBA lower than their actual wOBA could fall to numbers closer to expected, while hitters with lower wOBAs could surge as the season continues. This list includes players who have outperformed their expectations in the past 30 days, as measured by wOBA and xwOBA. Aaron Judge, with his 'underperforming' yet still incredible .435 xwOBA, is obviously fine. While Hyeseong Kim appears on this list as an overperformer, he is a rookie with only 58 at-bats, and his Statcast information can't be validated yet, outside of his incredible 87th percentile sprint speed, which has enabled him to nab six stolen. He's on a loaded Dodgers' team, but is barely rostered and hitting .414 with a 1.029 OPS and two home runs. The rookie isn't playing every day yet, but he has made a solid case for increased usage. The players on this list are the top underperformers in the past 30 days based on wOBA and xwOBA. We spoke about Ben Rice last week, but he's still around 46% rostered (Yahoo), and his Statcast metrics are all red, except for his Whiff, K and BB rates. If he can improve in those categories, his breakout could be bigger than it is right now. Luis Rengifo, who has had bad luck over the past 30 days, according to his xwOBA, is Rice's foil. His metrics, across the board, look pretty terrible, but his Whiff and K rates are 70th-percentile or above. He's still in the lineup with a .206 average and only one home run, and while his xBA is .271, I still wouldn't chase him based on his lack of power in the metrics and a 36th-percentile sprint speed. Finally, we get to the top-scoring offenses of the week. The Dodgers are on the list every week it seems, regardless of the matchup, due to their impressive roster. The Yankees face Kansas City and Boston, both of which are in fourth place in their respective divisions. Chisholm Jr., Judge, Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger could have better-than-usual weeks. THE BAT X projections have predicted the best one- and two-start pitchers of the week, as well as pitchers to consider benching and the best matchups for bullpens. The best projected pitcher this week is Spencer Strider, who is also a trade target despite having a 0-5 record and 5.40 ERA. His xERA is not much better at 5.19. He's getting whiffs, but that's about it right now. Still, THE BAT X projects he'll improve, and he's at the top of the list this week. Tarik Skubal will likely always be on the top one-start pitchers list because he's nearly unstoppable, with a 2.16 ERA and strong Statcast metrics across the board. Going against the Orioles, he could dominate. At the top of the two-start pitchers list is Chris Sale, who will face the Brewers (third place in the NL Central) and the lowly Rockies (12-53). Sale is 3-4 but with a 2.93 ERA. He's struggling with walks a little, but otherwise has been impressive with a 30.9 (!) K rate and 34.7 (!) Chase%. On this list, Griffin Canning is the most available on waivers and sports a 2.90 ERA with a 6-2 record. His expected stats are much worse than his actual stats, but this is a good week to start him against Washington and Tampa Bay. Based on matchups, the Mets' bullpen should perform well, but that's typical, as they have the best team ERA in the league at 2.85. The Cubs' Daniel Palencia has a 1.64 ERA and five saves. His strikeouts are great, but he needs to reduce his walks a bit. Still, he's around 47% rostered on Yahoo, so if he's available on your wire, consider grabbing him this week, as he faces the Phillies and Pirates. THE BAT X projections powered by EV Analytics. (Photo of Agustín Ramírez: Orlando Ramirez / Getty Images)
