Re-ranking the 49ers' rookie class: 3 undrafted players make the top 10

New York Times

3 days ago

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — How do the San Francisco 49ers rookies stack up after nine training camp practices?
The following is by no means a final measure of the team's large rookie class but rather a progress report after the spring and start of camp. It also might be interesting to do another ranking on the eve of roster cuts in three weeks to see which players — we're looking at you, Alfred Collins — have moved up in the ranking.
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Stout's been one of two rookies — Mykel Williams is the other — who regularly line up with the first-team defense, and that was happening before fellow cornerbacks Renardo Green (hamstring) and Deommodore Lenoir (hip) were sidelined. Furthermore, the little cornerback has been just as visible with pads on as without. He's quick, aggressive and is in the middle of every gang-tackle scrum. He's the odds-on favorite to be the 49ers' nickel on Sept. 7 in Seattle.
'Don't fall asleep on his size,' defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said Friday. 'I mean, the guy plays way bigger than he is and way bigger than he looks. He's got a violence to him; he's got a violence to his demeanor.'
No rookie defensive tackle in the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch era has looked this good this early, including 2017 pick D.J. Jones, who's built a lot like West but was a bit of a late bloomer. West has an NFL-ready bull rush as evidenced by the way he's routinely knocked guards and centers backward in one-on-one drills. The 49ers are eager to see him build more moves onto that foundation. Something to monitor: Despite how conspicuous West has been in one-on-one situations, second-round pick Collins typically enters ahead of him in the defensive line rotation.
It was close, but West edged out Williams for the No. 2 spot because West has made bigger splashes and has taken part in every practice since being drafted. Williams missed time in the spring with a hamstring strain and was out one day this week with an ankle issue. That said, he's looked the part of a sturdy and relentless defensive end. The only quibble is that he doesn't appear to have the elasticity or burst to be a true sack master off the edge. Bryce Huff seems like the best option to line up opposite Nick Bosa on passing downs with Williams rushing from inside.
Martin appears decidedly behind Dee Winters in the competition to be the team's Week 1 weakside linebacker, but that's not Martin's fault. Winters has been one of the best players on the field since the spring. Even if Winters holds onto his role, the 49ers could use Martin as their strongside linebacker, which is a sometimes-starting role. Martin has been more prominent in recent practices, and he's been practicing through a thumb injury. Both are good signs for a rookie. Martin has been playing weakside linebacker with the No. 2 defense.
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'One thing we're not worried about with him is his violence, getting off a block and understanding how to get to the football,' Saleh said. 'He just has to continue mastering the scheme to give himself the opportunity to play fast. That part, from a rookie standpoint, he's got to catch up. But at the same time, when he's in a position where he's comfortable with the play call, he's comfortable with what he sees pre-snap, you see everything that we drafted and that stuff is pretty good.'
The fourth-rounder's teammates keep praising his maturity and mental sharpness. As it stands, Watkins is in position to be the 49ers' No. 3 or 4 wide receiver and perhaps serve as the team's primary punt returner. He missed Friday's practice with an undisclosed injury but was back Saturday. He ought to get a lot of snaps in the preseason games, which begin Saturday against the Denver Broncos.
In recent years, the 49ers have gravitated to gritty, tough-guy cornerbacks like Lenoir and Green. Robinson is more of a flyer — he's light and fast, having run his pre-draft 40 in under 4.4 seconds. He's also been sticky in coverage with several pass breakups over the first few practices, including one Saturday on a throw from Mac Jones to Watkins. Robinson is very good at closing space as the ball arrives. The injuries to Lenoir and Green have Robinson playing outside cornerback with the No. 2 defense.
Kiner doesn't have impressive speed, but he's got good balance and has been on hand for every practice this spring and summer. For a rookie, that's at least 80 percent of the battle. Fellow rookie Jordan James has been out since Tuesday with a knee issue, while Isaac Guerendo appeared to hurt his shoulder on a kick return Saturday.
James might have been higher if not for a knee issue that's knocked him out of recent practices. When on the field, he's looked sturdy and quick, and he — and all the running backs, really — have looked good in the passing game. That's been a theme of camp: All the tailbacks seem natural out of the backfield, a departure from previous seasons.
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Standing out on a defensive line that has three prominent draft picks is no easy task. But Valdez, who played at Washington, has managed to do that. He doesn't have great length (6-foot-3 with 31 1/4-inch arms), but he's powerful (34 bench press reps in the run-up to the draft), quick and in excellent shape. And like West, he's been a handful for interior offensive linemen in the one-on-one drills. He beat draft pick Connor Colby in one repetition, then following a 'go again' request from one of the coaches, he soundly beat Colby again.
Add Sebastian Valdez (undrafted out of Washington) to the list of good-looking 49ers rookie d-linemen. Valdez won three of his four 1-on-1 matchups Saturday
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The second-rounder hasn't stood out as a pass rusher, which the 49ers insist is understandable considering he missed all of the spring practices with a calf injury. Collins is in the process of learning footwork and technique he didn't use at the University of Texas and thus appears to be trailing fellow rookies West and Valdez. Saleh, however, suspects he won't be in that position long.
'He's behind the eight ball, but he's working hard,' he said. 'Love the way he's approaching every day, and he'll catch up. He's a big body with good feet. Those are things you can't teach. It's just a matter of time before he gets his legs underneath him and he starts to make more of an impact. That's visible.'
Colby is often one of the offensive linemen getting shoved around by West, Valdez and Evan Anderson in one-on-one drills. He's been far more solid in team situations where he usually lines up at left guard with the second-team offense. His run blocking stands out, which is what you'd expect from a University of Iowa product. Rookie offensive linemen usually improve in the pass-blocking drills as the summer goes on. We'll see if that's the case with Colby.
The 49ers' final draft pick was selected for his punt-return skills, not his receiving skills. Still, Bergen has stayed healthy, and because of that, he's had plenty of work on offense, typically on screens and short passes. If he makes the 53-man roster, it will be because he is far and away the team's best punt-return option. Watkins is the only other player who's handled punts since the start of camp, though Jacob Cowing likely will rejoin the competition when he returns from a hamstring strain.
'He looks good,' special teams coordinator Brant Boyer said of Bergen. 'We're kicking him some different balls that he's going to get during the season, whether it's the banana ball or the directional that aims right and pulls left. We're giving those to all the (punt-return) guys.'
Sigle's in the same boat as Collins. He missed all of the spring drills due to an injury and is in catch-up mode. He hasn't made many splash plays, although perhaps that's just a matter of time. Sigle is the team's most athletic defensive back, having run a 4.37-second 40 with a nearly 11-foot broad jump. He's been playing with the second-team defense.
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He made a terrific deep-ball grab in the second practice of training camp but has been relatively quiet since. To his credit, Neyor has appeared in every practice, and with receivers going down all around him, he's been getting more snaps as camp has gone on. Which is to say, he and every other young receiver have an opportunity to seize a roster spot.
The 5-10 Canteen played cornerback and safety during his five seasons of college football. He and veteran Siran Neal have been the third-team safeties in recent practices. Canteen hasn't jumped out, though it's notable the 49ers kept him over 2024 undrafted rookie Jaylen Mahoney when they needed to open a roster spot last week.
Moss has been alternating at left and right guard, mainly with the third-team offense. He's been among those beaten by West in one-on-one drills, but has had plenty of company in that regard. Moss did very well in his three matchups with Collins on Saturday, winning two and battling him to a draw on the third.
He's playing middle linebacker with the third-team defense. Blanton isn't as fast as most of his fellow linebackers, and linebacker is becoming a position that demands speed.
Rourke is recovering from an ACL injury and has yet to practice with the team. It seems like the plan for him is to compete for the No. 3 job in 2026.
(Top photo of Upton Stout: D. Ross Cameron / Imagn Images)