Once the draft concludes, the wait begins for the other shoe to drop. John Lynch said immediately following the conclusion of Day 3 that the San Francisco 49ers were already on the phone with undrafted free agents.
Some names have been circulating, but now we have the entire list of 18 undrafted prospects who have signed with San Francisco. Here’s the rundown along with a brief bio of each player.
Nick Mullens, QB, Southern Mississippi
Mullens was a four-year starter at Southern Mississippi and finished his career with 11,994 passing yards and 87 touchdown passes. His best season came in 2015 when he threw for 4,476 yards and 38 touchdowns to just 12 interceptions. He joins the 49ers after adding 3,272 yards and 24 touchdowns to his collegiate numbers as a senior in 2016.
Cole Hikutini, TE, Louisville
Hikutini served as the safety valve for Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson in 2016. He caught 50 passes for 668 yards and eight touchdowns. Those numbers earned Hikutini second-team All-ACC honors. He began his career at Sacramento State before transferring to City College of San Francisco for one year. Hikutini is said to have “speed to attack over the top of linebackers and run under a deep ball.”
Lorenzo Jerome, DB, Saint Francis
The 5-foot-10 safety turned heads at the 2017 Reese’s Senior Bowl following a standout senior season for the Red Flash. Jerome earned first-team FCS All-American honors following his six interceptions, 59 tackles and 11 pass breakups in 2016. He also added 14 kick returns for 405 yards and a touchdown. Jerome has “outstanding instincts and ball skills.” For what it’s worth, his NFL draft profile projected him to go in the fourth or fifth round of the draft. ESPN’s Todd McShay also had Jerome as his top-ranked undrafted player.
Matt Breida, RB, Georgia Southern
Breida’s production dipped a bit in 2016. However, the ball-carrier scored 17 touchdowns in both 2014 and 2015. His 1,609 rushing yards in 2015 were a career-high.
Erik Magnuson, OL, Michigan
Magnuson was named first-team All-Big Ten in 2016, and his NFL Draft profile calls him “one of the better right tackles in the nation.” The 6-foot-6 lineman has starting experience at both guard and center.
Kendrick Bourne, WR, Eastern Washington
Bourne was one half of the most prolific receiving tandem in FCS history, along with fellow Eagle Cooper Kupp. The 6-foot-1 wideout earned All-Big Sky honors three times. In 2016, Bourne caught 79 passes for 1,201 yards and seven touchdowns.
Darrell Williams Jr., OL, Western Kentucky
The 6-foot-5 lineman made 41 career starts for the Hilltoppers split between his time at right tackle and right guard.
KD Cannon, WR, Baylor
Cannon is the latest weapon to come out of Baylor’s wide receiver factory over the past five years. He posted 1,215 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Bears in 2016. Cannon has outstanding vertical speed as evidence by his 4.41 40 time at the NFL Combine. His pre-draft profile projected him as a fourth-fifth round pick.
Victor Bolden, WR Oregon State
In four years for the Beavers, Bolden caught 170 passes for 1,863 yards and seven touchdowns.
Jimmie Gilbert, LB, Colorado
Gilbert found his stride as a senior in 2016 with 14 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. The 6-foot-5 pass-rusher has plenty of length to use to his advantage. Gilbert comes from a basketball family and had a scholarship offer to play hoops at Stephen F. Austin out of high school.
John Flynn, OL, Montana State
Flynn was a four-year starter for the Bobcats and a first-team All-Big Sky Conference selection.
Noble Nwachukwu, DE, West Virginia
Nwachukwu played all four years for the Mountaineers and was productive for the final three. He finished his career with 117 total tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. His pre-draft profile projected him as a fifth-sixth round pick and called him “agile and explosive.”
Donavin Newson, LB, Missouri
Newson led the Tigers with 73 tackles in 2016. He added 5.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and four pass breakups.
Bret Treadway, OL, Lamar
If his medicals weren’t a concern, Treadway would have been a highly-touted prospect. His NFL Draft profile calls him “one of the most athletic interior lineman in the 2017 draft.” The four-year starter could prove to be a post-draft steal in San Francisco.
Tyler McCloskey, FB/TE, Houston
The linebacker-turned-fullback-turned-tight end quite literally did it all at Houston. His well-rounded career stats include 39 receptions for 406 yards and five touchdowns. McCloskey added 16 tackles on defense.
Malik Golden, S, Penn State
The two-year starter for the Nittany Lions had a breakout year in 2016 with 75 tackles, one interception and three pass breakups.
Evan Goodman, G, Arizona State
Goodman started 23 games at left tackle over the past two seasons for the Sun Devils. At 6-foot-4, he possesses NFL size.
Zach Franklin, CB, Washburn
Franklin played in 45 career games (34 starts) at Washburn and totaled 109 tackles and four interceptions. In 2016, he recorded 38 tackles, three picks, 21 pass breakups and a fumble recovery.