Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Thursday, April 18th,
Daniel Jeremiah weighs in on 49ers potentially trading up in the draft
“I do think they have such a rock-solid nucleus of [blue-chip] players,” Jeremiah said. “The elite teams have between eight and 12 blue-chip guys, premier guys. They’ve got that. They’ve got that kind of checked. So now, it’s about having the depth in place that you can withstand injuries and not having enormous drop-off at these other positions.
“So I don’t think they need superstar drafts, but I think they need depth along the offensive line. I think they can find upgrades there. They can continue to look at the corner position. I think, in a draft like this, where they’re picking at 63, 94, I think there’s opportunities there to get players that can come in, in the secondary, and help out and be a part of their mix right away.”
49ers hosted Georgia safety Javon Bullard on pre-draft visit
“Bullard isn’t a clean fit as a full-time nickel and might lack the length and range teams seek from a split safety, but he’s a good football player with the field awareness teams are looking for,” Lance Zierlein wrote in his NFL.com scouting report. “He’s going to be a little tight with lateral movements, which will create some throwing windows and missed tackles from time to time, but his route recognition and angles of pursuit help to stabilize his play.
“There will be some challenging matchups, but Georgia’s provided the blueprint by playing him as a big nickel with run support and modest man cover duties — NFL teams would be wise to follow suit. With the right fit, Bullard should develop into a quality NFL starter.”
“To begin, the 49ers grabbed Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton, whose 103 pressures over the past two seasons were the most of any college interior lineman. Newton is the reigning Big Ten defensive player of the year. He’s a twitchy lineman who embodies a recent movement in the NFL that’s seen smaller-yet-quicker defensive tackles. Burst and agility have given these players legs up against most offensive guards.”
49ers enter draft with an eye on tight end depth behind George Kittle (paywall)
“As far as Latu playing a significant role? The 49ers’ actions this offseason suggest they have their doubts after Latu labored through a forgettable, drop-filled training camp as a rookie. The 49ers extended a three-year, $12 million offer to Lions’ No. 2 tight end Brock Wright, 25, but Detroit kept the restricted free agent by matching the offer.”
Did 49ers QB Brock Purdy ‘save’ a news anchor from an S.F. coyote? (paywall)
““I see this thing trotting by that has a big tail,” Purdy said. “I was like, ‘Bro, that looks like a mini wolf.’ And sure enough, no one was going to scream, so I screamed and was like, ‘Yo, there’s a coyote!’ ”
Purdy added, “She walked by and said she was a news anchor. And I was like, ‘Dude, I just saved a news anchor’s life from being eaten by a coyote.’ ”
“After three seasons at UTEP, Cowing transferred to Arizona for his final two seasons of college football. At Arizona, Cowing had back-to-back seasons with 85 or more receptions. In his senior year, Cowing recorded 90 catches for 848 yards while snatching a career-best 13 touchdowns. Cowing’s 13 touchdown receptions tied for sixth-best in the country last year.
Cowing put an exclamation mark on the end of his college career with seven catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns against Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl.”
Four best 49ers offensive lineman fits in Rounds 1, 2 of NFL draft
“Suamataia, PFF’s 11th-ranked tackle and No. 66 overall prospect, loves playing in an outside-zone run scheme, which would make for a seamless transition to Shanahan’s 49ers offense. Suamataia told NBC Sports Bay Area at the NFL Scouting Combine how he’d fit in San Francisco.
“Being able to show my athleticism, especially in the run game,” Suamataia said. “Being able to run out there and move blockers from point A to point B. I definitely love doing wide zone. I love run blocking. I love being physical and getting off the ball, being able to move somebody.”
49ers continue to express pre-draft interest in dual-threat running back
“I’m going to make a big impact at the next level,” Jones said. “Whichever team gets me is getting a leader in the locker room. I’m the ultimate competitor. I’m a straight-up dog, a playmaker at the end of the day. I’ll do whatever it takes to get on the field. I’ll play special teams and do whatever it takes to get on the field. Of course, I want to play running back, but I’ll do whatever it takes to prove myself to the coaching staff.”
Dane Brugler of The Athletic gives Jones a “priority free agent” grade, stating, “Overall, Jones has an undersized build and won’t push piles, but his vision, foot quickness, and pass-catching skills will help him compete for a roster spot.”
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