Here are the three players most likely to be starters this year from the 49ers 2024 draft class:
Ricky Pearsall has yet to have a quarterback like Brock Purdy and I'm super excited to watch this relationship blossom throughout training camp and the season. Kyle Shanahan will be able to literally line him up anywhere giving his quarterback another man beater.
Renardo Green should be the 49ers starting outside CB opposite Ward with Lenoir moving into the NB position where I believe he fits best in this Cover 3 scheme.
Malik Mustapha brings the violence to separate the ball from the receiver and fill the alley on the crack back tosses. He should be the starting SS allowing Hufanga to not rush his rehabilitation from his ACL.
I agree on Mustapha and Green but I don't see Pearsall beating out either Aiyuk or Deebo. He might beat out Jennings for the #3 spot but thats not a starter. Jennings proved his value in the SB and I don't think the 9ers would have given him the raise they did if they didn't intend on using him as #3.
ReplyDeleteAlso agree on Green and Mustapha. Agree with what OC says about Pearsall, at least initially, but considering Deebo's history, he's likely to start in his place sometime this year. Also speculate that if they move Feliciano to center, Muni will start at RG.
ReplyDeleteGeorge,
DeleteI have been thinking the same thing regarding Feliciano and Puni.
Moving Feliciano to center would surprise me. Zakelj needs to have an outstanding camp to make the roster this year.
DeleteI was thinking Green would likely compete for the slot CB role, allowing them to keep Lenoir outside.
ReplyDeleteFor mine, the draft picks I feel are most likely to end up quality starters (or highest floor) are Pearsall, Puni and Mustapha.
But Green I think has the highest chance to land a starting role year 1 (excluding STs).
If my hunch is right this offense is going to transition from less run and more pass. Could be we see Pearsall in 4 WR formations. Lined up in the backfield for Jet Sweeps. His understanding of where the holes in zone is reminicent of Kelce and should pair with Purdy's anticipatory vision to move the chains.
ReplyDeleteRazor,
DeleteI don't know how much zone the 9ers are going to see early in the year. I think one way Purdy can force teams back into zone is to take off and run the ball. I think that may be a big part of why he put on the muscle he has. He will definitely see man in both Seattle games.
I don't think one coverage is going to be successful with all the versatility this offense now has at its disposal.
DeleteAs much as anything I think Shanahan want to make sure he has answers to any question a defense throws at them. If they take away the run, he wants to make sure they have the receivers that can win their matchups to take advantage of the gaps it leaves. If a team plays heavy man to man, he wants to make sure he has guys that can beat that.
DeleteHaving receivers who can beat man coverage is important but whats more important is having a QB who can beat man coverage. Purdy is a master at beating zone coverage maybe #1. He is not as effective versus man coverage, he showed that in the Balt game and through out the playoffs. Pearsall would help but it comes down far more on Purdy's back.
DeleteYep, Purdy has to be on the same page with his WRs against man, that's for sure.
DeleteI do wonder how much of his struggles vs man came from not trusting his WRs to win their individual matchups... and how much came from man coverage taking away the early throw and the OL not doing a good job of holding up...?
The O line was certainly an issue, i'm just not sure how much better it will be this year. If they had the same draft this year other than the first round and in the 1st round they traded next years 1st round pick and had moved up and drafted a OT I would be over the moon. Sorry bout the run on sentence.
DeleteBeating man coverage quickly will protect Purdy and Pearsall is certainly capable of that but he also adds a new dimension and thats the slot fade.
DeleteI just went to youtube on my TV and the first two videos that came up were Grant Cohn "49ers make Iowa St. QB Brock Purdy Mr Irrelevant" The next one was Grant Cohn, "Honest first impression of QB Brock Purdy" If you want to laugh your ass off watch these two videos.
ReplyDeleteI can't watch Grant anymore. Narcissist, know-it-all, click baiter, a-hole.
DeleteGeorge,
DeleteYou should watch these two videos. Cohn comes off as the biggest idiot in the world. I'm surprised he didn't try to remove them from youtube.
Coach,
DeleteDavid Lombardi is the absolute antithesis of GC. Without mentioning names, it's obvious that DL often debunks reporters that use use their social platforms for their own personal gain. Lombardi's recent YouTube report seems to address this very point.
My two go to guys are Lombardi and Krueger. The two GC videos I listed are perfect examples of How bad GC has become.
DeleteLombardi I find a little too much of a 49er homer - there's not much he will criticise and he ends up speaking out of both sides of his mouth when the 49ers switch gears on him.
DeleteKrueger is great though.
Scooter,
DeleteI go to Lombardi for cap and roster info. He has a better understanding of the cap than any other
I don't need for Lombardi to be critical, there are plenty of those types around. I only need him to give me straight no-none sense 49ers info. And he's pretty darn good at that.
DeleteYeah... guess I disagree a bit on that. If you want to know why the 49ers are incredible, Lombardi is your guy. But he can be just as guilty as the nay-sayers of clouding what he says with a very slanted opinion.
DeleteStill, definitely prefer him to the Grant's of the world.
I certainly know when the 49ers are incredible and when they're not. I don't need the criticism or the suger-coating. Lombardi has very good inside knowledge of the team as well as the game of football. That works for me. Btw, you and Razor do a very job as well.
Deletegood job^
DeleteWhat they've done to revamp the defense through free agency and the draft in my mind is amazing. Likewise the offense though to a lesser extent. There's real genius here. Lynch of course was Kyle's hire, so I've always viewed him as just a "yes man." And I've always viewed the personnel whiz as Peters. Now I'm thinking there's much more to Lynch than a figure head.
ReplyDeleteJacob Cowing: Offensive steal of the draft?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo1jTK4zv_4
See how he holds up under the rigors of NFL football.
DeleteUnder,
DeleteI'm curious to see how they use him. My guess is punt/kick returns and 5 to 10 plays a game from scrimmage mostly specialty plays.
I like his game Coach, I just hopes he holds up.
DeleteThat was Under.
Delete