Prospects 49ers should watch in Senior Bowl practice, game
The Senior Bowl has been kind to the 49ers the past two years.Deebo Samuel dominated the event in 2019, and the 49ers made sure to snag him in the second round. Javon Kinlaw was so good during practice last year, he didn't even need to play in the game. And while Brandon Aiyuk was medically flagged and couldn't practice or play in the game, he caught everyone's attention with his interviews and freakish wingspan.The 49ers hold the No. 12 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and the Senior Bowl is more important than ever this year. There will be no combine in 2021 due to COVID-19 concerns, making the Senior Bowl the premier scouting event ahead of the draft. There of course will be a handful of players in the event that could fit the 49ers again, too.Here are players at positions of need -- cornerback, offensive line, pass rusher, quarterback -- and some wild cards that the 49ers should have their eyes on throughout the week at practice and during Saturday's game.
Elijah Molden, Washington
Ifeatu Melifonwu, Syracuse
D.J. Daniel, Georgia
Tre Norwood, Oklahoma
Robert Rochell, Central Arkansas
Molden is the best of the bunch, and can fit into K'Waun Williams' spot if he moves on in free agency. Molden was the highest-graded corner by PFF in the Pac-12 this season, and should be a top-five corner taken in the draft.
Melifonwu could turn heads this week. His older brother, Obi, did so and was selected by the Raiders in the second round of the 2017 draft. The 49ers signed Obi earlier this month. The younger Melifonwu brother is 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds. His size and athleticism jump off the board, and he could really help his draft stock this week.
Speaking of helping their draft stock, Rochell could be one of the top FCS players taken in the draft. He impressed at the lower levels, and if can lock up big-school receivers, he'll generate plenty of buzz.
Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma
Trey Smith, Tennessee
Liam Eichenberg, Notre Dame
Deonte Brown, Alabama
Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State
The 49ers have a Trent Williams-sized question on their offensive line this offseason. They have to bring back the star left tackle, and likely will open their pockets to do so. But in reality, they have question marks all across their O-line.
Leatherwood is the top offensive lineman at the Senior Bowl this year. Some see him as a guard, which he has played in the past, but he'll work strictly at left tackle. Would the 49ers take an O-lineman with their top pick? It wouldn't be sexy but it would be smart.
This draft class seems deep with Day 2 linemen. Even if the 49ers don't address their line in the first round, the rest of the above names could be options in the second round.
Carlos Basham Jr., Wake Forest
Quincy Roche, Miami
Patrick Jones II, Pitt
Payton Turner, Houston
Going into the 2020 season, this might not have felt like such a big need. Nick Bosa was coming off his Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign, and he was set to form a dangerous duo with Dee Ford. Then, everything went wrong. Bosa tore his ACL in the second game of the year, and Ford didn't touch the field after the season opener.
Bosa will be back, albeit coming off a torn ACL, but Ford's future in Santa Clara is murky to say the least. Whether he's back or not, the 49ers need another pass rusher.
Basham and Jones both should go in the first two rounds of the draft, and Roche is part of a Miami trio of edge rushers who have NFL futures. A big week of practice could vault Basham into the 49ers' range.
Turner is the player who could help his draft stock as a bit of a sleeper. In just 10 games this season, the defensive end record 10.5 tackles for loss and had five sacks.
Mac Jones, Alabama
Ian Book, Notre Dame
Jamie Newman, Georgia
This week belongs to Jones. He came into this season as a third or fourth-round draft pick, or even lower, after years of backing up Tua Tagovailoa. He took full advantage of his opportunity and sky-rocketed up draft boards.
But how will Jones look without players like DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle and Najee Harris at his disposal. Jones will be on a more even playing field and must show he still can stick out as the top dog. If does so, the 49ers might take a real look at him as a QB who makes all the right decisions and throws a beautiful deep ball.
Book gets a whole lot of mixed results from evaluators. Is he a late Day 3 pick or could he vault himself into the third round?
Newman, however, is the real wild card here. As a junior at Wake Forest, he threw for 2,868 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also rushed for 574 yards and scored another six TDs. But he only completed 60.9 percent of his passes. He transferred to Georgia but sat the season out due to COVID-19 concerns.
Plenty of eyes will be on Newman. He has the size, arm strength and athleticism worth taking a shot on. No matter who the 49ers' starting QB is in 2021, they need changes at the position and Newman could be a long-term project worth looking at this week.
Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida
Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
Nico Collins, WR, Michigan
Michael Carter, RB, UNC
Let's get this straight: It's very unlikely Harris or Toney become 49ers. Harris, a Bay Area native, should be a first-round running back and the 49ers aren't taking him at No. 12. Toney likely is a first-rounder, too. The 49ers would have to trade back into the first round for either prospect, and they both would be extremely fun in Shanahan's offense.
Collins and Carter could be more realistic options. The 49ers might be without free agent Kendrick Bourne next season, and Collins might a WR3 option for San Francisco. The 6-foot-4 wideout sat out his senior season, but had 729 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior while averaging 19.7 yards per reception.
Carter shared carries with Javonte Williams at UNC but still should be seen as a top four or five back in the draft. He rushed for 1,245 yards and nine TDs while averaging 8.0 (!) yards per carry as a senior.
