It seems just like yesterday things were looking bright for the San Francisco 49ers and they were playing at the Super Bowl in New Orleans. Fast forward to now … the team’s had two struggling seasons, and this year’s draft class received mixed reviews at best, as the 49ers were criticized for overstuffing their corners and guards. However, are there any drafted players or free-agent signees worth keeping an eye on that could help this team? Here are five.
5. QB Jeff Driskel
Yes, you read that right, but I’m not saying Driskel will take the quarterback reins away from the likes of Colin Kaepernick or Blaine Gabbert. But he certainly could leave his mark in the NFL if he continues to play as well as he did in his 2015 season at Louisiana Tech, where he threw for 4,026 yards and averaged nine passing yards per attempt. He finished the season with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions. What Driskel could potentially do is beat out Thad Lewis for the third-string slot, and then depending on if Kaepernick loses the QB battle to Gabbert and is ever traded away or released, he could become the backup. Any way, Driskel might have a bright future in the NFL.
4. RB Kelvin Taylor
The 49ers offense was incredibly weak last season, and the running back position was one of the struggles. Carlos Hyde, Reggie Bush and Mike Davis all finished the season on the team’s injured reserve list, leading to the signings of DuJuan Harris and Shaun Draughn, the latter of which would also be placed on injured reserve by season’s end. Now, Bruce Harris has moved to tight end and Jarryd Hayne has announced his retirement from the league. While Hyde appears to be ready to take back his star RB position, and Draughn can be a backup, these may be reasons why the Niners picked up Kelvin Taylor the son of former Jacksonville Jaguars RB Fred Taylor. Taylor finished his final season at Florida by rushing 1,035 yards, with an average of four yards per attempt and 13 touchdowns.
3. WR Eric Rogers
Not counting those players who were free agents at the end of last season and chose to re-sign with the 49ers, the team has picked up just three free agents. While Zane Beadles is the arguably the biggest signing of the three, San Francisco — for whatever reason — chose to move up eight spots in the draft to get another first-round draft pick and used it on Stanford guard Joshua Garnett. While this is an example of the team’s highly criticized draft rationale, and Thad Lewis is in the Niners’ QB stack, eyes should not turn away from Eric Rogers, who spent the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons with the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) Calgary Stampeders. Rogers put up impressive numbers last year, becoming one of the CFL’s top players. Over nine games, he totaled 812 yards, with 46 catches and seven touchdowns, while earning a Grey Cup and All-Star status during his two seasons with Calgary.
2. OT John Theus
One of the 49ers’ bigger offensive pickups in this year’s draft, both as a player, and physically, is Theus. The 6’6”, 317 lbs tackle out of Georgia started his career at right tackle, helping his school to a number one SEC ranking in yards per play and a Freshman-All American honor. Moving over to left tackle in his junior year, he helped Georgia to a first-place ranking in yards per game and an AP Honorable mention All-SEC honor. Because Theus knows how to be a tackle on both ends of the line, watch out for him to be flexible and help provide the line with a kick.
1. DE DeForest Buckner
One could say the new Niners head coach, Chip Kelly, just got in management’s ears to get somebody from Oregon, but this pick was certainly a positive move for the team. Buckner was named the 2015 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and was the team’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player. Last year, he was second in tackles at Oregon with 83, while also counting for 10.5 sacks. With a fellow first-round draft pick from Oregon in Arik Armstead by his side, Buckner could be another young player to build a defense around. He could also give a great boost to San Francisco’s rush defense, which last season allowed its most yards since 1980.
