SANTA CLARA — Here is a look at how the 49ers’ depth chart sets up after the NFL Draft (*indicates starter):
QUARTERBACK
*Brock Purdy
Josh Dobbs
Brandon Allen
Tanner Mordecai
Purdy’s record-setting season (4,280 yards) after his elbow liagement repair alleviates concerns about his backups. But last year’s options at this time – Sam Darnold, Trey Lance – had more upside than this year’s group. Best-case scenario: Purdy produces big again, then scores a big contract next year.
RUNNING BACK
*Christian McCaffrey
*Kyle Juszczyk (FB)
Elijah Mitchell
Isaac Guerendo
Jordan Mason
Patrick Taylor
Cody Schrader
As McCaffrey seeks to defend his NFL rushing crown like Joe “The Jet” Perry did on the 49ers 70 years ago, his immediate backup should be Mitchell, again. But, because of Mitchell’s knee issues and injury history, the 49ers may be more compelled to summon rookie Guerendo’s 4.33-second 40-yard speed. Schrader, undrafted after leading the SEC in rushing at Missouri, could be seen as the next diamond in the rough to flourish in the Shanahan system.
WIDE RECEIVER
*Brandon Aiyuk
*Deebo Samuel
Jauan Jennings
Ricky Pearsall
Jacob Cowing
Chris Conley
Trent Taylor
Ronnie Bell
Tay Martin
Danny Gray
Terique Owens
It didn’t make sense to trade Aiyuk or Samuel with Purdy still on a rookie contract, so those budget matters can wait after this season’s results. Pearsall doesn’t have to be rushed into action simply because he is a first-round pick, but he certainly could cut into Jennings’ reps or prompt Shanahan to use more four-receiver sets. Pearsall and fellow rookie Cowing could return punts, as could Trent Taylor, who should have a spot on the practice squad but will be fun to watch in his encore stint. Conley came on strong late last season and in the Super Bowl.
TIGHT END
*George Kittle
Eric Saubert
Brayden Willis
Cameron Latu
Jake Tonges
Mason Pline
So much focus is on the annual search for a No. 2 tight end that we all lose sight of how Kittle continues to establish himself as the best tight end in team history. He is coming off core-muscle surgery and an All-Pro year. Latu (2023 third round) faces the most pressure here to reboot his career after struggling in rookie training camp and then sitting out the season.
OFFENSIVE TACKLE
*Trent Williams (LT)
*Colton McKivitz (RT)
Brandon Parker
Jaylon Moore
Sebastian Gutierrez
Isaac Alarcon
Full steam ahead with Williams at age 36 and McKivitz in his second full year as a starter. After bypassing an NFL-ready tackle in the draft, Moore and Parker are the likely backups. Alarcon, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys, replaces fellow Mexico native Alfredo Gutierrez as the 49ers’ International player roster exemption.
OFFENSIVE GUARD/CENTER
*Aaron Banks (LG)
*Jake Brendel (C)
*Jon Feliciano (RG)
Spencer Burford (G)
Dominic Puni (G)
Ben Bartch (G)
Nick Zakelj (G/C)
Jarrett Kingston (G)
Drake Nugent (C)
Corey Luciano (C/G)
Briason Mays (C/G)
Banks is entering the final year of his rookie contract, so an extension seems imminent as he hes blossomed next to Williams. Brendel also seems locked in after starting every game the past two years, but there is an open casting call for his understudy. Feliciano re-signed to return as the starting right guard, a job that Burford vowed to win back if given the chance following his Super Bowl blocking gaffe on the final pass play against Chris Jones. Puni, a third-round pick, has versatility as a rookie reserve. Keep an eye out for the undrafted Nugent, who left Stanford to start on Michigan’s national championship team.
DEFENSIVE END
*Nick Bosa
*Leonard Floyd
Yetur Gross-Matos
Drake Jackson
Robert Beal Jr.
Austin Bryant
Alex Barrett
Raymond Johnson
Earnest Brown IV
Sam Okuayinonu
Of these 10 defensive ends, just four played on last season’s team: Bosa (821 snaps), Jackson (199), Beal (39), Bryant (36). Floyd’s experience and effort are welcome opposite Bosa on the line. Gross-Matos, after escaping Carolina, could break out with his versatility on the edge and inside. Jackson is coming off late-season knee surgery and needs to recapture his three-sack form from the 2023 opener. Position coach Kris Kocurek has his biggest challenge yet in developing this unit.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
*Javon Hargrave
*Maliek Collins
Jordan Elliott
Kevin Givens
T.Y. McGill
Spencer Waege
Evan Anderson
Hargrave (6-foot-1), Collins (6-2), Elliott (6-4), and Givens (6-1) offer lower leverage to drop anchor compared to the 6-foot-7 combination of Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner five years ago. Anderson reportedly was guaranteed $280,000 to sign after going undrafted, so he should be assured a spot on at least the practice squad.
LINEBACKER
*Fred Warner
*Dre Greenlaw
*De’Vondre Campbell
Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
Ezekiel Turner
Curtis Robinson
Dee Winters
Jalen Graham
Tatum Bethune
When the season opens, Greenlaw will be only seven months removed from his Achilles tear in the Super Bowl, so starting the season on the Physically Unable To Perform list seems wise. That would introduce Campbell as Warner’s new partner. After that, it’s an open competition to earn a linebacker role, mostly by proving worthy on special teams, which is where Turner excelled with Arizona.
CORNERBACK
*Charvarius Ward
*Deommodore Lenoir
Renardo Green
Isaac Yiadom
Rock Ya-Sin
Chase Lucas
Darrell Luter
Ambry Thomas
Sam Womack
Kemon Hall
Ward and Lenoir are a formidable starting duo and each deserves an extension ahead of their final season under contract. Adding depth and finding a new nickel back were offseason priorities, seemingly accomplished in free agency (see: Yiadom, Ya-Sin, Lucas) but even more so with the third-round selection of Green, whose potential to cover slot receivers was talked up by coach Kyle Shanahan.
SAFETY
*Ji’Ayir Brown
*Talanoa Hufanga
George Odum
Malik Mustapha
Erik Harris
Tayler Hawkins
Jaylen Mahoney
Hufanga’s critics can point to his subpar start of last season before his anterior cruciate ligament tear, but his comeback could really uplift this unit, especially with Tashaun Gipson’s apparent exit after two seasons. Brown had some highs and lows as a rookie replacement for Hufanga, so it will be fascinating to see if Mustapha can live up to John Lynch’s strong endorsement.
SPECIALISTS
K Jake Moody
P Mitch Wishnowsky
LS Taybor Pepper
Moody’s intense rookie season ended with a missed kick in each of the final four games, so he’s on the hot seat until proven otherwise.
PUNT RETURNER
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Jacob Cowing
Ricky Pearsall
Trent Taylor
Ronnie Bell
It’s no sure thing that the 49ers drafted their new punt returner. Cowing’s 4.38-second speed in the combine’s 40-yard dash makes him a logical candidate, yet he had just 18 returns for 121 yards in two seasons at Arizona. Pearsall had 15 returns for 153 yards his past two years at Florida. Taylor has 112 NFL punt returns to his credit (9.4-yard average), and that includes 49 punt returns in his previous 49ers tenure from 2017-20. Bell had 10 returns and four fair catches as a temp for Ray-Ray McCloud, who left in free agency for the Falcons.
KICK RETURNER
Elijah Mitchell
Isaac Guerendo
Jordan Mason
Jacob Cowing
Ricky Pearsall
Trent Taylor
The NFL’s new kickoff rules shouldn’t entice the 49ers to expose one of their stars (see: McCaffrey, Aiyuk), although Samuel is always up for such work in the playoffs. Instead, it’s a role that should still fall to a backup running back or receiver, preferably a fast one, such as Guerendo or Cowing, which depends on whether they’ll suit up on game days.
