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49ers’ rookie class a silver lining from tumultuous training camp originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA — It’s no secret that the vibes surrounding the 49ers right now heading into the 2024 NFL season are … not great.
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left tackle Trent Williams’ contract situations continue to dominate the conversation around San Francisco. But fear not, Faithful. There are positives.
Particularly with the team’s 2024 NFL Draft class, which consists of multiple rookies who impressed throughout training camp and the preseason and appear well-positioned to earn big roles on offense and defense this season.
“We thought we really hit on this draft class and that remains to be [seen]. I always tell people, ask me a couple years down the line,” president of football operations/general manager John Lynch said Wednesday. “But yeah, [Ricky Pearsall’s] going to be a really good football player. He’s had some health challenges. [Dominick] Puni, the way he’s stepped in. Renardo Green, he’s everything we thought he would be. He gets up, competes, he’s sticky.
“Our three fourth-rounders: [Isaac] Guerendo, [Malik] Mustapha and [Jacob] Cowing. All of them explosive, they bring speed, they’re playmakers. These guys are all doing really, really well. We’re proud of this group and they’ve got a long way to go.”
Perhaps the most impressive rookie this summer has been Puni, the 49ers’ third-round offensive lineman who all but officially has locked up the starting right guard job after incumbent starters Spencer Buford and Jon Feliciano went down with injuries during training camp.
Both 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and Lynch have alluded to Puni as the team’s starter in recent weeks, and on Wednesday, both were close to making it official.
“You kind of got me on that because we haven’t announced anything or told anybody anything, but it’s going to be hard to take that from him,” Shanahan said when asked if Puni will be the starting right guard. “That’s how…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/49ers-rookie-class-silver-lining-000926921.html
Author : NBC Sports BayArea
Publish date : 2024-08-29 01:24:33
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