49ers' key Senior Bowl takeaway: Practices reaffirmed a reason for confidence of 2025 rebound, if they make the right decisions
Despite finishing 2024 with a hugely disappointing 6-11 record, the San Francisco 49ers have several reasons to be optimistic of a bounce-back season. As I wrote recently, the Niners can look to the example of the NFC's Super Bowl representative, the Philadelphia Eagles, as a shining example of a team rebounding quickly from a disappointing […]
Despite finishing 2024 with a hugely disappointing 6-11 record, the San Francisco 49ers have several reasons to be optimistic of a bounce-back season.
As I wrote recently, the Niners can look to the example of the NFC's Super Bowl representative, the Philadelphia Eagles, as a shining example of a team rebounding quickly from a disappointing season. Meanwhile, the return of Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator and the hire of the extremely experienced Brant Boyer as special teams coordinator should breed hope the 49ers can turn things around in two areas of the game in which they markedly struggled in 2024.
But arguably the biggest reason for confidence, beyond having the game's pre-eminent offensive play-caller in Kyle Shanahan and a host of dynamic talents at the offensive skill positions, is a draft class that is deep in the exact areas San Francisco needs to address.
The 49ers' biggest offseason issues, outside of the small matter of Brock Purdy's contract extension, concern the trenches.
San Francisco is in dire need of reinforcements at defensive tackle, while the 49ers would benefit from greater depth and a long-term running mate for Nick Bosa at defensive end.
On the offensive line, there is a potential hole at the starting left guard spot, with center also viewed as a weakness following a sub-par season from Jake Brendel. San Francisco could definitely upgrade on Colton McKivitz at right tackle and potentially look to find a successor to Trent Williams on the left side.
Prior to this week's Senior Bowl, the draft class projected as one that aligned well with the 49ers' needs, and the week of practice sessions in Mobile, AL, have only served to reaffirm that point.
San Francisco had the extra advantage this week of defensive quality control coach K.J. Wright coaching the National Team edge rushers. That group, after something of a slow start on day one, hit their stride from day two onwards, with Marshall's Mike Green and Boston College's Donovan Ezeiruaku demonstrating their ability to win with the speed and power that were key to them finishing the 2024 season with 17 and 16.5 sacks respectively.
Speed and power among defensive linemen was a theme for the week. On the American Team, the alluring physical traits of Texas A&M Shemar Stewart and Ole Miss' defensive tackle Walter Nolen saw both dominate in practice. After a 2024 season in which he had only 1.5 sacks, Stewart complicated the evaluation process with a week in which he thrived in both one-on-ones and team periods. Nolen, a huge defensive tackle with tremendous first-step quickness, would appear to tick all the boxes as a Niner despite some character questions.
In short, the main takeaway from the Senior Bowl was clear. This is an outstanding year to draft a defensive linemen early, and the performances of the Kentucky's Deone Walker and Joshua Farmer of Boston College hammered home the point that this is a deep interior defensive line class with ascending talents who can make a difference in the pros very early.
On the offensive side, though the top tackles in the class did not participate, the 49ers have to be excited at the possibility of setting themselves up well for the future both inside and out.
The likes of North Dakota State's Grey Zabel and USC's Jonah Monheim made it clear they could each give the Niners a possible answer at center, each rounding off the week with a third successive stellar practice, while a possible day-two pick in LSU's Emery Jones and NC State's Anthony Belton showcased outstanding composure from the tackle spot.
Further back on the defensive side of the ball, Louisville's Quincy Riley, Maxwell Hairston of Kentucky and Azareye'h Thomas of Florida State stood out in their cornerback one-on-ones against wideouts, showcasing impressive movement skills, downfield coverage upside, the ability to make plays on the ball and, in the case of Riley, outstanding instincts.
The high level of cornerback play may have been especially heartening to a 49ers team that will likely need a new third starter for their nickel defense with Charvarius Ward seemingly set to depart in free agency.
Looming potential holes at cornerback, safety and linebacker illustrate the point that the Niners cannot simply focus on the trenches in the draft.
But a theme of the week of from a 49ers perspective was one of prospects performing extremely well at almost every area of need, perhaps allowing them to cast a wider net in terms of positions targeted.
If the Niners want to focus on the secondary in the draft, there's a lot to suggest they can find several rookie contributors in the defensive backfield, while the likes of Oregon's Jeffrey Bassa and Jack Kiser of Notre Dame provided encouragement that some insurance at linebacker could be found in this class.
Though there are a host of versatile interior offensive linemen in the draft along with some clear-cut first-round tackles, history says the 49ers are more likely to focus on ensuring Saleh's defense can win in the traditional sense with strength up front that was dismally lacking from San Francisco in 2024.
The Senior Bowl offered only a taster as to who is available in that regard in the draft. However, the likes of Stewart, Green and Nolen delivered a mouthwatering appetizer that indicated this defensive line class is deep enough and talented enough to help Saleh turn the 49ers back into a contender. As such, the Niners can leave Mobile with great reason for hope, but that optimism will only be justified by correct decisions both in free agency and in the draft in Green Bay in under three months' time.
