The San Francisco 49ers officially wrapped their offseason program about a week ago, so now that we've had some time to think about how the spring/early summer played out, let's talk about three players who are on the right track toward a big 2023 season.

Three Winners From 49ers OTAs/Minicamp

QB Brock Purdy

Purdy scored a win during mandatory minicamp after Trey Lance and Sam Darnold had inconsistent showings. He obviously didn’t practice due to his UCL surgery back in March, which makes the figurative win all the more sweeter.

Both quarterbacks reportedly looked great in 7-on-7s, which is what's supposed to happen. Things changed, however, when the situation got tougher and moved to 11-on-11s.

The 49ers have been more than clear that Purdy would be the No. 1 guy if he were healthy and it seems very likely he'll take over the top QB job once he comes back, anyway.

But, a very strong offseason from either Lance, Daronld, or even both could really make things interesting. There's certainly a world where those guys play well enough to where it forces the 49ers to make a tough decision. It certainly wouldn't be the first time that's ever happened in the NFL.

It's still early, obviously, but things are off to a good start. Lance and Darnold aren't doing anything to challenge Purdy's hold on the starting job. He's also on schedule in his recovery from UCL surgery, which only adds to the momentum.

WR Brandon Aiyuk

Everyone is raving about Aiyuk’s offseason and for good reason. The fourth-year wideout had a strong 2022 season that showed why he was a first-round pick. 

The hope was that momentum would carry over into this season and so far, it has. Aiyuk made play after play during camp and as a result, several of his teammates are expecting big things in 2023.

“He’s going to be a top-five receiver in this league this year. He’s going to put everybody on notice," cornerback Deommodore Lenoir told reporters during camp. 

The 49ers offense is already hard enough to stop with Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey on the field. Adding a legit threat in Aiyuk only makes the offense that much more versatile -and better- which is a scary thought for the other 31 defenses. 

CB D’Shawn Jamison

There may not be any actual practice photos of Jamison in a 49ers jersey, but that hasn't stopped him from grabbing people's attention during the offseason:

A dark horse in the cornerback competition: undrafted rookie D’Shawn Jamison…… That’s exactly how the 5-foot-9 Jamison looked in the minicamp. He knocked away a pass from Allen during seven-on-seven drills Tuesday, then had three more breakups on Wednesday, victimizing Allen every time. That last came on the final play of practice when he dove to prevent what would have been a big, downfield completion to rookie receiver Isaiah Winstead.Jamison also was one of the punt returners this spring. In short, he stood out more than any other undrafted rookie. – Matt Barrows, The Athletic

It's not going to be easy for a UDFA to break into the 49ers cornerback room, even if there are positions up to grabs. But, if Jamison can show out on special teams, that will go a long way in helping him make the final 53-man roster.

That in itself is plenty of reason to keep an eye on him throughout training camp and the preseason.

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There were a couple of other names in Cameron Latu, Drake Jackson, Deommodore Lenoir, and even Christian McCaffrey, but it's probably safe to say the above three came out of the offseason program in the best shape.



Now, it's onto training camp in late July, when things get really interesting. We'll see if these developments hold through or change once the pads come on.

Featured image via Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports