NFL insiders hear so much information about team interests leading up to the NFL Draft, making it challenging to discern fact from fiction—or smoke screens. A few weeks before the draft, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reported an intriguing tidbit about a Louisville running back—the San Francisco 49ers were not just interested but very interested. Pauline took to social media to share that, according to what he was hearing, the 49ers had a third-round grade on Isaac Guerendo and were considering drafting him if he was still that at the end of the second day of the draft. Shortly afterward, Paul ..read more

The San Francisco 49ers selected wide receiver Jacob Cowing in the fourth round of the draft, adding him to a wideout group that includes Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, and first-round pick Ricky Pearsall. Following his selection, Cowing spoke with reporters and revealed his admiration for a receiver within the division—Seattle Seahawks veteran Tyler Lockett—whom he's modeled his game after. "As I was growing up on my football journey, I looked at Tyler Lockett a lot," Cowing told reporters via Zoom. "Very similar in stature. I kind of resembled my game after him a lot." The ..read more

It's not uncommon for a player to be frustrated with his lack of playing time. The San Francisco 49ers have their share of players who complained, usually after leaving the team, about how they were underused or weren't given the opportunities to showcase their skills. You can add former 49ers wide receiver Willie Snead IV to that list. On Friday, Snead shared his frustration on social media, writing, "All I want is to go back to a team that isn't afraid to let guys compete for a roster spot. These last 3 years been nothing short of entitlement…Competition breedz Champions." It's unclear what ..read more

Former GM Scot McCloughan is widely considered the architect of the San Francisco 49ers roster that Jim Harbaugh took to three straight NFC Championships and one Super Bowl. McCloughan led the regime that drafted players like Alex Smith, Frank Gore, Patrick Willis, and Joe Staley. He helped restock a team completely void of talent. He's known to have an excellent eye for talent. These days, McCloughan serves as an advisor to a few NFL teams. Recently, he spoke with Matt Barrows, of The Athletic, to discuss the 49ers 2024 draft picks. There were a few players the 49ers drafted who McCloughan l ..read more

The San Francisco 49ers have drafted many running backs in the top half of the draft over the years. Some have been hits, like Roger Craig (1983, second round), Ricky Watters (1991, second round), and Frank Gore (2005, third round). Others have been misses, like James Owens (1979, second round), Terrance Flagler (1987, first round), Amp Lee (1992, second round), Glen Coffee (2009, third round), and LaMichael James (2012, second round). Dexter Carter was a solid kick and punt returner for the 49ers in the early 1990s, but he wasn't worth the first-round pick the team used on him in 1990. The c ..read more

The fourth round of the NFL draft had a common theme for the San Francisco 49ers' offense between rookie running back Isaac Guerendo and wide receiver Jacob Cowing—speed. Cowing of Arizona was selected 135th overall with the 49ers' final fourth-round pick; he reached the fastest top speed in the first 5 yards of the 40-yard dash in the entire draft class. RD 4 | PK 135 - 49ers: Jacob Cowing WR, Arizona he @49ers continue to emphasize athleticism in their selection of Cowing, who reached the fastest top speed in the first 5 yards of the 40 yard dash of any wide receiver at the 2024 Combine ..read more

In March, the San Francisco 49ers were thrilled to agree to terms on a one-year deal with free agent linebacker Eric Kendricks, providing insurance in case Dre Greenlaw missed significant time due to the torn Achilles suffered in the Super Bowl. However, Kendricks unexpectedly backed out of the agreement, opting to sign with the Dallas Cowboys instead. For the Cowboys, it marked a rare victory over the 49ers and left the Bay Area team scrambling for an alternative solution. Kendricks recently shed light on his decision to withdraw from the deal with the 49ers. "I think I would've taken more ..read more

Former NFL quarterback Alex Smith, who spent his first eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, has enthusiastically followed quarterback Brock Purdy's rapid rise. Now the team's starting quarterback, no one could have predicted such success for the former Iowa State passer when the Bay Area team selected him as the No. 262 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Following injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, Purdy seized his opportunity during his rookie campaign and flourished, leaving Smith impressed and eager to see what the future holds for the 24-year-old signal-caller. "To see w ..read more

After years of striving to solidify the starting quarterback position, the San Francisco 49ers finally struck gold with the last overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, selecting Brock Purdy out of Iowa State. Admittedly, general manager John Lynch can't take sole credit for the find. During a conversation on the "Pat McAfee Show" this week, Lynch disclosed the individuals within the organization who were instrumental in identifying Purdy as a draft prospect the team should consider. "I think two people deserve so much credit for Brock Purdy, and one of them is now in our pro department," Lynch ..read more

When John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan assumed the roster-building responsibilities for the San Francisco 49ers in 2017, the team was still in the process of defining its culture. The new general manager and head coach had a clear vision of what that culture would look like, building a team with players and coaches who execute their roles selflessly. This meant physical play on both offense and defense, maximum effort, and even thinking outside the box with some position groups. This commitment to a well-rounded approach is evident in the roles expected of the 49ers' wide receivers, tight ends, a ..read more