Which prospects visited the 49ers? Linemen — offensive and defensive — abound (2024)

The best predictor when it comes to whom John Lynch and the San Francisco 49ers will phone during next week’s NFL Draft? Whether a player took a pre-draft visit to Santa Clara.

Last year, for example, the 49ers hosted five of their nine picks: Ji’Ayir Brown, Cameron Latu, Darrell Luter Jr., Brayden Willis and Jalen Graham. They also had an extensive workout at Michigan with another pick, kicker Jake Moody.

The year before that, five of nine draft picks also visited, including the first four taken. In 2019, the last pre-draft process uninterrupted by the pandemic, the 49ers hosted four of their top five picks — Nick Bosa, Deebo Samuel, Jalen Hurd and Dre Greenlaw — and had a workout with the fifth, punter Mitch Wishnowsky.

Two decades ago, teams used to hand reporters the list of their pre-draft visitors as a way of drumming up interest in the draft. Nowadays, they guard the list closely.

Still, we were able to verify the following visitors. Some draft devotees will notice that certain names that have appeared on other visit lists — including the son of a prominent former 49ers receiver — aren’t on this list. There’s more on that below.

The draft-round projection is from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler’s comprehensive draft guide, “The Beast.”

First round

DE Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan

Second round

OT Kingsley Suamataia, BYU

WR Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky

DE Chris Braswell, Alabama

DT Michael Hall Jr., Ohio State

CB Andru Phillips, Kentucky

Third round

OT Blake Fisher, Notre Dame

DT Brandon Dorlus, Oregon

LB Trevin Wallace, Kentucky

S Calen Bullock, USC

Fourth round

OT Caedan Wallace, Penn State

WR Javon Baker, Central Florida

WR Jacob Cowing, Arizona

CB DeCamerion Richardson, Mississippi State

Fifth round

TE Erick All, Iowa

Sixth round

WR Bub Means, Pittsburgh

CB Chau Smith-Wade, Washington State

S Sione Vaki, Utah

Seventh round

LB Tatum Bethune, Florida State

PFA

DT Evan Anderson, Florida Atlantic

• The first thing you might notice is a dearth of possible first-rounders. Brugler even lists Kneeland as a first- to second-rounder. The 49ers typically spend a lot of time with players they end up taking in Round 1. The only exception to that rule has been tackle Mike McGlinchey, their top pick in 2018 who had such an impressive interview at the NFL Scouting Combine that the 49ers didn’t feel the need to fly him to Santa Clara.

The team had formal combine interviews with several potential first-rounders, including offensive linemen Amarius Mims (Georgia), Graham Barton (Duke) and Jordan Morgan (Arizona). However, it’s worth noting that the 49ers’ coaches attended the combine in 2018 and were part of the interviews. They haven’t attended the last three combines.

The other reason for the lack of first-rounders: This is a partial list. Teams are allowed to host 30 players, meaning as many as 10 names are missing.

• Most fans are eager to see the team bulk up its offensive line, especially tackle. And the 49ers certainly have been doing their homework on the position.

In addition to those listed above, offensive line coach Chris Foerster recently watched Washington tackle Roger Rosengarten in a workout in Seattle. Rosengarten might be considered a “person of interest” next week considering former 49ers tackle Joe Staley has been training him in the run-up to the draft and because he’s seen as a good fit for a zone-blocking team. He has not had a formal visit with the team, though the recent workout — Lynch was there, too — plus Staley’s involvement probably eliminates the need for a visit.

Brugler has him rated as a second- to third-round talent. The 49ers are picking at the end of the second round.

Washington OT Roger Rosengarten vs. Kansas edge Austin Booker pic.twitter.com/iyOE35QFcb

— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) January 31, 2024

• The 49ers definitely have a type when it comes to defensive linemen: players who can quickly burst across the line of scrimmage. That’s Hall’s forte, which was underscored by his impressive 1.65-second 10-yard split at nearly 300 pounds.

The only pure edge rusher of the group above is Braswell, an outside linebacker at Alabama who led the SEC last season with 56 quarterback pressures. Kneeland is a defensive end who seems like he has the size and strength to move inside on obvious passing downs. Dorlus is the opposite, a defensive tackle who also can play on the outside of the line as needed.

• Earlier in the week, the 49ers signed one of their former draft picks, Trent Taylor, to a one-year deal. Taylor, who has 112 career punt returns, automatically becomes the front-runner at the position. Taylor’s return means all 11 of the fifth-round picks the 49ers have made since Lynch and Kyle Shanahan were hired in 2017 are under contract, 10 with the 49ers. The exception is 2018 fifth-rounder D.J. Reed, who is with the New York Jets.

That said, draft visitor Cowing has some experience returning punts. If the 49ers take him, he might give Danny Gray a run for his money for the title of the fastest 49er. The 5-8 Cowing ran his 40 in 4.38 seconds and set a school record with 13 touchdowns last season.

• Nearly 700 of Corley’s 984 receiving yards last season came after the catch, which is why Corley has gotten so many Samuel comparisons in the run-up to the draft. He’s had one of the busiest draft-visit itineraries of any prospect, likely because he was a late scratch for the combine.

Meanwhile, a report in March indicated that USC receiver Brenden Rice, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, would visit the 49ers, but he didn’t end up coming, according to two league sources. Brugler projects Rice as a third- or fourth-round pick.

Another player linked to the 49ers, Oregon safety/linebacker Jamal Hill, also did not visit.

(Top photos of Marshawn Kneeland, Kingsley Suamataia and Blake Fisher: Kirby Lee / USA Today)