In 3 plays"The San Francisco 49ers selected Stanford

tight end Kaden Smith at No. 176 in the NFL Draft. We haven’t really talked about the sixth round pick Joe Staley Jersey , so let’s do that today. Here are three plays that highlight why the Niners selected Smith.Contested catch kingOne thing is evident, Smith does not need to be open to be successful. Watch Smith go against Utah. You’re not going to be wowed by his route running. What will impress you is his ability to catch the ball when a defender is hanging on his back. There were a handful of contested catches in that game. This was the best one.Because Smith won’t win with athleticism, he’s going to have to win this way in the NFL. Luckily, he proved that won’t be an issue at Stanford. On the play above, notice how he protects the ball at the end. Subtle things like that is when you can tell a receiver is nuanced. Being able to hold on to the ball through contact is another trait that Smith does at a high level.This leads me to believe that Kyle Shanahan views Smith as a possible red zone threat, and we will touch on that in a little bit. If Jimmy Garoppolo will give him a chance, Smith has shown he’s more of a 70/30 receiver than a 50/50 in contested situations.Stretch the seamsOne thing that is consistent with Smith and where he produced in the Cardinal offense in 2018 was his ability to stretch the seams. Stanford threw him the ball down the middle of the field and he came through time and time again.In the Washington game, that play was a touchdown. Using Smith as a vertical option down the middle of the field will allow the 49ers to create mismatches for George Kittle underneath. It will also allow force defenses to stay in their “base” packages, because of the threat to run the ball. Smith isn’t the greatest run blocking tight end, but the effort is there. The threat of a vertical threat is what matters. Even throwing him the ball a couple times a game to make the defense honor him is worth it, especially knowing the quality receiver Smith is.Another red zone threatConsistently making plays in traffic in the most congested part of the field. That’s what a lot of the catches look like that Smith makes. When you have the worst red zone offense in the NFL, you are going to overcorrect. That’s what 49ers did this offseason. They went and got a combination of big-bodied, strong receivers that can hang on in the toughest situations. In the case of Smith, he gives the Garoppolo a target that can be trusted in the red zone.This play came out of 12 personnel, where the offense has two tight ends on the field. One thing that I’m interested in seeing is how much more two tight end sets we will see in 2019, especially in the red zone. The 49ers played small in 2018. With the additions they’ve made during this offseason, my guess is that changes.Smith is a Day 3 athlete Solomon Thomas Color Rush Jersey , and if he’s ever going to become more than a number two tight end, he’ll have to figure out how to separate consistently. But just talking as a pure receiver in regards to catching, adjusting, holding on to and protecting the ball, Smith is superb. When you have the type of ball skills that Smith does, there’s a role for you on offense. Shanahan should be able to find one for Smith, even if it is minimal. Being able to put a package together of 15-20 plays that feature two tight end sets—where the defense has to honor you, will be a change in 2019. Our daily breakdown of the 49ers’ 2019 training camp." 49ers Training Camp 201949ers training camp recap: Offense sputters on Day 2New,39commentsOur daily breakdown of the 49ers’ 2019 training camp.PDTDay 2 of training camp for the San Francisco 49ers continued the theme of defensive success that began on opening day. The front seven wasn’t quite as dominant on Sunday but was able to apply enough pressure to disrupt the offense consistently. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo only managed to complete 5 of 12 passes during the full team portions of practice.The 49ers’ struggles on offense can be attributed to several factors. The most obvious was the consistent pressure from the defensive front, who practiced several linebacker and corner blitzes throughout the afternoon. The secondary also seemed much improved, with multiple pass breakups and forced turnovers. Richard Sherman and Ahkello Witherspoon had impressive pass breakups, both on passes from Garoppolo.Witherspoon struggled on Saturday, with a trip in coverage resulting in the day’s biggest play from Garoppolo to receiver Jordan Matthews. He rebounded on Sunday. Witherspoon’s highlight play came during 7-on-7s, where he stepped in front of a Garoppolo pass intended for Dante Pettis on a slant route, intercepting the throw. Witherspoon’s primary competition for the starting role opposite Sherman will be Jason Verrett, who is still being slowly eased into action.Positive plays were few and far between for the first-string offense. Running back Tevin Coleman had a good day, breaking off a pair of big runs to the right side and reeling in multiple catches. Unfortunately https://www.49ersfanshop.com/Mike-Mcglinchey-Jersey , he also fumbled when linebacker Fred Warner punched the ball out from behind. Coleman would’ve been tackled before the fumble in a live game, but the 49ers coaching staff prefers all defenders rally to the ball and attempt to force a turnover.Trent Taylor was another standout on offense, taking a pair of 10-yard receptions for big yards after the catch. Both might have been touchdowns, but it’s hard to tell when defenders aren’t allowed to hit. Taylor appears to be noticeably faster and quicker than he was in 2018, after undergoing back surgery before the season. Taylor is likely to earn a prominent role this season so long as he makes the final 53-man roster. Rookie receiver Jalen Hurd was involved in two different fights, one with cornerback Dontae Johnson and the other safety Antone Exum. Multiple punches were exchanged in the first fight while both players went to the ground in the second. After talking with Eric Crocker, it was determined that both plays revolved around Hurd’s physical style of blocking. If that’s the case, it would be looked at in a more positive light by the coaching staff. Kyle Shanahan made it very clear after practice that fights were not appreciated and would not be tolerated.The mood isn't getting any lighter, as the 49ers return on Monday for the first padded practice of training camp.NotesCornerback Jason Verrett saw a small increase in the number of reps he was allowed. The former Los Angeles Chargers cornerback got some work in with the second-team defense during the 7-on-7 portion of practice. Verrett looks healthy after suffering a torn Achilles at the starting of training camp in 2018.Guard Josh Garnett dislocated a finger in his right hand during practice today. It was the second day in a row. It happened, having dislocated it on Saturday but was able to put it back in himself. This time, Garnett came off the field and did not return. Second-year defensive back D.J. Reed has moved to cornerback. On Sunday he played both nickel and outside, returning to his roots of playing that position at Kansas State. Reed has the versatility to play every spot in the secondary, which helps his chances of making the team’s final roster.Marquise Goodwin has begun to re-establish himself as one of the team’s top targets. He and Dante Pettis are among Garoppolo’s most favored wideouts so far. Goodwin made a trio of impressive receptions on Sunday, two of which went for over 20 yards. Goodwin also added a drop after breaking free of Richard Sherman on a deep curl route.