Introducing the 49ers' Undrafted Free Agents
The the 49ers have signed 10 undrafted free-agent rookies:
1. Broc Rutter, QB, North Central.
2. Salvon Ahmed, RB, Washington.
3. JaMychal Hasty, RB, Baylor.
4. Josh Hokit, FB, Fresno State.
5. Chris Finke, WR, Notre Dame.
6. Chase Harrell, TE, Arkansas.
7. Darrion Daniels, NT, Nebraska.
8. Jonas Griffith, LB, Indiana State.
9. DeMarkus Acy, CB, Missouri.
10. Jared Mayden, S, Alabama.
Rutter: A 6'1" quarterback with so-so arm strength who put up prolific passing stats at a small school. Sound familiar?
Rutter could be the next Nick Mullens. Both threw more than 1,500 pass attempts in college, and both signed with the 49ers as undrafted free agents.
Rutter has nothing in common with 49ers backup quarterback C.J. Beathard. Beathard played at a big school (Iowa), but threw only 782 passes in college. He mostly handed off the ball. Handing off doesn't teach young quarterbacks how to read coverage. Beathard is behind the curve and might never catch up.
The 49ers seem to have learned the value of repetitions for a quarterback. The more passes a quarterback throws in college, the more prepared he'll be for the NFL. Mullens proved that.
Ahmed: A fast, explosive scatback, similar to Matt Breida. The 49ers signed Breida as an undrafted free agent in 2017, then traded him this offseason to the Dolphins for a fifth-round draft pick. The 49ers probably think they can develop another Breida.
Hasty: A quick, explosive third-down back, similar to Devonta Freeman and Jerick McKinnon. Freeman was Kyle Shanahan's third-down back in Atlanta, and McKinnon was supposed to fill that role in San Francisco.
The third-down back runs choice routes and dodge routes and Texas routes of the backfield. Meaning he runs directly at a linebacker before making a sharp cut. Think Roger Craig or Alvin Kamara or Christian McCaffrey.
Hasty probably isn't as good as those three, but he has potential to give the 49ers offense something it lacks.
Hokit: A fullback who played running back in college, similar to Tom Rathman.
Kyle Juszczyk was a tight end in college, which explains why he's a good receiver, but not much a running back. He's not a threat between the tackles, even on fourth and 1.
Hokit is a threat to run. And he's a good blocker, too. He's small for a fullback -- 6'1", 225 pounds -- but linebackers are shrinking, too. He's perfect for the modern NFL and Shanahan's offensive scheme.
Finke: A small, quick slot receiver, similar to Trent Taylor.
Taylor is Jimmy Garoppolo's favorite receiver, because Garoppolo loves throwing short passes over the middle to small slot receivers. But Taylor hasn't been healthy since 2017, and might not be healthy next season, either. Plus, he'll be a free agent in 2021.
Finke can replace Taylor if necessary.
Harrell: A big athlete who can run, similar to George Kittle.
Harrell is 6'4", 257 pounds and he runs a 4.53. At the NFL Scouting Combine in 2017, Kittle was 6'4", 247 pounds and he ran a 4.52.
Remember, Kittle was a fifth-round pick, a developmental athlete who caught just 48 catches in college. Harrell caught 37 passes in college and even played some defensive end.
Perhaps Shanahan believes he created Kittle, and can create another one. Kittle will be a free agent in 2021 and the 49ers have not yet given him a contract extension. Kittle is expected to command the richest extension ever for a tight end.
Daniels: A nose tackle. Call him D.J-Jones insurance.
Jones is a highly-talented nose tackle, but he has missed 18 games the past three seasons and will be a free agent in 2021. The Niners need a potential replacement ready. Enter Daniels.
Griffith: A small-school linebacker who's tall and fast, similar to Fred Warner.
Griffith is 6'3", 247 pounds and he runs a 4.62. At the 2018 Combine, Warner was 6'3', 236 pounds and he ran a 4.64. Griffith can be Warner's understudy.
Acy: A mid-size cornerback who runs in the mid-4.4s, similar to Emmanuel Moseley.
Acy is 6'0", 195 pounds and runs a 4.45. Moseley is 5'11", 190 pounds and runs a 4.42.
The 49ers prefer to draft big corners -- no shorter than 6'3". Think Ahkello Witherspoon and Tim Harris. But those corners haven't had much success. The 49ers' best young corner is Moseley, a former undrafted free agent.
The 49ers probably hope Acy can follow in Moseley's footsteps.
Mayden: A do-everything defensive back, similar to Adrian Colbert.
The 49ers drafted Colbert in the seventh round of the 2017 draft and played him at cornerback first. Then they moved him to free safety, and he became their starter. Now he plays for the Dolphins. He was a good late-round pick. Mayden is a similar athlete who could have similar success.
