The 10 Most Interesting 49ers in Training Camp This Year

It's almos here.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 49ers will kick off their first practice of training camp on Sunday. Here are the 10 most interesting players to watch this year.

1. De'Zhaun Stribling | Wide receiver

He probably won't start right away, but he was their top draft pick. They took him with the No. 1 pick in the second round. Adam Schefter reported that a couple of teams had Stribling as the top wide receiver on their draft boards, and the Rams were eyeing Stribling as well. So, what's the hype all about? We know he can block and run after the catch, but those traits won't show in practice when defenders can't tackle. Can he get open? Can he run a full route tree? Can he beat starting NFL cornerbacks? Can he win in the 1-on-1 drills? We literally have no idea what he can do on an NFL practice field against starters. Can he even stay healthy? If he can, he might find himself starting sooner rather than later given the injury histories of the other wide receivers on the roster.

2. Ricky Pearsall | Wide receiver

We know what Pearsall can do when he's healthy. He's one of the better route runners in the league when he doesn't get jammed at the line of scrimmage. But he misses a lot of practice time, both in the offseason and during the season. Last season, he missed eight games with a knee injury that never fully healed. In OTAs last month, he practiced in front of the media during the first week but not the second week. And then recently, he posted videos online of him running routes while wearing a compression sleeve over his knee, which means it still could be an issue. If he can't consistently practice this offseason, Stribling might take his starting spot, or the 49ers might bring back Deebo Samuel. He's still a free agent.

3. Mike Evans | Wide receiver

Will Evans be like Anquan Boldin, who came to the 49ers in his mid 30s and dominated every practice right away and showed that he was still a quality No. 1 receiver? Or will Evans be like Randy Moss, who came to the 49ers in his mid 30s as a fading No. 2 receiver entering the final season of his career? Last season did not go well for Evans. He battled hamstring issues for the second straight year and appeared in only eight games. Can he handle a full training camp at his age (almost 33)? Or will he take lots of days off like the other veterans? He needs to practice as much as possible so he can develop chemistry with Brock Purdy.

4. Romello Height | Edge rusher

Height was the 49ers' second pick, and he's not a project. He's already 25. He's here to replace Bryce Huff as the designated edge rusher on passing downs, and he needs to be able to fill that role immediately. Otherwise, he's probably a bust, considering he already is middle-aged by NFL standards. And if he can't make an immediate impact, the 49ers will have to seriously consider signing Joey Bosa, trading for Maxx Crosby, or finding some other impact edge rusher, because Nick Bosa isn't enough.

5. Dre Greenlaw | Linebacker

He's more than two years removed from his Achilles tear, but he's 29, he has started just 9 games the past two seasons and recorded a measly 52 tackles. Does he have anything left? Can he practice anymore? Because he didn't practice in front of the media during OTAs. He was a spectator. If you didn't know him, you might have thought he was a coach or Fred Warner's buddy just there to hang out and watch. Will he ever be fully recovered? Can he play a full season? And if not, who will replace him in the starting lineup when he's out? They traded Dee Winters to the Cowboys, and he's pretty good. Rookie linebacker Jaden Dugger has a chance to replace him.

6. Brock Purdy | Quarterback

For years, the 49ers' quarterbacks were the most interesting players in camp. The competitions between Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo come to mind. But those days are over. Purdy has established himself as a good starting quarterback in the NFL -- the best starting quarterback the 49ers have had in a long time. He's not competing for his job. And yet, he's still under scrutiny because he missed eight games last season and threw 13 interceptions in 11 starts, including the postseason. Will the interceptions continue? Or will he finally fix that issue in his game as he enters his fifth season in the league?

7. Renardo Green | Cornerback

Statistically, he was the 49ers' best cornerback last season. But he got in a shouting match with head coach Kyle Shanahan during their playoff loss to the Seahawks, and the 49ers even benched him for a drive, so you know they're not completely satisfied with him. Then this offseason, they signed veteran cornerbacks Nate Hobbs and Jack Jones. Clearly, the 49ers want to push Green, who's a subpar tackler and has intercepted just two passes since high school. If he doesn't have a lights-out camp, he could lose his starting spot for Week 1.

8. Upton Stout | Nickelback

He's the 49ers' best young defensive player, but he was a non-factor in the playoff loss to the Seahawks because he hardly was on the field. In fact, he played just 18 snaps. The Seahawks offense used lots of tight ends, and Robert Saleh didn't feel confident leaving Stout on the field against Seattle's base offense. Will Raheem Morris find a way to keep Stout on the field all the time this season? He's too good to come off it, especially given the lack of talent the 49ers have in their secondary.

9. Malik Mustapha | Safety

The safety position could be the 49ers' biggest weakness. Mustapha was promising as a rookie before he tore his ACL at the end of the season. Last year, he never seemed to recapture the form he displayed as a rookie. Now that he's a full season removed from the injury, can he take the next step? Former 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga took two seasons to fully recover from his torn ACL, and now he's better than ever. Too bad the 49ers let him go.

10. Mac Jones | Quarterback

Usually backup quarterbacks who aren't competing for the starting job are boring. But Jones isn't a typical backup. He'll be a starter somewhere next year, because he's the real deal. And he's entering his second season in Kyle Shanahan's offensive scheme. How much better and more confident will Jones be now that he knows the system backwards and front? Or will he take a step back? Was last year just a mirage? We'll find out soon enough.