San Francisco 49ers' Projected Final 53-Man Roster, Pre-Training Camp Edition

The San Francisco 49ers recently announced their first training-camp practice will be August 1. After training camp, we'll have a better idea of which 53 players will make the 49ers roster.

We'll know which players will start the year on the non-football injury list, which players will start the season on the physically unable to perform list and which players will start the year on the injured reserve list with a designation to return.

And we'll know which players, if any, will miss the entire season due to injury.

Until then, here's a pre-training camp prediction of the 49ers' final 53-man roster for 2015.

Quarterback

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Quarterback

1. Colin Kaepernick, fifth season

2. Blaine Gabbert, fifth season

Even if undrafted rookie free-agent quarterback Dylan Thompson plays well during the preseason, he probably won't make the team.

He'll be playing during the third and fourth quarters of the preseason games, meaning he'll be playing against third- and fourth-stringers—guys who won't make NFL rosters next season.

So, Thompson's performance probably won't mean much to the Niners. They most likely will elect to keep the two veterans—Colin Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert. Gabbert hasn't shown promise in the league yet, but at least he has game experience and knows the offense.

Thompson most likely will spend the season on the practice squad.

Running Back

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Running Back

1. Carlos Hyde, second season

2. Reggie Bush, 10th season

3. Kendall Hunter, fifth season

4. Mike Davis, rookie

Fullback

1. Bruce Miller, fifth season

Carlos Hyde, Reggie Bush and Bruce Miller are cornerstones of San Francisco's run-first offense, and they almost certainly will make the final roster.

Kendall Hunter probably will make the team as long as he stays healthy. He missed 2014 with a torn ACL, but his career rushing average is 4.6 yards per carry. He is one of the best change-of-pace backs in the NFL.

That leaves one spot up for grabs—the No. 4 running back.

Twenty-seven-year-old rookie running back and 2014 Rugby League Player of the Year Jarryd Hayne might win the job if he plays well during the preseason. But he probably won't play well—he has no experience with live-action tackle football. He's new to the sport.

Rookie fourth-round pick Mike Davis probably will beat out Hayne for the last spot on the running back depth chart.

Wide Receiver

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Wide Receiver

1. Anquan Boldin, 13th season

2. Torrey Smith, fifth season

3. Jerome Simpson, seventh season

4. Bruce Ellington, second season

5. Quinton Patton, third season

6. DeAndrew White, rookie

Jerome Simpson probably has to win the No. 3 wide receiver job to make the final roster. Otherwise, he'll be an old backup wide receiver who doesn't play special teams. He would provide no value.

But Simpson is an underrated talent. I predict he will win the No. 3 wide receiver job and that youngsters Bruce Ellington and Quinton Patton will fill reserve roles for one last season.

Undrafted rookie free-agent wide receiver DeAndrew White was the star of OTAs and minicamp. He might be too talented to stash on the practice squad—some team probably would claim him off waivers.

So, the Niners probably will keep him. Although he might not play much offense his rookie season, he can start on special teams as one of the two gunners. He was a gunner at the University of Alabama, and he ran a 4.34-second 40-yard dash at his pro day.

Tight End

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Tight End

1. Vernon Davis, 10th season

2. Blake Bell, rookie

3. Busta Anderson, rookie

The Niners spent two draft picks on tight ends this offseason—a fourth-rounder on Blake Bell from the University of Oklahoma and a seventh-rounder on Busta Anderson from the University of South Carolina.

Bell obviously will make the team, and Anderson likely will too. The Niners seem to want to keep him away from the Arizona Cardinals, who need tight ends and drafted one just two picks after the Niners took Anderson.

"If [Anderson] was the highest-rated tight end and we were able to keep [Arizona from getting him], more power to us," 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said after the draft.

If the Niners keep both rookie tight ends, veterans Vance McDonald, Garrett Celek and Derek Carrier will be the odd men out. Instead of cutting them, the Niners might be able to trade them for late-round draft picks.

Offensive Line

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Offensive Line

1. Joe Staley, ninth season

2. Alex Boone, sixth season

3. Daniel Kilgore, fifth season

4. Marcus Martin, second season

5. Erik Pears, ninth season

6. Brandon Thomas, second season

7. Trent Brown, rookie

8. Joe Looney, fourth season

From left to right, Joe Staley, Alex Boone, Daniel Kilgore, Marcus Martin and Erik Pears are the starting five. They probably will make the team.

Second-year guard Brandon Thomas, who missed his rookie season due to a torn ACL, is in line to replace Boone at left guard in 2016 if he leaves via free agency. Thomas probably will make the team.

Rookie seventh-round pick Trent Brown is the backup right tackle. He probably will make the team.

And Joe Looney can play guard or center, so he probably will make the team too.

That leaves rookie sixth-round pick Ian Silberman to compete for the ninth spot on the offensive line. But I predict the 49ers will keep only eight offensive linemen and save an extra roster spot for a defensive player.

Defensive Line

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Defensive Line

1. Glenn Dorsey, eighth season

2. Ian Williams, fifth season

3. Quinton Dial, third season

4. Tank Carradine, third season

5. Darnell Dockett, 12th season

6. Arik Armstead, rookie

The top three defensive linemen on the 49ers depth chart—Glenn Dorsey, Ian Williams and Quinton Dial—probably will be the starters in San Francisco's base 3-4 defense.

The next two defensive lineman on the depth chart—Tank Carradine and Darnell Dockett—probably will be the starting defensive tackles in sub-packages.

And the sixth defensive lineman on the depth chart—rookie Arik Armstead—was the team's first-round draft pick this year. He may not have a role in 2015, but he'll earn one eventually.

Those six defensive linemen are locks to make the final roster. The question is, will the 49ers keep a seventh defensive lineman? The answer probably is no, as the Niners need to keep an extra linebacker instead.

Linebacker

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Linebacker

Inside

1. NaVorro Bowman, sixth season

2. Michael Wilhoite, fifth season

3. Philip Wheeler, eighth season

4. Nick Moody, third season

5. Nick Bellore, fifth season

Outside

1. Aldon Smith, fifth season

2. Ahmad Brooks, ninth season

3. Aaron Lynch, second season

4. Eli Harold, rookie

5. Corey Lemonier, third season

Michael Wilhoite, Nick Moody and Nick Bellore play special teams. Those three have a heightened risk of injury because special teams collisions are the hardest and most brutal.

Starter NaVorro Bowman is coming off a torn ACL and MCL, so he’s a question mark. If the Niners keep only those four inside linebackers, San Francisco could wind up with zero inside linebackers.

So, the Niners have to keep a veteran backup, someone who can step in if someone else gets hurt. That's why 30-year-old Philip Wheeler probably will make the team.

At outside linebacker, the Niners are deeply invested in each of their top five guys and probably would prefer not to cut any of them. And they might not have to.

Veteran Ahmad Brooks occasionally plays inside linebacker in the goal-line defense. His versatility should allow the Niners to keep five outside linebackers, which is important. The Niners defense ranked tied for 21st in sacks last season—they need every pass-rusher they can get.

Secondary

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Secondary

Cornerback

1. Tramaine Brock, sixth season

2. Shareece Wright, fifth season

3. Keith Reaser, second season

4. Chris Cook, sixth season

5. Dontae Johnson, second season

Safety

1. Eric Reid, third season

2. Antoine Bethea, 10th season

3. Jimmie Ward, second season

4. Jaquiski Tartt, rookie

5. L.J. McCray, second season

Former first-round pick Jimmie Ward is not a cornerback—he's a safety the 49ers play in the slot. His best position might be free safety because he's much better at tackling and playing zone coverage than playing man coverage.

With Ward and 2015 second-round pick Jaquiski Tartt behind starting free safety Eric Reid, the Niners probably won't need a veteran backup, meaning Craig Dahl probably won't make the team.

At cornerback, the player to watch is 2014 fifth-round pick Keith Reaser. He was practically unbeatable during OTAs and minicamp, and if he continues to play like a shutdown corner, he might take Ward’s job as the starting nickelback.

Reaser might even take Shareece Wright's job as the starting cornerback opposite Tramaine Brock. Wright is no big deal. He committed 13 penalties in 14 games last season and has intercepted only two passes since high school.

Special Teams

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

Special Teams

Kicker

1. Phil Dawson, 17th season

Punter

1. Bradley Pinion, rookie

Long snapper

1. Kyle Nelson, fourth season

Although the 49ers list Phil Dawson as the kicker, he probably will kick only field goals next season, and he probably won't kick the long ones.

Dawson turned 40 in January, and his leg isn't as strong as it used to be. But he's still practically automatic inside 45 yards.

Beyond 45 yards, the 49ers probably will ask rookie punter Bradley Pinion to kick the field goals. He has an extremely strong leg, so the Niners probably will ask him to handle the kickoffs as well as the long field goals and the punts.

At long snapper, the Niners like Kyle Nelson because he can play tight end in an emergency. He isn't just a long-snapping specialist.

Full 53-Man Roster Projection

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Here is my full 53-man roster projection.

Quarterback

1. Colin Kaepernick, fifth season

2. Blaine Gabbert, fifth season

Running Back

1. Carlos Hyde, second season

2. Reggie Bush, 10th season

3. Kendall Hunter, fifth season

4. Mike Davis, rookie

Fullback

1. Bruce Miller, fifth season

Wide Receiver

1. Anquan Boldin, 13th season

2. Torrey Smith, fifth season

3. Jerome Simpson, seventh season

4. Bruce Ellington, second season

5. Quinton Patton, third season

6. DeAndrew White, rookie

Tight End

1. Vernon Davis, 10th season

2. Blake Bell, rookie

3. Busta Anderson, rookie

Offensive Line

1. Joe Staley, ninth season

2. Alex Boone, sixth season

3. Daniel Kilgore, fifth season

4. Marcus Martin, second season

5. Erik Pears, ninth season

6. Brandon Thomas, second season

7. Trent Brown, rookie

8. Joe Looney, fourth season

Defensive Line

1. Glenn Dorsey, eighth season

2. Ian Williams, fifth season

3. Quinton Dial, third season

4. Tank Carradine, third season

5. Darnell Dockett, 12th season

6. Arik Armstead, rookie

Inside Linebacker

1. NaVorro Bowman, sixth season

2. Michael Wilhoite, fifth season

3. Philip Wheeler, eighth season

4. Nick Moody, third season

5. Nick Bellore, fifth season

Outside Linebacker

1. Aldon Smith, fifth season

2. Ahmad Brooks, ninth season

3. Aaron Lynch, second season

4. Eli Harold, rookie

5. Corey Lemonier, third season

Cornerback

1. Tramaine Brock, sixth season

2. Shareece Wright, fifth season

3. Keith Reaser, second season

4. Chris Cook, sixth season

5. Dontae Johnson, second season

Safety

1. Eric Reid, third season

2. Antoine Bethea, 10th season

3. Jimmie Ward, second season

4. Jaquiski Tartt, rookie

5. L.J. McCray, second season

Kicker

1. Phil Dawson, 17th season

Punter

1. Bradley Pinion, rookie

Long Snapper

1. Kyle Nelson, fourth season

All quotations and practice observations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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