5 Biggest Surprises of San Francisco 49ers Training Camp so Far

One of the San Francisco 49ers’ biggest surprises during training camp has been third-year inside linebacker Nick Moody.

Moody mostly played safety and special teams at Florida State. In 2013, the Niners drafted him in the sixth round primarily to play special teams, but they listed him on the roster as an inside linebacker.

Moody has the size (6’1”, 245 lbs) and speed (4.68-second 40-yard dash) to play inside linebacker, but he struggled there his first two seasons. He seemed to lack the necessary feel for the position. He rarely was in the right spot.

It seems he’s always in the right spot this year. Almost every day he makes a big play, whether it’s a tackle for a loss, a sack or an interception. Moody’s becoming a playmaker.

Here are five more surprises from the 49ers training camp.

NT Ian Williams, Fifth Season

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Nose tackle Ian Williams may be the most underrated player with the Niners.

He missed seven games with a broken leg last season and, according to Pro Football Focus, played only 219 snaps when healthy. He was in the base defense, not the sub-packages.

But he still earned a plus-12.4 grade from Pro Football Focus. Only 13 defensive tackles/nose tackles in the league earned a better grade than Williams in 2014.

This year during training camp, Williams seems like the 49ers’ most disruptive defensive lineman against both the run and the pass.

So the Niners are letting him play in the sub-packages, unlike last year. Williams is lining up as a one-technique, rushing the A-gap and consistently collapsing the pocket.

Who knew Williams could do that?

DE Arik Armstead, Rookie

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If Williams has been the 49ers’ most disruptive defensive lineman in training camp, Arik Armstead has been the second-most disruptive defensive lineman.

During practice, Armstead, the 49ers’ first-round pick this offseason, mostly has faced starting right guard Marcus Martin, the Niners’ third-round pick last offseason.

I expected Martin to win this matchup—he has a year of experience in the NFL, and Armstead is a 21-year-old rookie who left college after his junior season and missed every single day of OTAs and minicamp this offseason. He’s supposed to be a project.

He doesn’t look like one, though, at least not when he faces Martin. Armstead bullies Martin every day during one-on-one pass-rush drills. On Sunday during team drills, Armstead pushed Martin into the quarterback, tossed him to the ground and drew a holding penalty.

TE Vance McDonald, Third Season

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Third-year tight end Vance McDonald seemed like a good bet to get cut or traded when the 49ers spent a fourth-round pick on a tight end this offseason.

McDonald was a disappointment his first two seasons in the league—he couldn’t hold on to the football. During 2013 and 2014, he caught 10 passes, dropped four and fumbled once. This from a former second-round draft pick.

Whatever his issue was, he seems to have fixed it. Through eight training-camp practices I’ve seen McDonald drop the ball only twice and make at least 10 catches. He’s a fantastic athlete who seems to be gaining confidence.

TE Blake Bell, Rookie

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Rookie tight end Blake Bell was terrific during OTAs, minicamp and the first few days of training camp when players wore shorts and shells and didn’t hit each other.

Each day, Bell seemed to catch three or four passes. He looked like the best rookie on the roster.

The Niners started practicing in pads last Tuesday. Through four padded practices, Bell has caught two passes and dropped four during team drills. He struggles to separate against man coverage.

Keep in mind he played quarterback until 2014. Last season was Bell’s first as a tight end. He may take a while to learn the nuances of his new position and to adjust to the physicality of the NFL.

OLB Aldon Smith, Released

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The 49ers’ biggest surprise of training camp came Friday morning when news broke of Aldon Smith’s latest arrest.

Santa Clara Police charged Smith with hit and run, DUI and vandalism after he crashed into a parked car in a parking complex. It was Smith's fourth arrest since 2012. The 49ers released him Friday morning.

Just a few days earlier, Niners’ general manager Trent Baalke raved about Smith to a group reporters. “He’s in a contract year. He’s poised to have a very good year. We expect him to have a very good year. I think he expects himself to have a very good year.”

Smith arguably was the Niners’ best player. Now they have to replace him with a platoon of young players including Corey Lemonier, Aaron Lynch and Eli Harold.

All quotations and practice observations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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