San Francisco 49ers Training Camp: Week 2 Stock Report

One player on the San Francisco 49ers to watch is second-year undrafted inside linebacker Shayne Skov.

Skov seemed like a rising star early in his collegiate career for the Stanford Cardinal. But he tore his ACL in 2011 and never seemed to regain his pre-injury quickness or explosiveness.

The Niners signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2014. During training camp that year, Skov seemed sluggish and robotic. He spent the regular season on San Francisco’s practice squad.

Through nine training-camp practices this year, Skov seems like a realistic candidate to make the final roster. He is no longer sluggish or robotic—he’s quick and aggressive, like he was at Stanford before his knee injury.

Skov’s stock is rising.

Here’s a stock report for the 49ers heading into Week 2 of training camp.

Stock Up: RB Mike Davis, Rookie

Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

The Niners need an understudy for starting running back Carlos Hyde, someone who can do the things Hyde does if Hyde gets hurt.

Reggie Bush is not that player. He’s a scatback who complements Hyde.

Kendall Hunter isn’t that player, either. He’s a scatback like Bush. And Hunter (knee) doesn’t seem healthy. He hasn’t participated in team drills during training camp. He’s no lock to make the final roster.

Hyde’s understudy may be rookie fourth-round pick Mike Davis. So far during training camp, Davis has shown an ability to block and pick up blitzes—something Hunter and Bush struggle to do.

If Hyde goes down, Davis probably will be the player who replaces him on first and second downs.

Stock Down: RG Marcus Martin, 2nd Season

Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

Third-round pick Marcus Martin started eight games at center as a 20-year-old rookie in 2014. He struggled, earning a minus-17.1 grade from Pro Football Focus.

But at least he gained experience. The 49ers rewarded him this offseason by giving him the first crack at becoming the starting right guard. The center position belongs to Daniel Kilgore when he returns from a broken ankle he suffered last season.

Martin has not taken advantage of his opportunity. Through nine training-camp practices, Martin has consistently been manhandled. He doesn’t seem strong enough to start.

If Martin continues to struggle, the Niners may have no choice but to sign free-agent guard Evan Mathis after training camp.

Stock Up: ILB Nick Moody, 3rd Season

John Froschauer/Associated Press

Michael Wilhoite was supposed to replace Patrick Willis at inside linebacker next season.

But Wilhoite pulled his hamstring and has missed all of training camp. He doesn’t seem close to returning—the coaches don’t let him participate, even during individual drills. All he does is rehab.

Wilhoite wasn’t that good before the injury—he’s more of a backup than a starter. Last season, Pro Football Focus gave him a minus-5.6 grade.

The Niners could use an upgrade over him, and they may have one. While Wilhoite has been out, third-year inside linebacker Nick Moody has taken most of the reps with the first-team defense.

Through nine training-camp practices, Moody has intercepted three passes during team drills. He seems to know where the ball is going before it gets there. It seems like only a matter of time before the Niners officially give Wilhoite’s job to Moody.

Stock Down: C Joe Looney, 4th Season

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

The Niners need someone to fill in at center while Kilgore rehabs a broken ankle. Kilgore may start the season on the physically unable to perform list—he still watches practice from the sideline while wearing a protective boot.

With Martin playing right guard, the Niners have given four-year veteran Joe Looney the first-team reps at center. It’s the first time they’ve given him an opportunity to start.

Looney seems to be in over his head. He cannot handle the quickness of the players on the first-team defense, especially the linebackers when they blitz through the A-gap.

The Niners seem to recognize Looney’s deficiencies and are starting to give his reps to other players such as Martin and rookie Ian Silberman.

Stock Up: ILB NaVorro Bowman, 6th Season

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

When the 49ers were Super Bowl contenders from 2011 to 2013, inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman was arguably their best player.

He missed the entire 2014 season after tearing his ACL and MCL in the NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks. Now, he's back. Can he regain his pre-injury level of play?

It didn’t look like he could during OTAs and minicamp. He wore a brace on his surgically repaired knee and seemed hesitant when cutting.

He is still wearing the brace during team drills, but he doesn’t seem hesitant anymore. On Tuesday, he broke quickly on a short pass, picked it off and returned it for a touchdown. He looked like the old Bowman.

All practice observations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Follow @grantcohn.