We are a few days away from the San Francisco 49ers’ entire team reporting to training camp. We’ll see how often Kyle Shanahan gives veterans like Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey days off.
We know players like Nick Bosa, George Kittle, and Mykel Williams are recovering from season-ending injuries. That opens the door for some other players on the roster to make a name for themselves and catch the eyes of the coaching staff.
That’s especially true for the new faces on the roster. And there are
plenty of those who will look to take advantage of potential openings. Whether that’s Christian Kirk at wide receiver, Robert Jones or Brett Toth at guard, Nate Hobbs in the secondary, or one of the undrafted free agent rookies added on defense, we can expect somebody to stand out.
Last season, that was Demarcus Robinson. He was unguardable during training camp. You would have thought he was Brandon Aiyuk the way he was being talked about last August. Unfortunately, that summer success never came to fruition during the season.
So, who will be the summer standout this year?
Which 49ers player will be the biggest standout during training camp?
My answer: Jacob Cowing
In these practice settings, it tends to be the wide receiver, much like Robinson a year ago. I’ll go with the player who I think can carry over a strong training camp into the regular season. There will be veteran days off for Mike Evans during training camp and the preseason. That’ll open the door for other wideouts.
So I’m going with Jacob Cowing, a guy who adds a speed dimension that the 49ers did not have a season ago. Ricky Pearsall tested extraordinarily well, but, to the eye test, Cowing plays faster than Pearsall.
Cowing will be lined up in the slot and off the ball in advantageous matchups against a secondary that does not run well, at least compared to Cowing. Usage matters. Cowing will likely run deep crossing routes or routes with vertical stems. He may have a screen or two mixed in with an underneath route, but he’s a vertical threat.
That’ll lead to big plays, splash plays, and “oohs and ahhs” from the crowd. That’ll show in preseason games, as will Cowing’s ability as a returner. He should get enough opportunities returning punts and kicks. It’s another area where Cowing can show off his speed and prove to the coaching staff that he can make an impact.
