The 49ers have several positional battles heading into 2025. Injuries have opened the door for a dark-horse candidate to make the roster. Who are you selecting?
There are surprises to the final 53-man roster every year on every team. Injuries tend to force a team’s hand. For example, Evan Anderson was on the practice squad, but ended up playing more than anybody in the building would have expected at defensive tackle.
Heading into this training camp, the 49ers have a higher roster turnover coming into the season than usual. That opens the door for more positional battles and, in turn, the opportunity for somebody to make an unexpected push to make the roster.
Today’s question of the day is more open than ever for a Super Bowl contender coming off a 6-win season, especially if Kyle Shanahan and Robert Saleh are willing to let their younger players play through mistakes.
A “dark horse” doesn’t need to challenge the starters. Anderson is a prime example of that. He was an essential rotational player required in a season when Javon Hargrave tore his triceps during the third game.
This season, the answer could be anywhere. Wide receiver, offensive line, tight end, and that’s the side with the least amount of turnover heading into the season.
Defensively, there isn’t a name that should be surprising in the secondary. The vets will have their say, but don’t rule out any of the younger players in the back-7.
Which roster bubble player is your dark horse to make the team?
My answer: CB Jakob Robinson
I’ll go with a defensive back who has been miscast because he weighs 180 pounds, soaking wet. Robinson’s arms are longer than rookies Jahdae Barron and Will Johnson, and half a fingertip shorter than Maxwell Hairston. Like Barron, Robinson also ran a 4.39 40-yard dash (87th percentile) during BYU’s Pro Day.
Players who have consistently had a nose for the football don’t suddenly lose that skill once they turn pro. Robinson had 11 interceptions in college, broke up 21 passes, and had nine tackles for loss at BYU. He played in at least 12 games in four straight seasons for the Cougars.
Athleticism, experience, and football IQ. We can add versatility to the list.
This past season, Robinson played over 480 snaps in the slot compared to 212 snaps on the perimeter playing cornerback. As a junior in 2023, Robinson played 709 of his 878 snaps out wide at cornerback. During both seasons, Robinson has also bounced back and forth from playing in the box and deep at free safety. There isn’t a position in the secondary Robinson hasn’t played.
He’s the type of player who slowly but surely rises throughout training camp. Robinson should excel during 1-on-1s. He’ll go against a young group of wideouts who the coaching staff will keep a close eye on, as the offense looks to find someone to step up in the place of Brandon Aiyuk. To me, that means a defensive back will stand out.
I’ll bank on Robinson making plays during practice, joint practice, and during preseason games to the point where we’ll be in the conversation to make the final 53-man roster.
Who is your dark-horse candidate to make the roster? Scroll down and let us know in the comments.