53 One-liners: What to know about every 49ers player
The 49ers put together their 53-man roster over the weekend, so we’ll try explaining everything you need to know about each player in a sentence or two to prepare for the regular season.
1. QB Jimmy Garopppolo: He’s healthy, handsome, played well in the third preseason game and he didn’t get caught in public with an adult film star this summer. See if you can buy back that Garoppolo stock you sold last fall because the guy is learning.
2. QB Nick Mullens: He has one one of the best nicknames in the locker room, it’s just not suitable for print. Try Google.
3. QB C.J. Beathard: Tough as nails and revered in the locker room. His block springing Jeff Wilson Jr. for a touchdown in the last preseason game was incredibly on-brand — even if fans hate the idea of him under center.
4. RB Tevin Coleman: He scored 28 touchdowns the last three seasons, which is more than the entire 49ers team over the same span (don’t Google that).
5. RB Matt Breida: Would be the fastest guy on any other team that didn’t have Marquise Goodwin. Don’t be surprised if he ends up getting more touches than Coleman, fantasy fans.
6. RB Raheem Mostert: He’ll fly downfield as a gunner on punt coverage and be one of the most active players in community outreach. You’ll have a hard time getting someone to say a bad thing about the guy.
7. FB Kyle Juszczyk: The only fullback in NFL history to need product in his hair before doing postgame interviews. Also the best fullback in the league and an underrated weapon in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
8. WR Dante Pettis: Do you know he likes cats? No, really, he likes cats.
9. WR Deebo Samuel: Yes, his father named him after the character from the movie “Friday.” The 49ers hope he lives up to that name on the field.
10. WR Marquise Goodwin: He wants to participate in the Tokyo Olympics in the long jump. In the meantime, Shanahan hopes a more limited role leads to better health and more production.
11. WR Trent Taylor: Gritty, tough, and always brings his lunch pail. His teammates at Louisiana Tech called him “Wes” after Wes Welker, his new position coach. We’re still trying to figure out why.
12. WR Jalen Hurd: The 6-foot-4 former running back brings some much-needed toughness to the receiving corps, but a back injury could lead to missed time early in the season.
13. WR Kendrick Bourne: Quietly the 49ers’ most productive receiver in 2018. Not quietly the team’s most active player on Instagram.
14. WR Richie James Jr.: He has green dreads and might be the most fearless player on the roster. Could be productive early in the year while Taylor works back from a foot injury.
15. TE George Kittle: A star-level personality and star-level player. We’ll see if he can overcome his horrible taste in lite beer to back up his record-setting 2018.
16. TE Levine Toilolo: He’s played in 95 of 96 possible games the past six seasons. Just don’t ask him to win a foot race.
17. TE Ross Dwelley: General manager John Lynch called him the team’s most improved player this summer. He was also the target on three of Garoppolo’s five interceptions during that infamous five-pick practice.
18. TE Kaden Smith: Why are four tight ends on the roster?
19. T Joe Staley: He turned 35 on Friday, which is 84 in 49ers years.
20. T Mike McGlinchey: He’s just 24 but looks and acts older than Staley.
21. T Justin Skule: Started a ton of games in the SEC with Vanderbilt. Also led 49ers players in “he made the team?” reactions from beat writers.
22. G Laken Tomlinson: A pretty good guard with awfully intimidating calves.
23. G Mike Person: Don’t you love when a last name tells someone’s story?
24. C Weston Richburg: He played 12 games last season with his quad muscle torn away from his kneecap. Meanwhile, beat writers don’t like working through jet lag.
25. OL Daniel Brunskill: The former college tight end spent the last two years on the Falcons practice squad and the offseason in the AAF. There’s no doubt his life at San Diego State was more interesting than his football career until now.
26. OL Ben Garland: The Air Force alum spent two years on active duty after joining the NFL. He continues to donate time and money to raise awareness for important military issues, like PTSD, and might be the 49ers player parents most prefer for their daughters.
27. LB Fred Warner: As well-spoken off the field as he is relaying play calls in the huddle. Warner could take a massive leap in his second season.
28. LB Kwon Alexander: It’s corny to say a guy plays like his hair’s on fire, but Alexander’s hair is literally bright red. He’s the new emotional — and loud — tone-setter on defense.
29. LB Dre Greenlaw: One of the best stories you’ll find anywhere. Survived the foster care system and many group homes to likely winning a starting job as an NFL rookie. The only joke here is him lasting until the fifth round of the draft.
30. LB Azeez Al-Shaair: The 49ers were shocked how quickly he overcame an October ACL tear to beat out experienced veterans in training camp. Fans should have no problem rooting for the 49ers backup linebackers.
31. LB Mark Nzeocha: The German-born special teams ace might make the Pro Bowl on the strength of votes from his home country.
32. DE Nick Bosa: It’d be great to write about Bosa’s play on the field rather than dissect injuries or, gulp, social media posts from high school.
33. DE Dee Ford: His teammates say he has the fastest starts in the league.
34. DE Ronald Blair III: Coordinator Robert Saleh says, “If you want to win, put Ronnie in,” though it’ll be interesting to see if the team says that at the negotiating table as Blair enters a contract year.
35. DT DeForest Buckner: A budding star who might soon become Garoppolo-level rich. Seriously.
36. DT Arik Armstead: All the attention on Armstead’s teammates might lead to a breakout season for the maligned 2015 first-round draft pick.
37. DT Solomon Thomas: He seems ready and eager to bounce back from his devastating 2018. He also got body-builder jacked in the offseason.
38. DT D.J. Jones: He swears his father’s South Carolina barbecue is the best in the country. Unfortunately, BBQ restaurants in the Bay Area haven’t set the bar very high.
39. DT Sheldon Day: Sticks around and gets playing time despite his team investing heavily along the defensive line. The defense’s resident cockroach.
40. DT Jullian Taylor: His round spectacles say avid reader, not man-moving defensive tackle.
41. DT Kentavius Street: He’ll likely be out until midseason to get his knee right. In the meantime he’ll be squatting locomotives and bench-pressing fire trucks.
42. CB Richard Sherman: It’s still jarring seeing Sherman in a 49ers uniform. It just is.
43. CB Jason Verrett: It’s cool the Fairfield native gets a chance to play in the Bay Area. He could be a nice find if he could ever stay healthy.
44. CB Ahkello Witherspoon: Not scared to wear Britney Spears shirts in the locker room. He better be ready to get picked on by opposing quarterbacks because throwing at Sherman is toxic.
45. CB K’Waun Williams: He wears soccer cleats while he plays. Your guess is as good as mine.
46. CB D.J. Reed: One of those small dudes you’d take down a dark alley. Could also be an important part of the secondary if anyone gets hurt at corner or safety.
47. CB Emmanuel Moseley: “E-man” quietly had a strong training camp after a freak injury cost him 2018 on just his third special teams snap.
48. DB Jimmie Ward: He survived three coaching changes and couldn’t care less about your tweets nagging his injury history. The coaches *love* this guy and he’ll be starting if his bones stay intact.
49. SS Jaquiski Tartt: The 49ers would love a sweet season (sorry) from the safety that’s missed nearly half his games the last two years.
50. DB Tarvarius Moore: Was moved to safety from cornerback because of offseason injuries. Could challenge Goodwin as the team’s most athletic player.
51. K Robbie Gould: Anyone who uses the “Good as Gould” pun when he makes a field goal deserves to stub their toe on something.
52. P Mitch Wishnowsky: A punter who destroys return men is always welcome and helped us all survive another preseason.
53. LS Colin Holba: Who? This could probably be more helpful but it’s tough writing 53 recaps. No, I don’t have jet lag.
This story was originally published September 1, 2019 at 8:06 AM.