The Good and Not So Good from Rookie Minicamp

The first official practice of the offseason.

SANTA CLARA -- Here's who stood out at 49ers rookie minicamp. Keep in mind, the players did not wear pads, and the team drills were 7 on 7, not 11 on 11.

THE GOOD

1. Free safety Ji'Ayir Brown.

Built like a third-year pro. Moves around the field effortlessly with supreme confidence. Had one pass travel in his area, and was a tick late to break it up, but was in position to annihilate the wide receiver if it had been a real game.

2. Cornerback Darrell Luter Jr.

Also built like a third-year pro. Frequently lined up in press man coverage and shut down the opposing wide receiver without actually using hands, because bump-and-run coverage is against NFL rules in rookie minicamp. The only time Luter gave up a catch, he slipped on the grass while wide receiver Shae Wyatt ran a dig route. Perhaps Luter needs better cleats.

3. Tight end Brayden Willis.

Caught all three of his targets, including a contested pass over the middle. On that play, Willis beat man-to-man coverage with a beautiful slant route. He clearly is a good route runner who's not afraid to catch passes in traffic, as opposed to Cameron Latu (more on him in a minute).

4. Wide receiver Ronnie Bell.

I initially put him in the not-so-good section, simply because of the way he's built. He looks like a college player. But in the final period, he made two deep catches while heavily covered. First, he ran a post route, and then he ran a fade. Both times, he made circus catches. He clearly has excellent hand-eye coordination and no fear, which separates him from Dante Pettis, who alligator-armed a pass over the middle during rookie minicamp in 2018. That was a bad sign for Pettis. Bell passed his first test.

5. Linebacker Jalen Graham.

Looked surprisingly lean and explosive. Carried zero extra weight, as opposed to Dee Winters (more on him in a minute). Played middle linebacker and closed extremely quickly on check down passes left and right.

6. Running back Khalan Laborn.

By far the most impressive undrafted free agent in the field. Has thick legs, a strong upper body and very little body fat. Caught three passes in the flat and exploded after the catch. I expect he will make the 53-man roster sooner rather than later.

7. Wide receiver Jahcour Pearson.

A tryout player who caught a 40-yard pass and a 20-yard pass. Pearson played in the XFL this year and led the entire league with 60 catches for 670 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games. Pearson deserves a spot on the 90-man roster.

8. Wide receiver Isaiah Winstead.

Targeted once on a curl route. Turned around and seemed surprised by the throw, but caught it anyway.

9. Center Ilm Manning.

Linemen didn't participate in team drills, so Manning spent most of the afternoon practicing his run blocks, and his athleticism jumped out. He's extremely quick.

THE NOT SO GOOD

1. Tight end Cameron Latu.

He's big, so he looks like a veteran. Plus he caught a couple uncontested passes in the flat. But he doesn't seem to move with enough finesse to consistently beat man-to-coverage, and he dropped a pass over the middle because he seemed to hear footsteps. He will need to improve his concentration in traffic.

2. Linebacker Dee Winters.

Looked a little overweight and out of shape, which is nothing to be concerned about -- he has a few more months to get in peak physical condition. But I was expecting to see the next Dre Greenlaw, because that's who the 49ers compared Winters to, and Greenlaw was much more put together when he was a rookie.

3. Guard Joey Fisher.

The only player who couldn't make it through the entire practice. The 74 degree heat seemed to bother him, as he removed himself from a drill and spent roughly 15 minutes with a water girl who poured water down his neck.