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2016 NFL Scouting Combine: Players the San Francisco 49ers Should Watch

By Peter Panacy

Feb 23, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Defensive backs get instructions during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 23, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Defensive backs get instructions during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 28, 2014; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats linebacker Scooby Wright III (33) sits on the bench during the fourth quarter of the territorial cup against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Arizona Stadium. The Wildcats won 42-35. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2014; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats linebacker Scooby Wright III (33) sits on the bench during the fourth quarter of the territorial cup against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Arizona Stadium. The Wildcats won 42-35. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports /

ILB Scooby Wright

2015 Statistics

One of the biggest glaring weaknesses on the 49ers roster is at inside linebacker, and it’s a position the Niners will need to address this offseason in order to give Pro Bowler NaVorro Bowman some assistance up the middle within San Francisco’s defense.

While free agency could give the 49ers some options here, Arizona inside linebacker Scooby Wright should be on the team’s watch list during the scouting combine.

Wright led all of NCAA in tackles in 2014 (164), and despite being slightly undersized for the position (6’0″ and 246 pounds) has the instincts and abilities to emerge as a tackling machine at the pro level.

Unfortunately, a knee injury thwarted most of his 2015 campaign and likely dropped the 2014 Vince Lombardi award winner’s draft stock. It now sits as a late third- or early fourth-round projection, according to CBS Sports.

Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus explained why the scouting combine will be so critical to Wright:

"He’s becoming the forgotten man in a draft class that has plenty of talented linebackers at the top of the class, with concerns about his ability to cover at an NFL level. While he’s not a Miles Jack-type coverage linebacker in the sense that you can easily ask him to cover in the slot, Wright did a solid job playing what was in front of him. His 2015 season was ruined by injury, but his 2014 season saw him as the highest-graded linebacker in this draft class by a considerable distance. He’ll be hoping to impress some people with how he tests in Indianapolis, and draw attention to the things he does really well on film."

A strong combine will give Wright the chance to showcase his collegiate injury did not set back his potential at the NFL level.

And if the 49ers like what they see, using a mid-round pick on a player like Wright would immediately add some promise to the interior of San Francisco’s front-seven defense.

Next: QB Jared Goff