Niner Noise
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5 Prospects the 49ers Should Watch at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine

By Jerod Brown

Feb 24, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 24, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 26, 2015; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats linebacker Scooby Wright III (33) during the fourth quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Arizona Stadium. UCLA won 56-30. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2015; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats linebacker Scooby Wright III (33) during the fourth quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Arizona Stadium. UCLA won 56-30. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports /

Scooby Wright-Inside Linebacker-University of Arizona

Scooby Wright is nothing new to 49ers fans. He played in the Pac-12 at the University of Arizona and grew up in Northern California. His name is and has been on the radar.

Wright isn’t going to wow anyone at the Scouting Combine. He doesn’t have the ideal physical build that teams look for in a linebacker and he is generally seen as lacking elite athletic ability.

On top of that, he’s got short arms. The list of knocks goes on and on. Fortunately for Wright, he can point to his 2014 season in which he won numerous awards as one of the best defensive players in all of college football. If teams need evidence of the player he is, he can offer that.

That won’t assuage every team’s concerns. Regardless of his aggressiveness on the field, the measurements count for some and he’ll drop because of it. But the 49ers, in need of inside linebacker help, should keep their eyes on Wright this week. Alongside players like UCLA’s Myles Jack, Wright won’t look as NFL-ready. The 49ers will love to see that.

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Let other teams pass on him. If the 49ers are still waiting for a linebacker in the third round, Wright could be the player they tag to give a shot. He may not start immediately, but he has an incredible work ethic and has routinely proven others wrong on his journey to college football and now the NFL.

The Scouting Combine is not the environment for Wright. The issues raised are fair. Sure, the physical measurements aren’t the final determination of success, but teams typically have threshold minimums that they prefer to see at various positions. Wright likely won’t fit many of the typical molds that the majority of NFL teams have set for the linebacker position. He does, however, have a knack for making plays.

Wright is consistently high as a tackler but he makes up for his deficiencies with elite instincts and hustle. When he pressures the quarterback, he routinely looks for opportunities to land vicious swipes and create turnovers. He won’t be the best of this class, but he could be the best bargain.

As Wright performs at the Scouting Combine, the 49ers will need to see if his performance matches what their scouts have found in film review. If the difference is stark, the team may review their opinion. If Wright manages to look fluid, athletic and strong throughout the week, the team can sit comfortably in their evaluations.

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