San Francisco 49ers: Winners and losers from first week of OTAs

Winner: Defensive Lineman Chris Jones

Defensive lineman Chris Jones still has a long way to go to ensure he stays on the 53-man roster this season.

Especially considering San Francisco’s draft investments over the last three years.

But Jones has been one of those under-the-radar standouts throughout OTAs so far. Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee broke down what he saw from Jones so far:

"One of the standouts Tuesday was backup defensive tackle Chris Jones, who was seen hustling from sideline to sideline whenever he was in the game. Jones also looked quick against the run, on one play jumping into the backfield to grab rookie runner Matt Breida behind the line of scrimmage."

Based off the report, Jones is playing as if he understands his chances to make the roster are slim. Even if he isn’t in the Niners’ plans, doing this kind of work may help him land with another team after cuts.

But if he does stay, Jones may work himself into the rotation as a nose tackle, a 3- or a 5-technique player, as described by Niners Wire’s Chris Biderman.