Niner Noise
FanSided

49ers preseason: 5 players to watch in Week 2

By Robert Smith

SANTA CLARA, CA - AUGUST 17: Players from the San Francisco 49ers take the field before the preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium on August 17, 2014 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - AUGUST 17: Players from the San Francisco 49ers take the field before the preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium on August 17, 2014 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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STARKVILLE MS – OCTOBER 17: Wide receiver Trent Taylor #5 of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs catches a pass over defensive back Brandon Bryant #20 and defensive back Kivon Coman #11 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs for a touchdown during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game at Davis Wade Stadium on October 17, 2015 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)
STARKVILLE MS – OCTOBER 17: Wide receiver Trent Taylor #5 of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs catches a pass over defensive back Brandon Bryant #20 and defensive back Kivon Coman #11 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs for a touchdown during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game at Davis Wade Stadium on October 17, 2015 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images) /

Wide Receiver Trent Taylor

Big things come in small packages.

At 5-foot-8 and 181 pounds, rookie wide receiver Trent Taylor often gets lost among his big-bodied teammates. Fortunately for Taylor, QBs don’t have too much trouble finding him.

While Taylor had three catches for a modest 33 yards, he still made an impression. Taylor runs very solid routes, and he plays with much more physicality than his frame would suggest he is capable of.

GM John Lynch seems pleased with Taylor’s play to date, telling KNBR (h/t David Fucillo of Niners Nation), “Trent Taylor is exactly what we thought he’d be. He’s a guy who can flat out separate. You need guys, when it comes to any down, but especially on third downs, you need guys that can just go get open.”

“Trent Taylor is exactly what we thought he’d be. He’s a guy who can flat out separate. You need guys, when it comes to any down, but especially on third downs, you need guys that can just go get open.” – John Lynch

Not only is that a nice safety valve for a QB, it also can open up the outside lanes for other 49er receivers like Marquise Goodwin and Pierre Garcon.

With a new offense and a lot of new  players who, although familiar with Niner head coach Kyle Shanahan’s system, have never played with one another before this season, having a guy that can make catches on third down or bail a QB out on occasion will be a nice weapon to have.

Taylor plays physical as well, capable of setting hard blocks on the edge to spring RBs for added yardage on running downs.

Add to that his versatility to also return kicks, and Taylor seems like a lock to make the roster come September.