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San Francisco 49ers: 5 under-the-radar players you should watch in training camp

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - AUGUST 7: San Francisco 49ers stretch during a practice session at Levi's Stadium on August 7, 2015 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - AUGUST 7: San Francisco 49ers stretch during a practice session at Levi's Stadium on August 7, 2015 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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FORT WORTH, TX – DECEMBER 03: D.J. Reed #2 of the Kansas State Wildcats returns a kickoff against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium on December 3, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TX – DECEMBER 03: D.J. Reed #2 of the Kansas State Wildcats returns a kickoff against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium on December 3, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

No. 1: Cornerback D.J. Reed

Late-round NFL Draft picks can be interesting to watch, and rookie cornerback D.J. Reed out of Kansas State is no exception.

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Reed, who is on the shorter side at 5-foot-9 and 188 pounds, likely won’t overtake veteran nickel back K’Waun Williams early this season. But just like nose tackles D.J. Jones and Earl Mitchell, the 49ers could be looking at Reed to be Williams’ long-term replacement.

What’s nice about Reed is he has a bit of a ballhawk mentality. He managed seven interceptions his last two seasons at Kansas State, and the Niners haven’t exactly boasted a true ballhawking defensive back for some time now.

Even more impressive, opposing collegiate quarterbacks posted a passer rating of 55.5 when targeting Reed last year, per Pro Football Focus.

Reed already plays with a chip on his shoulder, and there are more than a few signs he could be a shutdown-type defensive back at the NFL level. He’ll have to refine his technique and learn how to play bigger than his body suggests it can.

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But if he can harness these traits and maximize the potential in training camp, he should have no trouble carving out a spot at the back end of the cornerback depth chart.

And if all goes well, 49ers fans may see him starting a year or two down the road.