Niner Noise
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2019 Senior Bowl: 5 prospects 49ers should watch

By Peter Panacy

MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 28: Kareem Hunt #33 of the North team runs with the ball as Duke Riley #0 of the South team defends during the second half of the Reese's Senior Bowl at the Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 28, 2017 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 28: Kareem Hunt #33 of the North team runs with the ball as Duke Riley #0 of the South team defends during the second half of the Reese's Senior Bowl at the Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 28, 2017 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – NOVEMBER 01: Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers looks on during warm up prior to their game against the Oakland Raiders at Levi’s Stadium on November 1, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – NOVEMBER 01: Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers looks on during warm up prior to their game against the Oakland Raiders at Levi’s Stadium on November 1, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /

With head coach Kyle Shanahan coaching the South squad in the 2019 Senior Bowl, the San Francisco 49ers would be wise to closely watch these five prospects ahead of this year’s NFL Draft.

The San Francisco 49ers have the fortunate luxury of getting head coach Kyle Shanahan and his staff to coach one of the two squads of the 2019 Senior Bowl.

Shanahan and Co. get to coach the South squad, while Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden gets the North team. This is a great chance for both coaches to take a close look at senior players in advance of the 2019 NFL Draft this April, as well as conduct some individual one-on-one meetings with potential prospects.

You can check out the entire Senior Bowl rosters here.

Both teams spend three days’ worth of practice ahead of Saturday’s game on Jan. 26 from Mobile, Alabama. Shanahan already made some network splashes during Tuesday’s practice, and you can check out some of the not-safe-for-work commentary here.

Foul language aside, the Niners need to be sure they’re checking out some top prospects to address team needs in this upcoming draft.

Here are five who should garner plenty of attention.

LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 09: Cameron Smith #35 of the USC Trojans warms up before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 09: Cameron Smith #35 of the USC Trojans warms up before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

No. 5: Linebacker Cameron Smith, USC (North)

After getting rid of thrice-arrested linebacker Reuben Foster in 2018, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the 49ers target an inside backer at some point in April’s NFL Draft to pair with the 2018 rookie, Fred Warner.

USC’s Cameron Smith is a player to watch here. As The Draft Network’s Benjamin Solak noted, Smith is “unbelievably quick” and “super instinctive” — necessary traits for linebackers in today’s pass-happy NFL.

And it appears as if Smith dropped some weight to his benefit, according to Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller:

Smith likely winds up being a day two prospect in the NFL Draft, making the 49ers’ interest here one worth garnering over the rest of Senior Bowl week.