Niner Noise
FanSided

Predicting 10 players who make 49ers practice squad in 2019

By Peter Panacy

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - DECEMBER 09: A San Francisco 49ers player carries his helmet before their game against the Miami Dolphins at Candlestick Park on December 9, 2012 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - DECEMBER 09: A San Francisco 49ers player carries his helmet before their game against the Miami Dolphins at Candlestick Park on December 9, 2012 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 11: Kevin Givens #30 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks to tackle Giovanni Rescigno #17 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Beaver Stadium on November 11, 2017 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 11: Kevin Givens #30 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks to tackle Giovanni Rescigno #17 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Beaver Stadium on November 11, 2017 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

No. 5: Defensive Tackle Kevin Givens

The 49ers defensive line is awfully stacked entering 2019, and there are going to be some non-eligible players released at the preseason’s conclusion who’ll likely make good additions on other teams’ rosters elsewhere.

And while it’s not always as serious as the possible attrition along the offensive line, defensive lines can certainly go through their own significant losses. Even if the depth is there, additional depth is useful.

One player to watch here is rookie defensive tackle Kevin Givens, who was fairly highly touted coming out of Penn State.

Falling out of the 2019 NFL Draft and being signed by San Francisco as an undrafted free agent, Givens’ 6-foot-1 and 285-pound frame makes him a quality option for the Niners interior. He’s someone with enough flexibility to bounce around the D-line, too, coming off a 2018 collegiate campaign with five sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss.

Givens’ upside could end up being as high as a top-quality reserve at some point, meaning some development early in his career could pay off handsomely in a few years.

One might expect the 49ers not to feature Givens too much this preseason, especially if they think other teams might be interested in adding him during waiver claims. Keep an eye on that.