SF 49ers: Picking one 2021 Senior Bowl player for position needs

Shi Smith of South Carolina (13) runs past Camryn Bynum of California (24) Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
Shi Smith of South Carolina (13) runs past Camryn Bynum of California (24) Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
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Cameron Sample(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Cameron Sample(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

SF 49ers Edge-Rusher Need: Cameron Sample, Tulane

Tulane EDGE Cameron Sample came into Senior Bowl week with the intent to prove he belonged. And, boy, did he make his mark.

After a strong week of practice that showed his versatility lining up inside or out, the 6-foot-7, 280-pound Sample had a great game performance on Saturday. Sample earned the Defensive Player of the Game award, finishing with seven tackles and a half-sack for the American team. After displaying a skill set that can translate in a 3-4 or 4-3 defense, Sample’s draft stock is trending way up.

Even after a solid campaign at Tulane that saw him rack up 52 tackles (8.5 for a loss) to go along with six sacks en route to garnering All-America honors from Pro Football Focus and first-team American Athletic Conference honors, Sample came into the week with something to prove.

Teaming him up with EDGE Nick Bosa could give the SF 49ers a pass-rushing duo that could torment the likes of quarterbacks Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray, and the LA Rams’ newly acquired Matthew Stafford for the forseeable future.

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