The NFL Combine begins this week, and players from all over the country will participate as they try to impress NFL teams with their skills.
The San Francisco 49ers have plenty of needs to address in the 2026 draft, so they will certainly have their eyes peeled to see if any players blow them away. Plus, being the only NFL team in the Bay Area, the Niners may keep an eye on the few draft prospects from Bay Area colleges at the combine.
The 49ers have ties to Stanford University as two former head coaches, Bill Walsh and Jim Harbaugh, coached at Stanford prior to becoming the head coach in San Francisco. Current general manager John Lynch attended Stanford as well, so he may have a bit of a soft spot for players from his alma mater.
Let’s take a look at three players from Bay Area colleges who will be at the combine.
TE Sam Roush, Stanford
Tight end may not be the biggest area of need for the 49ers, but after George Kittle’s major injury in the playoffs, the 49ers should be sure they have some depth at the position even if there is hope that Kittle won't miss a lot of time.
That could lead the Niners to take a look at Sam Roush.
The 6-foot-5 product played four years at Stanford, and in his senior year, he recorded 49 catches for 545 yards and two touchdowns.
Roush's scouting report reveals he is more of a blocker than a pass catcher, which could be nice to have since San Francisco misses Kittle’s blocking abilities almost as much as his catching abilities whenever he is out.
The Niners could use a late-round pick on Roush as he’s projected to go in the fifth round, so they wouldn’t have to burn a first-round pick on him like they would with top tight end prospect Kenyon Sadiq.
DB Collin Wright, StanfordÂ
Another Stanford product the 49ers should keep an eye on is cornerback Collin Wright. He had five interceptions in his career for the Cardinal, so he has a knack for getting his hands on the ball.
There’s a good chance he will go undrafted, but the Niners should keep an eye on him to see if there’s anything to work with to add some depth to their secondary.
CB Hezekiah Masses, Cal
Turning from Stanford to their dreaded rival, the California Golden Bears, defensive back Hezekiah Masses is the lone representative from Cal who will be at the combine.
He had five interceptions in his final year at Cal and is projected to go in the fourth round.
The Niners should probably give Renardo Green some competition since he struggled in his second season, so maybe Masses could come in and supplant him.
The Niners will obviously be looking at a lot more than geography when deciding who to draft, but it’s always cool when a player from a local school gets drafted by that region’s NFL team, so keep an eye on these players from Bay Area schools.