The San Francisco 49ers will play their first preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday. Obviously, the primary goal is to get through the game without too many injuries, but it would also be nice to see some contributions from the Niners' younger players.
San Francisco's primary stars obviously won’t suit up for the contest, which could give some rookies a chance to shine.
Watch out for versatile linebacker Jaden Dugger who has impressed in training camp and could have a big debut in his first game action as a 49er.
Jaden Dugger has chance to shine in 49ers' preseason opener
The Niners selected Jaden Dugger in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. His position is listed as linebacker, but he can be moved all over the field and used as an edge rusher as well. That versatility is exactly what new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris likes, so he has to love that he has a new tool like Dugger at his disposal.
The University of Louisiana product has drawn praise from many so far. Beat writer Matt Barrows has been impressed with Dugger, as has linebacker coach K.J. Wright, who is built similarly to the rookie and seems like the absolute perfect mentor for him.
It would be unreasonable to expect Dugger to come right into the NFL and take the league by storm. He’s still somewhat unrefined and rough around the edges, so it will likely take a little more time to mold him into a reliable NFL player.
Expect him to make some plays, though, especially in the preseason. Dugger's athleticism and ability to move around the formation, combined with his height, could make him a demon out on the field, especially against lesser competition in the preseason.
Whether preseason success would translate to success in the regular season is another question, but the first-year pro needs to take care of business in the exhibition games before he can try to impress when the games actually count.
The Niners may end up relying on him a lot during the season, too. San Francisco lost several linebackers last season to injury and had to dig deep on the depth chart, so if there is a repeat of that tough circumstance, then Dugger could be a valuable guy to have.
Most of the starters will not be playing on Thursday, but that will just give a player like Dugger the perfect chance to shine and give fans a glimpse of what he is capable of.
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