49ers roster 2023: UDFA D'Shawn Jamison a 'stash and develop' sleeper

Previously, the 49ers had success turning an undrafted Emmanuel Moseley into a quality cornerback. Perhaps 2023 undrafted rookie D'Shawn Jamison is next in line.

There aren't a lot of spots up for grabs on the San Francisco 49er's 53-man roster in 2023.

For a team competing for a Super Bowl now, the Niners reportedly had some challenges signing undrafted free agents after this year's NFL Draft for that sole purpose. Considering a stacked roster, it would be awfully difficult for a UDFA to make the regular-season squad given the notably small number of holes.

But that didn't stop San Francisco from signing former Texas defensive back D'Shawn Jamison.

As part of the 49ers' 2023 UDFA class, Jamison faces an uphill battle to earn a spot on the team during his rookie season. Yet the Niners have had some positive history of developing undrafted defenders and turning them into starting-caliber players, even if it doesn't happen in year one.

Look no further than former San Francisco cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, who went undrafted in 2018 out of Tennessee and found himself starting in the Super Bowl a season later.

Assuming Jamison is on a similar trajectory is quite the stretch, but the 49ers would love nothing more than for the 5-foot-9, 186-pound defensive back to turn into a useful commodity within a year or two.

What's the scouting report on 49ers DB D'Shawn Jamison?

Just by looking at his small stature, it's safe to assume Jamison will be pegged for nickel cornerback duties at the pro level.

With six interceptions and 17 pass breakups during his collegiate tenure with the Longhorns, it's safe to assume Jamison isn't afraid of getting physical and aggressive, and that showed up in his NFL.com scouting report by Lance Zierlein:

"Jamison carries the athletic profile of an NFL player with twitchy feet, loose hips and make-up speed to run down mistakes. He might need to move inside, where he will have to prove he can stay connected to route runners without playing from his desired side-shuffle technique. The route anticipation is nothing special, but his ball skills and competitiveness might be good enough to create a roster opportunity as a backup with return talent."

As Zierlein noted, Jamison does have the versatility to be a return specialist, too, which boosts his roster value.

What is D'Shawn Jamison's contract with 49ers?

According to Over the Cap, the Niners signed Jamison to a three-year undrafted deal worth up to $2.715 million, yet only $140,000 of which is fully guaranteed.

As is the case with most UDFAs, a little guaranteed money will help convince them to sign with any one particular team, but no team wants to commit much more than the proverbial "chump change."

And $140K in dead money isn't going to move San Francisco's salary cap needle much whatsoever, should Jamison fail to make the 53-man roster.

What is the 49ers' plan for D'Shawn Jamison in 2023 and beyond?

As Niner Noise's resident NFL Draft expert, Jeremy Wohlfart, pointed out in his series on 49ers undrafted players, The Undrafted Corner, Jamison is one of the select few of this year's UDFA class who may actually have a chance at finding a spot on the regular-season squad this season.

Wohlfart highlighted Jamison's upside and also pointed out that the rookie was impressive during both rookie minicamp and organized team activities, albeit going up against less-than-top competition during both workouts.

An upward trend could lead to Jamison serving as a primary backup to the presumed starting nickel cornerback this season, Isaiah Oliver, and the former does have the advantage of having experience on special teams.

The bigger likelihood, however, is the Niners use 2023 as an attempt to stash Jamison on the practice squad for some further development, potentially triggering a bigger role for him in 2024 instead of right away.

Perhaps Jamison expedites that plan, though, with an excellent training camp.

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