Biggest 49ers cut day surprise is wasted third-round pick

Cut day is the hardest day for any coach or GM in the NFL, and John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers are by no means exempt from that. Many veterans hanging on by a thread and young players just starting out will see their chances of making the roster cut dramatically.

The 49ers place a premium on the tight end position, meaning that any drop in production could be enough to make Shanahan consider a chance. George Kittle is obviously the top dog in the tight end room, but the backups will still see the field quite often.

Veterans like Eric Saubert, 2023 draft pick Brayden Willis and veteran Logan Thomas were among the players who did not make the final roster at tight end. Among the casualties on the offensive side of the ball was a third-round pick who never managed to get off the ground in San Francisco.

Cameron Latu, who was picked at the end of the third round (101st overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft, was cut before ever playing a game with the 49ers. After an injury seemed to hurt his chances of regaining his true form, San Francisco appears to have cut him loose.

The third round remains brutal for San Francisco.

49ers cut 2023 pick Cameron Latu before he ever played a game

Latu emerged as the starting tight end for the Crimson Tide during his final two seasons, catching 56 passes for 787 yards and a more than robust 12 touchdowns. After some solid testing numbers alleviated concerns about his long speed, Latu was chose to be a backup behind Kittle.

Latu never played in a regular season game with San Francisco, as he tore his meniscus during the third preseason game of the 2023 season. The 49ers seem more than comfortable with their old reliable 1-2 punch of Kittle and H-back/fullback Kyle Juszczyk.

Latu will likely get another chance with a practice squad elsewhere, as teams around the league will be interested in a 24-year-old player who is just a few years removed from being a vital passing game weapon at Alabama. Some GM who loved him in the pre-draft process will try to see if he can resurrect Latu.

As for San Francisco, however, they are now stuck with a quality Day 2 pick they have essentially lit on fire. While this isn't Latu's fault, the organization has to be kicking themselves over this move.