At 10 players, the 49ers had the league’s biggest one of the league’s biggest draft classes but that didn’t stop them from signing all of them before the start of camp.
The team finished up the contract of first rounder Aldon Smith just before starting training camp on Thursday morning. The linebacker was the seventh overall selection in April and the team hopes he provides a boost to their pass rush from day one.
They also have high hopes for quarterback Colin Kapernick. The second-round pick will get a leg up on Alex Smith in their battle for the starting quarterback job as Smith is barred from stepping onto the practice field until August 4th because of a rule in the CBA governing when unrestricted free agents can start practicing after signing a new deal.That means a week of reps with the first team for Kaepernick and a big chance to grab the attention of the coaching staff.
The rest of the newly signed draftees are third-round pick cornerback Chris Culliver, fourth-round pick running back Kendall Hunter, fifth-round pick guard Daniel Kilgore, sixth-round pick wide receiver Ronald Johnson, sixth-round pick safety Colin Jones, seventh-round pick defensive end Bruce Miller, seventh-round pick tackle Michael Person and seventh-round pick cornerback Curtis Holcomb.