The 49ers needed a few stops down the stretch, but they held off the Dallas Cowboys 17-9 in their preseason opener Saturday night.
A few players stood out in a somewhat sloppy showing for San Francisco. Here are eight players who saw their stock rise after their performance Saturday:
LB Dre Greenlaw
He was around the ball seemingly every play. His draft stock dipped some when his workouts didn’t match the athleticism he showed on tape, but he flashed a ton of speed Saturday night. Greenlaw made a couple plays in the run and was in tight coverage multiple times. That’s everything San Francisco needs from the fifth-round pick.
S Antone Exum Jr.
Exum didn’t get into the game until late, but he made his presence known. He had a forced fumble on a blitz that got nullified by an illegal contact penalty. He also laid the lumber to breakup a pass in the fourth quarter as the Cowboys tried to make a comeback. He also broke up a third-and-1 pass that would’ve gone for a first down late in the contest, and then another that would’ve been a touchdown.
P Mitch Wishnowsky
Wishnowsky was as good as advertised when the 49ers selected him in the fourth round. He booted six punts for an average of 49.5 yards, and dropped three inside the 20. His lone touchback bounced sideways to go out of bounds inside the 10, but then rolled back up the sideline and out of bounds just inside the pylon. His lone blemish was a kick out of bounds.
WR Richie James
While it wasn’t a standout performance from James, he bounced back nicely after dropping his first pass of the game. He caught four of Mullens’ 11 completions for 20 yards. He earned five first-half targets. Nobody else had more than two. He also had a good kick return to open the second half. If any receiver distinguished himself, it was James.
WR Jalen Hurd
It hasn’t been a great training camp for the rookie third-round pick, but Hurd shined in the preseason opener. He caught three balls for 31 yards and two touchdowns. Most importantly, he was adept at the things San Francisco needs him to be adept at in his rookie season. He made a catch on a crossing route and then lowered his shoulder to go through a defender for his first touchdown. His second touchdown was him using his size on a back-shoulder fade inside the 5-yard line. If he can consistently do that this year, he’ll produce right away.
RB Austin Walter
We expected a good game from Walter, and he showed why he made the team after landing in rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. He ran 13 times for 38 yards, but also caught five passes for 32 yards. It wasn’t a stellar showing, but there’s clearly some all-around talent there that should make Walter a practice squad candidate who might develop into a long-term option. It’s only Week 1, but that was a good start for the undrafted rookie.
WR Deebo Samuel
It took Samuel awhile to show up, but his first touch was a 14-yard dash on an end around that flashed his explosiveness with the ball in his hands. He wound up catching two passes for 61 yards. His first one was a diving catch for 16 yards. His second one was a leaping grab over the back of a defensive back. That downfield playmaking ability combined with his nasty running style after the catch could make him a highly productive player in Year 1.
DL Jeremiah Valoaga
The 49ers signed Valoaga just days before Saturday’s preseason opener. He got in the game in the second half and put together a monster performance. He had two sacks and spent a ton of time in the Cowboys’ backfield. Valoaga has a steep climb to a roster spot, but his showing vs. Dallas was at least intriguing.
