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It’s a month before the first day of the draft, and the 49ers’ roster is almost set.
With a scheduled 11 draft picks, the 49ers will look for immediate contributors at a couple of positions and depth at many others.
There most certainly will be a draft pick on the 49ers’ 53-man roster at wide receiver and cornerback. After that, there are few guarantees about which positions the 49ers will target to add players with the hope of developing them into starters of the future.
Below is a look at the projected competitions to earn spots on the 49ers’ 53-man roster. The numbers in parentheses are how many players at each spot the 49ers can be expected to carry. Those numbers could vary based on injuries and special-teams contributions within the position group.
Quarterbacks (3-) -- Colin Kaepernick, Blaine Gabbert and McLeod Bethel-Thompson or ROOKIE.
Running backs (5) -- Frank Gore, Bruce Miller, Marcus Lattimore, Kendall Hunter and one of the following: LaMichael James, Will Tukuafu or ROOKIE.
Wide receivers (5+) -- Anquan Boldin, Michael Crabtree, Quinton Patton, ROOKIE and one of the following: Kassim Osgood, Jon Baldwin, another ROOKIE or other.
Tight ends (3) -- Vernon Davis, Vance McDonald and Garrett Celek, Derek Carrier or ROOKIE.
Offensive line (8+) -- Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Daniel Kilgore, Alex Boone, Anthony Davis and three of the following: Adam Snyder, Joe Looney, Jonathan Martin, Ryan Seymour, ROOKIE and other.
Defensive line (7-) -- Ray McDonald, Glenn Dorsey, Justin Smith, Ian Williams, Tank Carradine and two of the following: Tony Jerod-Eddie, Demarcus Dobbs, Quinton Dial, ROOKIE and other.
Outside linebackers (4+) -- Aldon Smith, Ahmad Brooks, Corey Lemonier and Dan Skuta or ROOKIE.
Inside linebackers (4) -- Patrick Willis, Michael Wilhoite, Nick Moody and ROOKIE or other (with NaVorro Bowman on the physically-unable-to-perform list to open the season).
Cornerbacks (6) -- Tramaine Brock, Chris Culliver, ROOKIE and three of the following: Darryl Morris, Perrish Cox, Eric Wright, Chris Cook and another ROOKIE or other.
Safeties (5) -- Eric Reid, Antoine Bethea, C.J. Spillman and two of the following: Craig Dahl, Bubba Ventrone and ROOKIE or other.
Specialists (3) -- Phil Dawson, Andy Lee, Kevin McDermott.
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49ERS 2014 DRAFT PICKS
1. First round: Own pick, No. 30 (No. 30 overall)
2. Second round: Kansas City pick in 2013 Alex Smith trade, No. 24 (No. 56 overall)
3. Second round: Own pick, No. 29 (No. 61 overall)
4. Third round: Tennessee pick in 2013 draft day trade, No. 13 (No. 77 overall)
5. Third round: Own pick, No. 30 (No. 94 overall)
6. Third: Compensatory, No. 36 (No. 100 overall)
7. Fourth round: Own pick, No. 29 (No. 129 overall)
8. Fifth round: Own pick, No. 30 (No. 170 overall)
9. Seventh round: New Orleans pick from Parys Haralson trade, No. 27 (No. 242 overall)
10. Seventh round: Carolina pick from 2012 Colin Jones trade, No. 28 (No. 243 overall)
11. Seventh round: Own pick, No. 30 (No. 245 overall)
