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University of Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin chatted with SiriusXM NFL Radio, and informed them he would be visiting with the San Francisco 49ers in the near future. Colvin recently had a visit with the Philadelphia Eagles, and will also visit with the New Orleans Saints.
Teams get 30 "official" visits, and this marks the second that we've actually heard of. Georgia State wide receiver Albert Wilson is coming to town next week for a visit. There is no specific word on when Colvin will be in the Bay Area.
30 visits means the team will look at a lot of players that will not join the team. We can only infer so much from a visit, but Colvin is the kind of guy who makes sense as a potential 49ers draft picks. The Oklahoma cornerback tore his ACL in the week leading up to the Senior Bowl. His draft stock took a hit with the injury, as he could very well start the season on the NFI list. It's possible he could be back to 100 percent in time for the 2014 NFL season, but if a team like the 49ers were to select him, odds are pretty good they would look to stash him for a year.
The 49ers hold 11 picks in the upcoming draft, which is more than the number of likely roster spots for rookies. The 49ers can deal away some picks as they move up, or add 2015 picks, but the potential for red-shirt options is also available. It can be anti-climactic knowing the player might not see the field until the following season, but there can be tremendous value in it. Even though injured players are not getting the reps with the rest of the team, they are getting the mental reps that give them a huge advantage over the player the 49ers would acquire with a pick acquired in 2015.
The injury is obviously a concern, but if the 49ers are confident in their medical staff, it makes sense to get a guy in and learning with Ed Donatell. Obviously this also depends on where the 49ers are looking to draft him. They have three third round picks, including a comp pick. If he slips down to that comp pick, maybe the 49ers grab him. It's entirely possible another team will see the same thing, and utilize the 49ers own strategy.