49ers roster rankings 81-90: A handful of UDFA’s and one familiar face

The San Francisco 49ers will report to training camp in one month and a day. As we (hope) football returns soon, we’ll roll out the 90-man roster rankings. This year was a little bit different than last year’s rankings. Nine guys helped out. A few have helped out around here for years, while others are connected to the 49ers in some way, whether they are a super fan or a writer that covers the team. Thank you to everyone who helped, and I can’t wait to call you out for your rankings.

These rankings are subjective, and there is no way around that. Nine different people can watch one player and have nine different opinions. That’s the beauty of football. We’re projecting how these players will play during the 2019 season. Heading into last year, we had Daniel Brunskill ranked 87th. It’s a guessing game, but this was an entertaining exercise. Let’s get into rankings 90-81.

90) LG Kofi Amichia

The Packers drafted Amichia in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He has yet to log a snap during the regular season, but Amichia has played 430 snaps in the past three preseasons at left tackle. His PFF’s grades aren’t too high. Amichia hasn’t graded higher than a 51.5. He’s listed as a guard on the Niners roster.

89) RT Leonard Wester

Wester was a UDFA that signed with Tampa Bay after the 2016 NFL Draft. He played with the Buccaneers for three seasons and played 117 snaps during 2018. In limited action, Wester allowed eight pressures on 70 pass-block snaps. He lined up at right tackle with eight of those snaps coming at tight end.

88) LB Jonas Griffith

Griffith didn’t get as much hype as I expected. That could be due to the talent at linebacker no the 49ers. Griffith is a big-time athlete that has a chance to make the roster as a special teams demon. Griffith will need to outplay Azeez Al-Shaair and Walker, and Mark Nzeocha if he wants to make the roster.

87) S Derrick Kindred

Kindred has played over 1,700 snaps in the NFL. He didn’t play in 2019, but those snaps came with the Browns from 2016-2018. Kindred is undersized at 210 pounds but can cover and is aggressive against the run. It’s hard to say how effective he’ll be a year without playing football, but Kindred has an opportunity, and that’s all he can ask for.

86) QB Broc Rutter

We’ve missed out on the “can Rutter win the QB2 job” with no OTAs or minicamp. Rutter was an impressive college quarterback but did so at a level where there were maybe two or three NFL prospects in the league. Rutter will excite during the preseason. That doesn’t mean he’ll be any good, but I can’t wait to watch him play.

85) C Jake Brendel

The Niners signed Brendel in February. He spent the preseason with the Denver Broncos, where he played 141 snaps. Brendel did not play a regular-season snap in 2019. Brendel played 176 snaps during the regular season in 2018 with the Miami Dolphins and 67 snaps with the Dolphins in 2017. He only played one snap in 2016. Brendel an undrafted free agent out of UCLA in 2016 by the Dallas Cowboys.

84) Edge Alex Barrett

Barrett was added to the practice squad once Damontre Moore was placed on the injured reserve. As a rookie in 2017, Barrett appeared in two games and registered one tackle and 1.0 sack prior to being waived from the team on September 20, 2017. On September 22, 2017, he was signed to Detroit’s practice squad, where he spent the remainder of the season. After signing a Reserve/Future contract with the Lions on January 1, 2018, Barrett spent the majority of the season on Detroit’s practice squad. He then signed with the Oakland Raiders on April 6, 2019, and was waived on September 3.

83) DL Ray Smith

Smith was signed to the practice squad before the Seahawks game in Week 17. Smith signed as a defensive lineman. Smith was an undrafted free agent out of Boston College in 2019. At 6’1”, 305 pounds, Smith would be one of a few players on the roster over 300 pounds. Most defensive linemen out of Boston College are well-coached, but Smith must provide something as a pass rusher to make the Niners.

82) LB Joey Alfieri

Alfieri is also on the practice squad. The linebacker out of Stanford, I know, was also undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft. Alfieri ran well at his Pro Day last year. At 235 pounds, Alfieri ran a 4.54 40-yard dash and had a 7.03 3-cone drill. Alfieri will likely be a player the 49ers try and develop into a core special-teamer.

81) CB Dontae Johnson

There he is. Johnson was drafted in the fourth round of the 2014 draft. In 2017, Johnson played over 1,000 snaps for the 49ers. Johnson left, came back in 2019, and found the field for 20 snaps. The 49ers seem content with Johnson on the roster. He did play on some special teams early in the season, but that stopped after Week 16.