SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers just finished Day 1 of minicamp. Here's who stood out.
1. Linebacker Dee Winters.
Intercepted Brock Purdy (more on him in a minute). Winters was playing zone coverage over the middle and Purdy threw the ball right to him. Winters is playing too well to lose his starting spot to rookie Nick Martin. I predict Winters will start next to Fred Warner in the season opener.
2. Free safety Jason Pinnock.
Intercepted Brock Purdy. Pinnock was playing deep centerfield and Purdy threw a long pass to Jacob Cowing running a post route as if Purdy thought the middle of the field would be open, but it was closed and Pinnock picked him off. He looked like he was making a fair catch during a punt return.
3. Cornerback Tre Brown.
Intercepted Brock Purdy. Brown was playing cornerback, not nickel, and he was covering rookie Jordan Watkins man-to-man. Brown was all over him and Purdy forced the pass to Watkins anyway. Easy interception. Great coverage.
4. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Actually showed up to practice and supported his teammates unlike at OTAs the past two weeks, where he was M.I.A. Aiyuk looked ahead of schedule in terms of his rehab. He was not wearing a brace or a protective sleeve over his surgically-repaired right knee, nor was he rehabilitating with the other injured players. Instead, he hung out with the wide receivers and played catch with them. He looks like he might be ready to start running soon.
5. Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson.
Caught a 20-yard pass from Mac Jones near the left sideline. Robinson was covered by undrafted rookie Jakob Robinson, who had good position. But at the last minute, Robinson slammed on the brakes and made a back-shoulder catch while Robinson flew by. Savvy play. Robinson is having a terrific offseason.
6. Wide receiver Jordan Watkins.
Caught another touchdown pass from Brock Purdy. This time, Watkins beat cornerback Dallis Flowers with a quick slant route. Watkins also caught a 15-yard pass over the middle from Mac Jones. So far, it seems Watkins is a threat to catch short passes, intermediate passes and deep passes, plus he's a threat to run the ball as well. He's a complete receiver.
7. Running back Isaac Guerendo.
Didn't get any targets, but on one play he ran a wheel route and sprinted past rookie linebacker Nick Martin who attempted to cover him man to man. Guerendo might be the fastest player on the team and he's in better shape than last season. He's fun to watch even when he doesn't get the ball.
8. Quarterback Mac Jones.
He made the best throw of the day -- a 20-yard strike to Demarcus Robinson while rolling to the left. Jones moved surprisingly well during this play. He's not nearly as quick as Purdy, but he's not a statue like Jimmy Garoppolo, either. And he has a good arm when he lets it rip. It will be interesting to see what he could do in a real game with a full game plan and all the 49ers weapons.
1.Quarterback Brock Purdy.
Threw three interceptions. All three passes were forced either to receivers who weren't open or spots where defenders were waiting. This is how Purdy practices. He often throws interceptions because he's trying to figure out what he can get away with during real games. Plus, he's not a great practice player. He's a gamer and a playmaker who performs his best when the bullets are live because his ability to scramble and buy time is his best attribute. And he's not afraid to let it rip, which is why he throws so many picks.
2. Kicker Jake Moody.
He made six of seven field goal attempts. That's the good news. He even made a 55-yarder. That's even better news. But, he also missed a 37-yarder wide right. That's the troubling news. We know Moody has a strong leg. Now, he has a new step up in which he spreads his legs wide before bringing them closer together, then stepping and kicking. Unfortunately for the 49ers, his accuracy is still an issue.
3. Defensive end Mykel Williams.
Missed his second week in a row with a hamstring injury. Williams seems like an extremely talented player who has the right mental makeup, but he's had injury issues since college and they're not going away.
4. Defensive tackle Alfred Collins.
Hasn't practiced yet this offseason due to a calf injury he aggravated during his Pro Day. Today, he didn't even watch practice -- his jersey was hanging on a hook next to the weight room.
5. Wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
Missed practice with a calf injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said is nothing serious, which is good, but the 49ers also said that about Christian McCaffrey's calf last offseason, then it turned out he had bilateral Achilles tendonitis and missed the first eight games. This is something to monitor.