Hey guys. Vin back here with a report from the team scrimmage today.

– The practice opened up with some stretching and basic position drills. Then the coaches added in defenses accordingly, before the team actually began to scrimmage.

– The scrimmage saw the first team offense go against the second team defense for about a drive. Then the second team offense went up against the first team defense for another drive. Jessie Palmer and Shaun Hill lead a 3rd/4th string offense against the 2nd string D with some 3rds mixed in there to close out the practice.

– Vernon Davis had the highlight of the day and got the entire crowd on its feet with a beautiful catch on a seam route. He split the LBs, ran straight up the middle, and Alex Smith hit him in stride.

– Mike Rumph was burned by Antonio Bryant (I believe) today. He did look to be a hard hitter every now and then on shorter routes, but in coverage, Rumph was giving up a big cushion and that was kind of shakey.

– Our big, Norv Turner back might have been found. Unfortunately, it’s not Kevan Barlow. The man I’m referring to is Michael Robinson. Robinson showed a beautiful and amazingly quick burst when taking the hand off. He also was able to run up the middle and come out the other end on more than one occassion today. It was a very impressive showing for him. He even managed to protect Jessie Palmer and pick up the blitz today, showing off his blocking skills. I’d still like to see Robinson get lower when he runs, but this guy really stood out today and could be a perfect complement to Frank Gore.

– Frank Gore practiced hard today. He didn’t burst off any big gains up the middle, but he managed to hold on to a difficult pass in the middle of the end zone during drills, when contact was apparent.

– Kevan Barlow; however, looked somewhat lethargic today while running the football. He still looks like he’s jogging when he gets the carry initially, and he really didn’t go anywhere. His best run of the day amassed maybe 3-4 yards, and other than that, he was being stuffed by the 2nd team defense.

– One person who was responsible for that stuffing was Issac Sopoaga. Wow, talk about immovable objects. This guy was a rock out there today. He was underneath so many piles and basically eating space. If he shows even a fraction of that kind of promise when the games count, we may have a bonafied NT that is needed for the 3-4.

– Another defensive lineman that stood out was #96, Melvin Oliver. On the very first play in scrimmage, he came swooping in from the side with great speed and took Frank Gore for a ride down to the turf.

– Parys Haralson took some time to build up, but by the end of practice, he showed a real knack for closing in on the person who held on to the football. I would have liked to see a bit more from him pass rushing wise, but in terms of closing space quickly, Haralson was there and making plays, which was nice.

– The best pass rusher out there looked to be Corey Smith. He was in on several plays, and showed a ton of speed. This guy is picking up exactly where he left off last pre-season, and could be one of those players that really stands out on pass rushing situations.

– Manny Lawson looked fast out there. But like Haralson, I’d like to see a bit more from him pass rushing wise. When I took a look at him, he was being blocked. It wasn’t really an issue of technique or athleticism. He just needs to learn the offensive lineman’s tendency a bit more.

– Brandon Williams showed his toughness. He made a catch on the sidelines and was popped by a defender. He got back up though. He also showed how lethal he can be from the slot, as he was wide open in the middle of the field and made a big catch, which was nice.

– Kwame Harris and Adam Snyder switched off at RT on the first and second string quite a bit. Adam Snyder looked to add more of a presence. He was huge and had a mean streak going for him. However, Kwame Harris didn’t look to do anything particularly terrible either. There were no holding calls thrown by the refs on his part today.

– Marcus Maxwell; however, was called on offensive pass interference against Sammy Davis.

– Shawntae Spencer looked really good out there. He had a nice pass break up and played a fairly solid game. The only passes he gave up were shorter routes underneath.

– Alex Smith looked a lot more confident running the first string offense. Of course, he still had his miscues from time to time. But in terms of knowing what to do and at least making an effort to the throw the ball where it should be, he was there. He did not look like a deer in the headlights like last year during this scrimmage.

– Moran Norris, the FB we picked up from the Texans, looks massive. He could be a factor in the run game as a blocker.

– Delanie Walker really impressed today as well. He showed to be a very solid target coming out of the backfield. Jessie Palmer routinely went to him as an outlet.

– Players that did not participate in the scrimmage included Larry Allen, Arnaz Battle, and Bryant Young.

– The more and more Arnaz Battle sits out, the more impressive Bryan Gilmore looks as the #2 WR…