None of the rookies are on hand and a lot of veterans weren't here for today's voluntary "Football School" involving the veteran 49ers. Among the absentees were a pair of centers, Jonathan Goodwin and Chase Beeler. So you have to take the spots where players are lining up with a grain of salt.
With that in mind, when the presumed first-team offensive line was on the field, Daniel Kilgore was lined up at center and Alex Boone was playing right guard. (Anthony Davis was at right tackle, Mike Iuapti at left guard and Joe Staley at left tackle.) The second-team composition had former Stanford offensive tackle Derek Hall at center and Mike Person at right guard.
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The quarterback pecking order, based on who throws first, second, third, etc., appears to be Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick, Josh Johnson and Scott Tolzien. All four took an array of throws (no pads, no helmets, no defense), including a lot of go routes.
Veteran receiver Randy Moss must have run a dozen go routes himself. He looked like his old self, appearing very fit and very fast. In fact, he caught a bomb from Smith in the middle of the end zone from 50 yards away.
Kaepernick described having Moss in the offensive huddle as "surreal." Like most young players on the team, he watched Moss as a kid. "Actually I wasn't a fan because I was a Packers fan growing up," said Kaepernick, whose family is from Wisconsin.
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Here are the players who aren't here for the voluntary session: K David Akers, P Andy Lee, LS Brian Jennings, WR Mario Manningham, Goodwin, Beeler, RB Frank Gore, RB Brandon Jacobs, RB Rock Cartwright, S Dashon Goldson and CB Carlos Rogers. In addition, Ted Ginn did not run any routes, presumably because he is still recovering from an injury.
According to Donte Whitner, Gore was on hand for the morning workout Thursday but did not attend the hour-long "football school."
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Aldon Smith, who played defensive end almost exclusively last year, was hanging out with the linebackers today, practicing dropping back in coverage and working on his hands. Fellow linebacker Ahmad Brooks has been in Santa Clara throughout the offseason and appears to be in the best shape of his career.
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Tight end Nate Byham is participating fully in drills but with a brace on his left knee, the result of last year's ACL tear. He will be pushed for a roster spot by Konrad Reuland, who caught everything thrown in his direction last year as a rookie. Reuland was true to form today, snagging a high and fast-paced throw from Kaepernick at the goal line.
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Colin Jones, who moonlighted as a wide receiver at the end of last season, was back with the defensive backs today.
-- Matt Barrows
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