With Ahmad Brooks suddenly out of the picture for the 49ers – at least for a while – the linebacking corps will adjust for the absence of its most veteran outside linebacker.
For the time being, second-year player Aaron Lynch will start on the left side, with Corey Lemonier staring opposite him. Rookie Eli Harold, a third-rounder from Virginia, is also in the mix.
But there’s also a young, unheralded and undrafted rookie making his presence felt: Marcus Rush.
On Thursday, 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula told reporters that “Rush has been coming on.”
The 6-foot-3, 251-pound former Michigan State standout started a school-record 53 games at defensive end. He was considered undersized coming out of Michigan State and projected as a late-round pick or free agent, with potential as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, such as the 49ers'. His draft profile on NFL.com noted that Rush “improved with each year at (his) position.”
But while Rush flew under the radar heading into training camp, he’s been opening eyes on the coaching staff with solid, smart play.
On just the second day of camp, he showed his quickness in one-on-one drills with offensive tackle Trent Brown, getting around Brown with a nice spin move.
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In two exhibition games he’s been in on five tackles and has a sack, and he’s coming off a performance in the second exhibition game, against Dallas, in which he looked very good and very active. SB Nation’s James Brady called him “pretty darn disruptive” vs. Dallas. In his first game, vs. Houston, he also was active, making three stops.
This week, Matt Barrows, who covers the 49ers for the Sacramento Bee, wrote that Rush “might get the hustle award” for this year’s training camp and has worked his way into at least being a candidate for the roster with Brooks’ status now in doubt.
“He’s definitely undersized for the position and looks more like an inside linebacker,” wrote Barrows. “But Rush never stops attacking and has made a handful of notable plays this offseason, including a sack (against Dallas).”
