The San Francisco 49ers have a rough history with mid-round picks.

That history doesn't appear to be getting better any time soon as their 2024 preseason opener approaches. Two recent third-round picks, wide receiver Danny Gray and tight end Cameron Latu, are both on the outside looking in at a roster spot heading into the first preseason game.

The 49ers released an unofficial depth chart for Week 1 of the preseason that highlights just how far Gray and Latu have to go to make the team this season.

While the 49ers communications staff compiles the depth chart, it's still noteworthy where Gray and Latu stand because it tracks with how things have gone in the preseason.

Gray is listed behind Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings and Chris Conley. He's also listed alongside Tay Martin, Ronnie Bell and Trent Taylor.

Forgetting for a moment the specifics of where each player is listed, it's a stark reminder of the obstacles Gray faces. Let's assume for a moment Aiyuk is on the team. He's a lock for the roster with Samuel, Jennings and Pearsall. Fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing figures to have a spot as well.

That leaves maybe one roster spot and both Bell and Taylor have more special teams experience than Gray, which gives them a leg up in that competition. Conley also proved to be a reliable veteran option and special teams contributor last season.

If Gray is going to turn a corner in Year 3, it better happen fast because he's running out of time to surpass the slew of players ahead of him on the depth chart.

Latu, a second-year player, is in a similar spot. Only he's actively struggled in camp after having a tough time in camp as a rookie. He's listed next to Jake Tonges on the unofficial depth chart as a No. 3 TE. George Kittle is the starter. Latu's fellow 2023 pick Brayden Willis is listed with Eric Saubert as the backups.

Saubert has put together a nice camp and frequently shows up in reports from media on site. Willis carved out some time last year thanks to his special teams role, and free agent signee Logan Thomas figures to be in the mix for the TE2 job once he's healthy.

That's a steep climb to the roster with a ton of obstacles for Latu to overcome. His biggest problem is that just playing better isn't going to suffice. If he's going to climb out of the hole he started camp in, he'll need to dramatically outperform the players ahead of him, and that doesn't seem likely given what we've seen so far.

This is why they have camp and preseason games though. The clock is ticking, but there'll be time and opportunities for Gray and Latu to push their way into the conversation for a roster spot. For now they're both on the wrong side of the roster bubble, like so many other 49ers middle-round picks early in their careers.

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 2 recent 49ers 3rd-round picks are way behind in hunt for roster spots