A few practices into Jimmie Ward's career at Northern Illinois, Huskies head coach Jerry Kill realized the lightly recruited defensive back was not to be taken lightly. Two training-camp practices into his NFL career, the 49ers' first-round pick has looked - to borrow from Kill - pretty damn good. Ward didn't participate in the offseason program after undergoing foot surgery in March, but his first NFL practice came last week when the rookies, quarterbacks and injured veterans reported. First impressions? In June, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Ward "wouldn't look good early" in training camp because he was sidelined during the spring. On two occasions he covered physical wide receiver Anquan Boldin, an 11-year veteran who routinely gives smaller cornerbacks the rag-doll treatment. Despite his non-BCS school background, the NFL stage doesn't appear to be too big for Ward, who, in high school, was stunned he only received one Division I offer.