After spending three seasons behind Ray Lewis in Baltimore, former Salem High School and Virginia linebacker Dennis Haley said he thinks he will have more of an opportunity in San Francisco.

Haley, waived by Baltimore following the second game of the regular season, signed a two-year contract with the 49ers on Jan. 15.

Just over one month later, the 49ers announced the release of Derek Smith, who had started 163 games in an 11-year NFL career. Smith had 100 or more tackles in five straight seasons (2001-05), but the development of rookie Patrick Willis made him expendable.

Haley, 26, played outside linebacker in Virginia's 3-4 scheme but will compete for one of the inside spots for the 49ers, who also use a 3-4 scheme.

"When I was with the Ravens, I understood my role and I knew who I was playing behind," said Haley, who is training at Lifewise Fitness in Roanoke. "Unless something happened to Ray, I was mostly going to be on special teams."

Haley (6-foot-1, 252 pounds) started on all special teams in Baltimore's first two games and even played from scrimmage in Week 2.

"They just called me in and said, 'Thank you,' " Haley said. "There wasn't much of an explanation."

Haley had in-season workouts with Washington, Tennessee and Cleveland, but most of those teams did not make moves. His West Coast-based agent, Bardia Ghahremani, lined him up with the 49ers.

"Mike Singletary [an NFL Hall-of-Famer] is their linebackers coach," Haley said. "I'm really looking forward to it."

If Haley had spent a third week with Baltimore this fall, it would have given him three seasons toward the NFL's pension plan, which goes into effect once a player has four years. If Haley could complete his two-year contract, he would become vested, but there are no guarantees.

"My contract isn't guaranteed," he said. "You could sign a 10-year contract and not have it guaranteed."

Haley will be heading to San Francisco shortly for minicamps, after which he will return to the Roanoke Valley for his football camp June 26-28 at Salem High School. His first camp venture last year attracted 80 players age 7-17.

Recruiting

Virginia has taken its third football commitment for 2009 from speedster Caleb Porzel, a 5-9, 170-pound all-purpose threat from Good Counsel in Olney, Md., who rushed for 967 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. The Cavaliers picture Porzel as a return specialist who can perform in a variety of roles offensively.

UVa coach Al Groh mentioned Good Counsel on signing day as one of the Washington, D.C.-area private schools that his staff has targeted. The Cavaliers signed SuperPrep All-America defensive lineman Nick Jenkins from Good Counsel in 2007 and are making a push for Porzel's touted teammate, linebacker Jelani Jenkins.

NFL combine

Draft analyst Mel Kiper wrote in a blog for ESPN that cornerback Brandon Flowers, who passed up his final season of eligibility at Virginia Tech, was one of the players hurt by his showing at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Flowers will need to improve his 4.58-second 40-yard clocking.

Former Hokies Eddie Royal (4.39) and Duane Brown (5.08) had some of the top times among players at their positions, wide receiver and offensive tackle, but Flowers and linebacker Xavier Adibi (4.73) didn't fare as well.

Kiper hasn't come out with a new mock draft but scout.com has Virginia defensive end Chris Long going to Miami with the first pick overall and espn.com has Long going to St. Louis with pick No. 2. Long, measured at 6-3 and 272 pounds, ran a 4.71 40.

Kiper cited the connection between Dolphins president Bill Parcells and UVa head coach Al Groh as one of the variables in the Long saga.

In coaching

North Carolina's new defensive coordinator is Everett Withers, who joins head coach Butch Davis after one season as the defensive coordinator at Minnesota. Withers, a Charlotte, N.C., native who played defensive back at Appalachian State, was secondary coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2001-2006.

Making waves

Auburn sophomore Jordan Anderson, the Timesland boys' swimmer of the year as a senior for Hidden Valley in 2006, finished second in the 100-yard butterfly last weekend at the Southeastern Conference men's swimming and diving championships.

Anderson could only work on his kicking during a three-week period in January when he was rehabbing a sore shoulder, but it paid off when he was able to negotiate the final 25 yards in five strokes, kicking most of the way under water.

He also scored points with an 11th-place finish in the 200 butterfly as the Tigers won their 12th straight SEC men's title.

n Virginia freshman Nancy Baar, the 2007 Timesland girls' swimmer of the year, scored points as a ninth-place finisher in the 100 backstroke as the Cavaliers won the ACC women's title for the first time in four years.

The Cavaliers' 228-point margin over second-place North Carolina was the largest in the ACC meet since 1996.