The 49ers do not have much time to wait for their rookies to arrive.
After losing a dozen starters and key backups since the end of last season, the 49ers relied on the 2025 NFL Draft to restock their roster.
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WATCH HERE“We knew we had to add a lot of people,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Fortunately, we had 11 draft picks, and it's very rare you use all 11 draft picks.
"But we needed to because we needed that many numbers and to actually find 11 guys that we believe all have a chance to make the team, all have big roles.”
The 49ers expect immediate contributions from the defensive players they selected with their first five draft picks.
Ten of the players the 49ers added during draft weekend will compete for spots. The other will experience a different timetable as he undergoes physical therapy while recovering from ACL surgery.
“They got to come in and compete and obviously earn it, but it was a very important draft,” Shanahan said.
San Francisco 49ers
Here is what the 49ers expect from their draft class:
DE Mykel Williams, Georgia
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SIGN UP The No. 11 overall pick is expected to be one of the key members of the 49ers’ defensive line rotation.
Williams likely slots as a Day 1 starter and three-down player. He figures to benefit from the 49ers’ system. He will line up on the edge opposite of Nick Bosa and face a lot of one-on-one blocks.
The 20-year-old is expected to be an upgrade with his ability to set the edge in the run game while bringing some spark to the pass rush.
Williams has the ability to move inside and rush the passer in nickel situations. But it might be best to keep him at one spot early in his career.
He figures to be on the field from 30 to 40 snaps per game at the outset of his career.
DT Alfred Collins, Texas
Collins, a second-round draft pick, fills a big need after the 49ers released starting defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins in the offseason.
Collins’ girth and 332-pound frame provides the 49ers with a run-stuffing presence on early downs. He likely will be subbed out of the game on third downs.
He should slot in as a Day 1 starter who plays 20 to 30 snaps a game.
LB Nick Martin, Oklahoma State
The 49ers identified Martin, a third-round pick, as a player capable of filling the role Dre Greenlaw held during his time with the organization.
Last year, the 49ers had All-Pro Fred Warner and little else at linebacker. Martin plays with fire and aggression — elements the 49ers’ defense was lacking last season.
If Martin is the player the 49ers envision, he should beat out Dee Winters and everyone else to be a starter and someone who rarely comes off the field.
CB Upton Stout, Western Kentucky
The 49ers have not had a reliable nickel back since K’Waun Williams’ departure after the 2021 season.
Stout is expected to enter the game when the 49ers go with five defensive backs, which would allow Deommodore Lenoir to remain at cornerback on all downs.
Playing nickel back is not an easy job, so Stout will have to be a quick study and learn the requirements of the position in Robert Saleh’s defense.
Still, the 49ers expect Stout to secure the all-important role on defense and play two-thirds of the snaps.
DT C.J. West, Indiana
The 49ers had five picks in the first 113 selections, and all five were defensive players.
West is a player whom the 49ers’ evaluators compared favorably to D.J. Jones, who played with the organization from 2017 to 2021.
West has an opportunity to work his way into the rotation along the defensive line. It’s not out of the question that he could join Collins in the starting lineup.
His most-likely role at the outset of his NFL career is to suit up for games and play 15 to 25 snaps per game on early downs.
WR Jordan Watkins, Ole Miss
A fourth-round pick, Watkins has what it takes to earn a spot on the 49ers’ 53-man roster.
And he might be needed to put himself in position to contribute in Week 1 of the regular season. After all, Brandon Aiyuk is recovering from ACL surgery and might not be ready for the opener.
And veteran free-agent addition Demarcus Robinson faces the uncertainty of a possible three-game suspension. The NFL is considering his status in regards to the league’s policy on substances of abuse. He was arrested in November and charged with DUI in Southern California.
Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing are the only other receivers who saw extensive action in the NFL last season.
Watkins caught 49 passes for 906 yards (18.5-yard average) and nine touchdowns last season. His big-play ability could provide the 49ers a nice element for quarterback Brock Purdy, who has been one of the more-successful deep passers in the NFL.
RB Jordan James, Oregon
James’ running style is a good fit for the 49ers’ outside-zone scheme. James might lack great straight-line speed, but he is adept at being decisive and hitting the hole quickly.
The Oregon product is a smooth route-runner and appears comfortable catching passes out of the backfield.
James comes to the team as the No. 3 back behind Christian McCaffrey and Isaac Guerendo. McCaffrey said there are no restrictions on his offseason activity after an injury-plagued 2024 season.
S Marques Sigle, Kansas State
The status of safety Malik Mustapha is up in the air after he underwent ACL surgery early in the offseason.
While it appears unlikely Sigle can challenge Ji’Ayir Brown and Jason Pinnock to start, he still could establish himself in a role to open the season as a top backup. Sigle said his versatility is his best attribute.
“I can play multiple positions,” he said. “I can play free safety, strong safety, nickel and dime.”
Sigle could play a handful of snaps a game when the 49ers deploy six defensive backs. He also could carve out a role as a core player on special teams.
QB Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
Rourke underwent surgery in January to repair the ACL in his right knee that was damaged in August.
Purdy, Mac Jones and Tanner Mordecai, in that order, are the 49ers’ quarterbacks.
This could be a redshirt season for Rourke, who does not figure to have an opportunity to compete during training camp.
It appears the best route is to keep him around and let him compete for a roster spot in 2026.
G Connor Colby, Iowa
Finally, the 49ers addressed their offensive line with their 10th pick in the draft.
If the 49ers envisioned a rookie starting on the offensive line, that player would have been selected before the seventh round.
Colby has some strong attributes, including his familiarity with key elements of the 49ers’ blocking schemes.
He will compete for a spot on the 53-man roster, but it will be a challenge to earn a uniform on game days as one of the 49ers’ top eight offensive linemen.
WR Junior Bergen, Montana
A favorite of the 49ers’ new special teams coaches, Bergen’s ticket to winning a job with the 49ers is as a return specialist.
Bergen returned eight punts for touchdowns during his college career. He also could be a major factor on kickoff returns.
He will be in direct competition against Cowing for the job. Cowing averaged a respectable 8.8 yards on 28 punt returns as a rookie.
