The San Francisco 49ers are hoping for big returns from their 2021 NFL Draft class in the coming years. Quarterback Trey Lance headlines the incoming rookies and is a big part of the team’s future plans.
We won’t be able to truly gauge the strength of the Niners’ 2021 picks for a few years, but Pro Football Focus loves what it has seen from the 49ers’ 2019 draft class.
PFF originally ranked San Francisco’s 2019 draft as above average. But now, Michael Renner grades the 49ers’ 2019 class as “excellent.”
Round 1 (2): EDGE Nick Bosa, Ohio State
Round 2 (36): WR Deebo Samuel, South Carolina
Round 3 (67): WR Jalen Hurd, Baylor
Round 4 (110): P Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah
Round 5 (148): LB Dre Greenlaw, Arkansas
Round 6 (176): TE Kaden Smith, Stanford
Round 6 (183): OT Justin Skule, Vanderbilt
Round 6 (198): CB Tim Harris, VirginiaThen: Above Average
Now: Excellent
Everyone knows the impact studs at the top of the draft — Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel — but the 49ers also found a late-round gem in Dre Greenlaw.