The 49ers went into the 2020 NFL draft with a purpose. They turned limited draft capital into five selections that all filled needs and easy-to-envision roles as rookies.
It won’t be easy to replicate last year’s success, but their draft class should give them an opportunity to do so with a relatively similar roster.
Here’s what kind of role each of the 49ers’ five 2020 NFL draft picks should have in their rookie seasons:
DL Javon Kinlaw
There’d be no drop off between Kinlaw and DeForest Buckner in an ideal world. The reality is Kinlaw likely won’t step in and play at an All-Pro level. However, the No. 14 overall pick will be tasked with stepping into the role largely occupied by Buckner on the defensive front. He’ll hold up blockers in the run game and collapse the middle of the pocket as a pass rusher. Whether he can play almost 80 percent of the snaps remains to be seen, but he’ll be tasked to carry a heavy load along the interior of the defensive line right away.
WR Brandon Aiyuk
It may take Aiyuk a few weeks to get his NFL legs in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. He should quickly step into the No. 2 wide receiver role and start across from Deebo Samuel. The 49ers can’t expect the No. 25 overall pick to be a star out of the gate. They should expect him to be reliable stretching the field and taking advantage of some open field schemed open by Shanahan. There may also be some of the run game work we saw Samuel get with some regularity throughout last season. If Aiyuk has the same rookie season Samuel has, the 49ers offense will be in great shape.
OL Colton McKivitz
There’s a scenario where McKivitz makes a position switch to guard and snags the starting right guard spot. A truncated offseason may rob him of that opportunity. What the 49ers can reasonably expect is McKivitz takes to a position change to the interior while also excelling at tackle. Having another player like Daniel Brunskill who can play anywhere on the line effectively allows the coaching staff a ton of flexibility in how they construct their game day roster. If he’s not starting, he could find a reserve spot relatively high on the depth chart.
TE Charlie Woerner
It was easy to see right away where Woerner would fit with San Francisco. He was a mauler in the run game at Georgia, and the loss of Levine Toilolo in free agency opened a roster spot for a player with Woerner’s exact skill set. He’s not just an in-line blocker though. He can line up and be effective all over the field, which gives Shanahan another chess piece to work with to create mismatches in the run game. Woerner may not play a ton of snaps, but he should be very good at the job assigned to him.
WR Jauan Jennings
Jennings is maybe the most interesting player to watch this offseason. He is not fast by any stretch, and because of it may be limited to slot work as a receiver. Where he excels is breaking tackles after the catch. He makes tough catches in traffic and seeks contact with the ball in his hands. Jennings is also an excellent blocker. If he lands on the roster, he’d be tapped more often for special teams work than targets in the passing game. Perhaps the 49ers wind up moving him to a tight end role with added bulk, but special teams contributions and contested catch ability may be enough to get him a roster spot in a crowded receiving corps.
