The San Francisco 49ers entered the draft with a clear focus on improving the defense that underperformed last season, and now it is time to hand out some grades on how well the 49ers did at retooling the defense and upgrading the offense in the 2025 NFL Draft.
San Francisco 49ers NFL Draft Grades
First Round (11th Overall): Edge Mykel Williams, Georgia
The 49ers have lost a lot of talent on the defensive line in recent years and just released Javon Hargrave, Leonard Floyd, and Maliek Collins this offseason. They needed to add talent to the defensive line in the draft. Williams is a fast, lengthy, and powerful edge rusher who can make an impact right away for the 49ers as a great run defender. However, he is currently far away from being a consistent pass rusher. He has an underdeveloped pass-rush plan and had an underwhelming pass-rush win rate at Georgia, for what you would expect out of a first-round pick. He will need to develop a lot as a pass rusher in the NFL, but with Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh and Defensive Line Coach Kris Kocurek on the coaching staff, Williams is in a good situation to develop well.
49ers Draft Grade: C+
Mykel Williams Scouting Report
Second Round (43rd Overall): IDL Alfred Collins, Texas
If the 49ers goal in this draft was to greatly improve the run defense, then mission accomplished. In the first round, the 49ers took one of the best run-defense edge rushers in the draft, and then followed it up in the second round with one of the best run-stopping interior defensive linemen in the draft. Collins is a powerful, experienced, and high-effort defensive lineman who offers alignment versatility. He is a stout run defender, but not the most explosive player, and just an average pass rusher. Even with the lack of pass-rush production, Collins is a pro-ready player who can make an immediate impact on early downs for the 49ers.
49ers Draft Grade: B
Alfred Collins Scouting Report
Third Round (75th Overall): LB Nick Martin, Oklahoma State
Martin is an undersized but extremely athletic linebacker. He has good sideline-to-sideline range and accumulated a ton of tackles in 2023 with 140 total tackles. He has good athletic upside and a high motor, but he currently lacks the processing speed and instincts needed to be a reliable starting linebacker. Martin can make an impact on special teams early in his career, but he struggles to disengage from blockers and will need to improve his play-processing ability to become a dependable starter in the league.
49ers Draft Grade: C-
Third Round (100th Overall): DB Upton Stout, Western Kentucky
The 49ers continued their focus on the defense with Stout at the end of the third round. Stout is an undersized, quick, and competitive defensive back. He has fluid hips and great change of direction ability, but his small height, weight, and arm length limit his upside. Still, with his instincts, short-area quickness, tackling ability, and competitive play style, he could develop into a decent starting nickel corner.
49ers Draft Grade: B-
Fourth Round (113th Overall): IDL C.J. West, Indiana
The 49ers added even more high-level run defense talent to the defensive line with West early in the fourth round. West is a physical run defender, strong at the point of attack, and gives relentless effort on every play. He is currently not a consistent pass rusher, but he is an explosive athlete who shows flashes of some possible pass rush upside. With West, the 49ers add another experienced and stout run defender to the defensive line at solid value in the draft.
49ers Draft Grade: B
Fourth Round (138th Overall): WR Jordan Watkins, Ole Miss
The 49ers went offense for the first time in the draft with Watkins in the fourth round. Watkins is a great athlete with good speed and incredible play strength for his size. He stands at 5-foot-11 inches but is able to fight through physical coverage and make contested catches. He does not have a big catch radius and is a bit of a body-catcher, but he fits the 49ers offense well and offers potential as a productive return man as well.
49ers Draft Grade: B-
Fifth Round (147th Overall): RB Jordan James, Oregon
James is a smart and efficient runner who had good production at Oregon. James is not a fast or particularly athletic running back, but runs extremely hard with good vision, footwork, and contact balance. He also has amazing ball security with zero fumbles during his entire college career. He could pair well with Isaac Guerendo as depth behind Christian McCaffrey.
49ers Draft Grade: B+
Fifth Round (160th Overall): S Marques Sigle, Kansas State
Sigle is an athletically gifted and aggressive defender who was a team captain at Kansas State in 2024. A high motor player who is at his best defending the run, but is inconsistent in coverage. Sigle can be a strong special-teams contributor and a versatile defender who has the athletic upside to potentially develop into an impactful defensive back.
49ers Draft Grade: B
Seventh Round (227th Overall): QB Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
Rourke is an older prospect who lacks off-rhythm playmaking ability and has injury concerns. He will likely never be one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but he fits Kyle Shanahan’s offense well and could be a decent backup or QB3 in the NFL. His toughness, experience, and anticipation as a thrower give him a chance to be quality depth at quarterback for the 49ers.
49ers Draft Grade: B-
Seventh Round (249th Overall): IOL Connor Colby, Iowa
Colby is an experienced four-year starter from Iowa. He has good size, athletic ability, and is a perfect fit for Shanahan’s zone-blocking run scheme. Colby took snaps at left guard, right guard, and right tackle during his college career. He will need to improve in pass protection, but could be an ideal developmental depth player on the offensive line with his versatility, scheme fit, and athleticism.
49ers Draft Grade: A
Seventh Round (252nd Overall): WR Junior Bergen, Montana
The 49ers ended their eleven-pick draft class with Bergen, a dynamic playmaker from the FCS level. Bergen is a dangerous return man who tied the FCS record with eight career punt return touchdowns. An undersized player, but could be a valuable special-teams contributor for the 49ers.
49ers Draft Grade: B-
Main Photo: [Kirby Lee] – USA Today Sports
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