The 49ers keep leaning on youth, even while the roster still has plenty of veterans in their 30s. With 19 draft picks over the last two years and a 2025 class that produced real playing time, San Francisco is counting on its young group to keep moving forward in 2026.
That makes the second-year crop especially important. Some of those players already carved out roles as rookies.
Others barely got on the field. And a few are now in better position than they were a year ago.
Mykel Williams is one of the clearest examples. The 20-year-old came into the league with real upside, but he was still raw, especially as a pass rusher.
Even so, he showed steady growth before a torn ACL in Week 9 cut his rookie season short. The injury may slow some of that offseason progress, but Williams is still lined up to open the year as San Francisco’s starter on the edge opposite Nick Bosa, with Osa Odighizuwa now helping inside.
Verdict: Stock Up
Alfred Collins also looks like a player on the rise. He appeared in 16 games as a rookie, got off to a slow start because of an offseason injury, and improved as the season wore on. The 49ers brought him in to help the run defense, and with Odighizuwa in the mix now, Collins should be in position to reclaim his starting job in Year 2.
Verdict: Stock Up
Upton Stout might have been the most encouraging rookie story from 2025. He began the year unevenly, but by the final third of the season he had grown into a key nickelback starter and was arguably San Francisco’s best corner over that stretch. He’s expected to hold that nickel role again, and a stronger pass rush should help him even more after the 49ers struggled badly in that area last season.
Verdict: Stock Up
Jordan James is in a better spot too. Injuries limited him to just three games last year, so there wasn’t much of a rookie sample to work with.
But the 49ers haven’t replaced Brian Robinson after his departure in free agency, which opens the door behind Christian McCaffrey. James should have a real chance to win the backup job and earn more touches.
Verdict: Stock Up
Kurtis Rourke is also moving in the right direction. Last year, the 49ers basically stashed him while he recovered from a torn ACL suffered in college.
Now he’s in the mix with Adrian Martinez for the No. 3 quarterback job behind Mac Jones and Brock Purdy. That gives him a legitimate shot at making the 53-man roster or serving as the emergency quarterback.
Verdict: Stock Up
Connor Colby belongs in the same category. After Ben Bartch’s injury opened the door, Colby got a chance to start at left guard last season, though the early results were rough. San Francisco didn’t do much to upgrade the position, so Colby will get another crack at the starting job in camp and has a strong chance to stick on the 53-man roster.
Verdict: Stock Up
Not every second-year player is in the same shape, though. Nick Martin is sliding the other way.
The linebacker was viewed by many evaluators as a reach in the third round, and he spent much of his rookie year buried on the depth chart. Even with injuries at the position, he mostly contributed on special teams when healthy.
The 49ers did trade Dee Winters, but they also added Dre Greenlaw and still have Tatum Bethune, Luke Gifford, and Garrett Wallow, while fifth-round pick Jaden Dugger adds more competition. Martin can still develop, but he may not be ready for much beyond special teams.
Verdict: Stock Down
Jordan Watkins is in a tough spot as well. San Francisco drafted the Ole Miss receiver to bring speed to the offense, but injuries limited him to four games and only two catches for 26 yards as a rookie.
The lack of speed showed when Watkins and Jacob Cowing were out, but the 49ers have since added Mike Evans and Christian Kirk and also drafted De’Zhaun Stribling, another Ole Miss product with speed and size. With Cowing continuing to push for playing time too, Watkins has an uphill battle early in the season.
Verdict: Stock Down
Marques Sigle lands in the middle. He got early safety snaps because of the inconsistency in the secondary, but the growing pains were there.
San Francisco is bringing back a similar group, and Sigle sits behind Ji’Ayir Brown and Malik Mustapha. At the moment, he looks more like depth and insurance than a player ready to jump into the starting lineup.
Verdict: Stock Neutral
CJ West also feels like a mixed case. He and Collins both logged meaningful snaps as rookies and helped the 49ers slow the run in the second half of the season.
But San Francisco still went looking for an upgrade at defensive tackle and found one in Odighizuwa, then added Gracen Halton for more competition in the rotation. West should still have a role because of how often the 49ers rotate their linemen, but his stock isn’t as clearly on the rise after those additions.
Verdict: Stock Neutral
In Other News...
Deebo Samuel Just Got Linked To A Brutal NFC West Return
Deebo Samuel is already a familiar name around the NFC West, but the next chapter of his career could keep him in the division in a way 49ers fans would not love. After spending time with Washington and then San Francisco, the former Pro Bowl wideout is now being mentioned as a possible fit for a Rams offense that could use another proven target behind Davante Adams and Puka Nacua.
The appeal is easy to see from Los Angeles side, with the current depth chart still leaving room for a veteran receiver who can stabilize the middle of the lineup. Samuels recent production suggests he still has enough left to matter, and the idea of him landing on a short-term deal only adds to the intrigue as the Rams weigh whether to make a move that would hit close to home in the division. [Read more 🡒]
Purdy And Kittle Just Entered Rare 49ers History
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From 2022 through 2025, Purdy targeted Kittle 269 times and got big-play production in return, with the connection driving both yardage and touchdowns at a level that has helped define San Franciscos offense. Even in 2025, the link stayed among the leagues best at the position, which is why the 49ers can feel good about how central Kittle has been to Purdys rise, even if the next chapter of that partnership still comes with some uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Three 49ers Camp Battles Could Shape Shanahans Season
Training camp usually sorts out depth charts, but for the 49ers, a few of the most important decisions are already taking shape before the pads even come on. Left guard is one of the cleaner competitions, with Connor Colby entering as the favorite and Carver Willis and Robert Jones trying to force their way into the picture. It is the kind of battle that can quietly matter a lot in Kyle Shanahans offense, where one spot on the interior can affect everything from protection to run-game timing.
The secondary has its own set of questions, and those could be just as revealing. Renardo Green is facing real pressure at cornerback from Jack Jones and rookie Ephysians Prysock, while at safety Malik Mustapha appears set, leaving JiAyir Brown, Marques Sigle and Ashtyn Davis to sort out the other starting role. With so much competition clustered in a few spots, camp will not just determine who starts, but how much flexibility the 49ers have when the season begins. [Read more 🡒]