A look back at the 49ers drafts: 2019

A deep dive goes deeper

We’ve been taking a look back at the 49ers drafts under the current regime, and folks, 2017 and 2018 aren’t really great. Each has yielded two starters but you really hope for at least three in addition to bench rotational strength. So, here’s hoping things look better with the 2019 draft. Here’s who the team picked:

Well, HELLO THERE.

Nick Bosa is a Pro Bowler and was a snub at All-Pro. He’s one of the best pass rushers in the league and despite missing almost all of 2020 with a torn ACL appears to not lose a step this season. This is a slam dunk of a pick.

Deebo Samuel was named to his first Pro Bowl AND All Pro (1st Team) team this year. He was the first WR to score eight rushing touchdowns and is a unique threat suited perfectly for Kyle Shanahan. He’s strong, quick and ruthless and despite being taken one pick prior to A.J. Brown, the team surely regrets nothing in taking Deebo. His dominant play this season and especially in the playoffs has gained him national attention he surely deserves. And he, like Bosa, is going to get a very healthy contract extension soon.

The first misstep is Jalen Hurd. Essentially taken as another type of Deebo RB/WR/TE hybrid, Hurd never saw a regular season snap after suffering a myriad of injuries. Total waste of a pick, unfortunately.

The other two starters from this draft are punter Mitch Wishnowsky and LB Dre Greenlaw. With Greenlaw and Fred Warner, the team once again has a tag team of brutal, fast and strong linebackers. Greenlaw’s absence for most of this season was felt but he’s returned strong for the playoffs. And Wishnowsky has been an extremely capable punter.

Now…there’s still ZERO reason the team should have used a fourth round pick on a punter, and it’s a complete abuse of draft capital to do so. I’m glad the team got a starting punter but it’s annoying when you think of what other players at skill positions were there, and how easy it is to get a decent punter off the street.

Kaden Smith couldn’t crack the TE depth but has found a role with the Giants, while Justin Skule remains on the team as OL depth. Tim Harris was drafted while injured and got in a game or two with the 49ers before they waived him. Again, as a 6th round pick, it was probably a good gamble. Let’s take a wider look at the outcomes here:

With the important caveat that this draft was just two seasons ago, you have to like what you see here - four starters, and another guy who provides bench depth at OL. Two other guys have roles on other teams (though Harris is probably a free agent at this point.) I was not happy with the pick of Hurd or the use of a fourth round pick on a punter and I’ll stand by that (in fairness, I also thought the Greenlaw pick was suspect and I was quite wrong there).

This draft gets a solid A- from me, as Bosa, Samuel and Greenlaw are major parts of what makes this team so good. Let’s roll.