The 2025 NFL Draft is officially in the books, and the San Francisco 49ers walked away with 11 new players—five on offense and six on defense. Soon, the coaching staff will begin working with this (hopefully) promising group of rookies, aiming to maximize each player's unique skill set.
Media experts have delivered their annual assessments of each team's draft class, grading each organization on their efforts over the past few days.
While draft grades are admittedly premature, given that true success won't be known until these players take the field, they offer an early evaluation tool. They reflect the perceived value, potential fit, and immediate expectations for each draft class based on pre-draft scouting and team needs.
Below are the grades assigned to the 49ers by notable analysts and writers, along with their insights explaining the reasoning behind each assessment. The evaluations span a wide range, from a couple of B+ grades to two D marks.
49ers Draft Picks
- Round 1 (11): DE Mykel Williams, Georgia
- Round 2 (43): DT Alfred Collins, Texas
- Round 3 (75): LB Nick Martin, Oklahoma State
- Round 3 (100): CB Upton Stout, Western Kentucky
- Round 4 (113): DT CJ West, Indiana
- Round 4 (138): WR Jordan Watkins, Mississippi
- Round 5 (147): RB Jordan James, Oregon
- Round 5 (160): S Marques Sigle, Kansas State
- Round 7 (227): QB Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
- Round 7 (249): G Connor Colby, Iowa
- Round 7 (252): WR Junior Bergen, Montana
The following grades are listed from highest to lowest.
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News
2025 Grade: B+
2024 Grade: C-
Analysis:
The 49ers often march to the beat of their own evaluations with GM John Lynch. But the decision to go defense-dominant early made sense with all the salary-related personnel hits. Williams was a smash pick opposite Nick Bosa, and the combination of Collins and West can help right away, too. Martin and Stout were mild head-scratchers. The team also couldn't quite resist taking a wideout-running back-quarterback trio late.
Chad Reuter, NFL.com
2025 NFL Draft: Final snap grades for all 32 teams
2025 Grade: B+
2024 Grade: B
Analysis:
Williams' length and power on the edge give him promise, and Collins and Martin are excellent replacement options for Javon Hargrave and Dre Greenlaw, respectively. Stout's frame might not match his descriptive name, but his game certainly does.
San Francisco added a second run-stopper in West before finally selecting some offensive playmakers for Brock Purdy. Watkins flashed big-play ability in college and James will be the next late-round running back find for the Niners. Sigle is one of my favorite Day 3 picks as a special teamer and potential future starter at safety. Rourke is another talented quarterback worth a seventh-round flyer, while Colby could stick as a blocker for James and protector for Purdy and Rourke.
Nate Davis, USA Today
NFL draft grades: Ranking all 32 teams' 2025 classes, including baffling Browns
2025 Grade: B
2024 Grade: B
Analysis:
This defense badly needed attention, so credit GM John Lynch for earmarking his first five picks on it. First-round DE Mykel Williams and second-round DT Alfred Collins could help Nick Bosa get back to being the dominant player he should be. Third-round LB Nick Martin ought to flourish alongside All-Pro Fred Warner.
Mel Kiper, ESPN
2025 NFL draft grades: Mel Kiper's winners, losers, sleepers
2025 Grade: B
2024 Grade: B-
Analysis:
This is a crucial draft for the 49ers, who are teetering on the edge of a potential rebuild. Yes, injuries decimated their roster on the way to a disastrous 2024 season, but they lost several starters this offseason, including guard Aaron Banks, cornerback Charvarius Ward, lineback Dre Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga and wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. Those are impact players who leave big shoes to fill. San Francisco has to figure out how to build its roster around a looming mega-extension for quarterback Brock Purdy.
General manager John Lynch entered Round 1 with 11 picks to play around with, including extra selections in the third, fourth and fifth rounds. Could he come out of the weekend with impact players?
Well, he certainly tried to help his defense. Lynch used his first five picks on that side of the ball, only the second time the 49ers have done that in the common draft era (since 1967). Three of those five made my list of favorite prospects ahead of the draft: linebacker Nick Martin, cornerback Upton Stout and defensive tackle CJ West. Martin and West were solid value picks, while Stout went a little high. All three are fun players who can make an impact, even if they're not likely to be rookie starters.
Jordan Watkins is my 27th-ranked wideout, while Jordan James is my 23rd-ranked running back. San Francisco took both earlier than I would have liked. Quarterback Kurtis Rourke is an interesting flier in Round 7. I was impressed by his decision-making and his timing on throws when going through his tape. I wouldn't be shocked if he made the roster.
This class likely will hinge on whether Mykel Williams can become a force on the other side of Nick Bosa. The 49ers ranked 28th in pressure rate last season (27.7%) and have to figure out ways to take pressure off their defensive backs. Williams is extremely explosive, but his modest sack totals (five in 2024) scared away some teams. Can San Francisco figure out how to get the best out of him on every snap? He has elite upside.
I like a few of the players Lynch took, but the value was questionable. Again, that matters in an exercise like this, because you want to see organizations maneuver the board and add extra capital.
Danny Kelly, The Ringer
Grading Every Team's 2025 NFL Draft Haul
2025 Grade: B-
2024 Grade: A-
Analysis:
The 49ers wasted no time adding reinforcements to their defensive line in this draft, grabbing big-bodied defenders with three of their first five picks. Georgia edge defender Mykel Williams has a massive, long-armed frame and brings a high immediate floor as a top-tier run defender—with a high ceiling as a pass rusher. Texas defensive tackle Alfred Collins looks like an actual giant on the field, dwarfing offensive linemen as he pushes them back into opposing quarterbacks' laps. And Indiana defensive tackle CJ West is a bowling ball of a defender who plays with tremendous power and leverage. Outside that upgraded positional group, Oklahoma State's Nick Martin feels like a classic San Francisco pick as a rangy off-ball linebacker who flies around like his hair's on fire. I'm also very intrigued by the team's selection of Oregon running back Jordan James, who profiles like a twitchier, more elusive version of Mason Jordan (who is now in Minnesota). Christian McCaffrey should continue to dominate touches in this backfield, but if he struggles with injuries at any point this year, it wouldn't be surprising to see James emerge as Kyle Shanahan's new late-round favored son.
Nate Tice and Charles McDonald, Yahoo! Sports
2025 NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams
2025 Grade: C+
2024 Grade: C-
Analysis:
Mykel Williams in the first round and Alfred Collins in the second round were fine selections for the range they went in. However, the Niners made some big reaches in the third round with linebacker Nick Martin and cornerback Upton Stout. Martin and Stout were projected to go late Day 3 and are probably closer to depth pieces than starters. Still, the 49ers beefed up their run defense, which they desperately needed to do this year.
Most interesting pick:
Upton Stout, CB, Western Kentucky
Stout is a very undersized cornerback at 5-foot-8. He made plays on the ball and in space at Western Kentucky, but his size makes him a bit of a head-scratcher in the top 100 picks. Perhaps his tackling ability will make him a weapon in the slot, but Stout and Nick Martin are two undersized players to add to this defense.
Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports
2025 Grade: C
2024 Grade: B+
Analysis:
For as much as much as I revere Kyle Shanahan as a play designer and cannot argue with the team's success with him at the helm, I rarely see eye-to-eye with him -- and general manager John Lynch -- in the draft. San Francisco clearly wanted to make it known it wouldn't be pushed around on the ground anymore -- the first two selections of Williams and Collins screamed that. Both are project-y as pass rushers.
Not something you typically want to see with Round 1 and Round 2 picks on defense.
Martin is an out-of-control rocket at linebacker, but I can get down with Stout as a sudden slot corner at pick No. 100. West is a hefty run-defender with pass-rushing potential, and Sigle is another young, dynamic, hard-hitting safety added to this defense. I was confused by the prospects they picked at running back and receiver in the middle of this draft. Then again, Shanahan will probably get the most out of James in the backfield.
Gilberto Manzano, Sports Illustrated
2025 NFL Draft: Final snap grades for all 32 teams
2025 Grade: D
2024 Grade: B
Analysis:
To no surprise, the 49ers went heavy on defense with their draft class. They lost several starters in free agency, but the team might not have drafted the right players to immediately fill those voids. Williams surprisingly went ahead of Jalon Walker, and perhaps he doesn't have the same upside as James Pearce Jr., Shemar Stewart and Mike Green. Then again, the 49ers might have seen something in Williams that wasn't easy to spot after Williams played through an ankle injury last season. But this was a deep class for edge rushers. San Francisco also missed an opportunity to add an offensive lineman in the first round after losing Aaron Banks in free agency.
Pro Football Focus (PFF team)
2025 NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams
2025 Grade: D
2024 Grade: B+
Analysis:
Williams — The 49ers' defensive line was looking thin around Nick Bosa, so defensive linemen were always high on their list of likely targets with this pick. Williams brings a range of traits for Robert Saleh to work with and is projected as one of the safer NFL transitions in this class. He stood out particularly as a run defender over the past three seasons, ranking in the 97th percentile among NCAA edge defenders in PFF run-defense grade during that span.
Collins — With Robert Saleh back at the helm of this 49ers defense, San Francisco has renewed focus on the trenches with its first two picks. Collins has incredible length and versatility to play anywhere from 0- to 5-technique. His pass-rush profile leaves room for improvement, but his high floor as a run defender (85.0 PFF run-defense grade) will allow him to contribute to the rotation early.
Martin — Martin is an undersized linebacker at only 6 feet and 220 pounds. He had his 2024 season cut short by injury but has an athletic profile that should allow him to fly around to the ball. Martin earned an 84.4 PFF grade in 2024.
Stout — While Stout's size limitations may hinder his contributions at the next level, he provides fire and positional versatility that defensive coordinators love. He will likely be limited to the nickel, but his solid marks as a run defender (90.0 PFF grade) and coverage defender (78.3) will earn him a role in the NFL.
West — After starting three years at Kent State, where he was a dominant force up the middle, West transferred to Indiana for his final season, and the transition was seamless. Against Big Ten competition, West sported a career-high 88.1 PFF run-defense grade while still maintaining above-average pass-rush skills with 27 pressures, also a career high.
Watkins — Watkins played 29.3% of his snaps in 2024 in the slot, so the 49ers can move him around. He is also a good special teams player and punt returner. The Ole Miss product averaged 8.1 yards per punt return and has one punt return touchdown to his name.
James — With the loss of Jordan Mason in the offseason, the 49ers needed to fill out some depth behind Christian McCaffrey and Isaac Guerendo. Jordan James provided elite production for the Ducks over the past two seasons, posting a PFF rushing grade of 94.8 in 2023 and 90.9 in 2024. Pass blocking has been an issue for him, though, as he recorded a grade of 43.9 in 2024.
Sigle — Sigle projects as a nickel cornerback who isn't afraid to play physical against the run. Last season, Sigle posted a career-best 85.2 run-defense grade.
Rourke — Rourke has plenty of starting experience but lacks top-end physical attributes, so he best projects as a backup quarterback. He finished the 2024 season with an elite 90.2 PFF passing grade.
Colby — Colby's write-up in the PFF Draft Guide calls him "potentially valuable depth in a Shanahan-style outside zone scheme," and now he finds himself in exactly that. He brings plenty of experience with four years of starting experience, primarily at right guard. He earned a career-best 77.1 PFF overall grade in 2024.
Bergen — Bergen put up more than 500 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons with Montana, forcing 17 missed tackles after the catch and averaging more than 6 yards after the catch per reception since 2023.
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