The 49ers' new emphasis on special teams was on display late in the 2025 NFL Draft.San Francisco selected Montana wide receiver Junior Bergen with the No. 252 overall pick."We brought him here to be a returner and try to make the team that way," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said.Jacob Cowing handled punt returns for the 49ers as a rookie last season and posted a respectable 8.8-yard average on 28 returns. He had 11 fair catches and muffed two punts.New special teams coordinator Brant Boyer and assistant special teams coach Colt Anderson kept talking about Bergen, 49ers general manager John Lynch said.The 49ers hired Boyer to replace Brian Schneider after the team experienced an abundance of costly special-teams breakdowns last season.Bergen (5-foot-9 1/2, 184 pounds) was an All-Big Sky selection at kick returner, punt returner and wide receiver. He is tied for the NCAA FCS record with eight career punt-return touchdowns. He posted a career average of 16.7 yards per punt return.And with the new NFL kickoff rules, Bergen could have more of a chance to make an impact with the 49ers this season. This year, the offense will start at the 35-yard line after touchbacks on kickoffs.The NFL...
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