At the start of 2025 OTAs, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy found himself without several of his superstar receivers from recent years.
Deebo Samuel was traded by the 49ers in the offseason, Brandon Aiyuk is still recovering from an ACL injury, and even promising second-year player Ricky Pearsall missed OTAs because he is dealing with a hamstring injury.
With the 49ers wide receiver room lacking some of the depth it has boasted in recent years, they are likely going to need an unproven player to step up and play like a starting player.
Fortunately for San Francisco, one young wideout has been excellent during training camp: rookie wide receiver Jordan Watkins. Purdy had bold praise for Watkins at his OTA media availability on Wednesday June 4, 2025.
“Jordan Watkins has been balling from day one really,” Purdy said. “He’s come in and he’s done everything pretty right and he’s been on point. He’s had a lot of explosive plays down the field.”
49ers insiders have been singing Watkins’ praises since the start of OTAs in May 2025, with 49ers insider Vic Tafur saying he was impressed by Watkins as early as Day 1 of OTAs.
But what Watkins’ quarterback thinks of him is ultimately the most important. So, 49ers fans should be very encouraged by Purdy’s comments on the rookie.
Watkins Put Together a Great Résumé in College
Jordan Watkins may not have been a first-round draft prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft. But there were plenty of trends throughout his play in college that hinted that he could be good in the NFL.
For one, Watkins was very healthy throughout his collegiate career. In his three years at Ole Miss, he sat out only one game: their 2024 season-opening blowout of Furman.
For another, Watkins’ stats steadily improved. By his final year in 2024, he was among the SEC’s best wide receivers. He racked up 906 receiving yards and tied for the conference lead with 9 touchdown catches.
Finally, Watkins showcased his skills admirably at the 2025 NFL combine. Notably, he recorded an elite 40-yard dash time of 4.37 seconds, and the 49ers were also impressed with his performance in the gauntlet drill.