Ranking each 49ers pick from the 2025 NFL draft

The San Francisco 49ers wound up using all 11 of their selections in the 2025 NFL draft.

Some of their picks will likely work out. Others will likely not. In the interest of transparency, we don't have a crystal ball and we can't tell you which players will be good or not (although that won't stop us from prognosticating).

Advertisement

Instead of trying to predict which players will be good or bad, we ranked the 49ers picks based on need, fit, skill set and overall vibes:

1. DT CJ West | Round 4, Pick 113

West can flat-out play. He may not start right away, but he should make an immediate impact on a revamped 49ers defensive line.

2. S Marques Sigle | Round 5, Pick 160

Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh may see a little Jimmie Ward in Sigle with the way he can play a slew of different positions in the secondary. There's a chance Sigle is a Day 1 starter who works as a dynamic chess piece for the DC.

3. DE Mykel Williams | Round 1, Pick 11

Williams may not be the best defensive end in this year's class, but his high floor and run-stuffing ability give him a chance to dramatically improve the 49ers' defensive line. If he puts together his pass rush tools, he could be an All-Pro caliber player.

4. DL Alfred Collins | Round 2, Pick 43

The 49ers needed multiple defensive linemen early, so snagging Collins at No. 43 overall was a strong move. He's a big, strong DL who is hard to get off his spot against the run. There's not much there as a pass rusher, but he should start and make the 49ers' defense better.

5. CB Upton Stout | Round 3, Pick 100

Stout's movement skills are special. He's very quick, but he does a nice job of changing speeds and breaking down to wrap up ball carriers. If his 5-8, 181-pound frame doesn't hold him back against NFL receivers, he'll have a shot to start. Plus, he's just a super fun watch.

6. RB Justin James | Round 5, Pick 147

Kudos to the 49ers for not reaching for a running back. James is a fine player who won't blow anyone away with athletic traits. He's just a rock solid runner who has good vision and balance to maximize the athleticism he does have. The 49ers needed a third or fourth RB and James should be able to fill that role.

7. OL Connor Colby | Round 7, Pick 249

The 49ers probably should've taken an offensive linemen earlier. Colby can play, though. He's a good athlete who got starts at right guard, left guard and right tackle during his four seasons with the Hawkeyes. He also has good size for an interior lineman. San Francisco needs more depth inside, and Colby might just find his way onto the roster as a rookie.

8. LB Nick Martin | Round 3, Pick 75

By all accounts the 49ers reached here. Martin can fly, though and it's easy to see where the 49ers fell in love with him. He's undersized at 5-11, 221 pounds, but he moves like a safety around the line of scrimmage. The one issue here is it's unclear whether he's substantially better at football than Dee Winters − a 2023 sixth-round pick.

9. QB Kurtis Rourke | Round 7, Pick 227

It sounds like Rourke may not be ready for the start of training camp while he recovers from ACL surgery. He played all of 2023 and 2024 on a torn ACL, which is very impressive. There's not a ton that pops about Rourke as a QB, but the 49ers needed a backup and he may be that player for the foreseeable future.

10. WR Junior Bergen | Round 7, Pick 252

The only reason this selection isn't No. 11 is because it was a flier late Day 3 pick. Bergen is a very fun watch on punt returns where he took back eight touchdowns on 68 returns in college at the University of Montana.

11. WR Jordan Watkins | Round 4, Pick 138

It's not immediately clear if there's anything special about how Watkins plays football. He has good speed to take the top off of defenses, but his overall production in college wasn't outstanding. Perhaps he's a fine player in the pros. There's just a steep hill to climb for him to get snaps as a fourth-round pick. If he doesn't carve out a role on offense it'll be two fourth-round WRs in two years who have been unable to have a Year 1 impact.