It’s that point once more, after we take a look at the earlier drafts of the San Francisco 49ers and mirror. We’re fortunate to have video of every draft, due to YouTube poster and 49ers fan Marvin49. We’ll take a look at yearly of the Kyle Shanahan period by way of 2025. Today it’s 2019.
The 2019 NFL Draft was the draft that outlined the Kyle Shanahan 49ers.
Eight years later, the fingerprints of this class are nonetheless all around the workforce’s identification. The go rush revolved round one participant. The offense revolved round one other. And a fifth-round linebacker joined with the man they took the 12 months previous to make a tandem not not like Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman.
But after all, it may’t go easily.
The lead-up was nothing greater than a slow-motion race to the underside. The 49ers misplaced Jimmy Garoppolo to a knee harm in 2018 and all of the sudden discovered themselves looking at the opportunity of the primary total decide. This 12 months, the primary decide was apparent: Ohio State defensive finish Nick Bosa.
Unfortunately, the Arizona Cardinals stored getting in the way in which.
The Steve Wilks-led Cardinals had three wins in 2018, two of which have been in opposition to the 49ers. The 49ers completed with 4 wins, which dropped them to the second total decide.
I imply, you’ll be able to’t make this up. The 49ers are in a race for the primary decide and don’t stink as a lot as one other workforce. Said “other team” nonetheless managed to beat the 49ers twice whereas additionally getting the worst report in soccer.
This is the place I’d say, “Because, 49ers.” But in hindsight, issues couldn’t have labored out any higher.
The Cardinals employed Kliff Kingsbury, and Kingsbury made it clear he needed Kyler Murray. Arizona took the quarterback first total, and the San Francisco 49ers fortunately walked away with Nick Bosa. Bosa rapidly grew to become the centerpiece of the 49ers’ go rush and one of the crucial dominant edge rushers in soccer. Entire offensive sport plans revolved round slowing him down through double and triple groups.
This first-round decide was undoubtedly not a bust. It was a decide that modified the protection in a single day. Even in 2025, earlier than his season ended early, Bosa confirmed precisely why: showing in three video games and serving to seal late wins in two of them. Then got here the intestine punch in Week 3 — a torn ACL that ended his season. This man modified the 49ers’ protection. And we’re nonetheless speaking concerning the first choice.
With their subsequent decide, Kyle Shanahan went again to a participant he had gotten to know on the Senior Bowl: Deebo Samuel.
Samuel grew to become one of the crucial distinctive offensive weapons seen in years. The “wide back” function — half receiver, half operating again, all wrecking ball — grew to become a defining function of the Shanahan offense virtually instantly. Defenders knew he was coming and nonetheless struggled to cease him.
Samuel finally moved on from San Francisco and was traded to the Washington Commanders. Still, his affect on the offense stays apparent everytime you look again on the peak years of the Shanahan system.
In 2025, with Washington, Samuel appeared in 16 video games and caught 72 passes for 727 yards and 5 touchdowns whereas including 75 yards speeding and one other rating on the bottom. And he may be in search of a brand new workforce in 2026, with experiences that the Commanders might not bring him back.
OK, so we’re two for 2. Can they do issues in threes? No, as a result of the following decide was a large receiver: Jalen Hurd. On paper, Hurd seemed like the proper Shanahan weapon. A former operating again turned receiver with dimension, versatility, and physicality. And none of that was ever proven when he made the professionals.
A again harm in his rookie preseason landed him on injured reserve. A torn ACL worn out the next season. Another harm in 2021 finally led the 49ers to maneuver on. Hurd later signed with the New England Patriots in July 2023 however retired the next month with out ever showing in an NFL regular-season sport.
But don’t fear, issues get again on monitor with the fourth decide. On monitor to erect a mighty kingdom, we name (or known as…because it’s now off the map) Punterville. Australian punter Mitch Wishnowsky was subsequent. A punter who wasn’t afraid to put wooden when wanted and had some good wheels on him as effectively.
The workforce moved on from Wishnowsky in May 2025. His season become a quick tour across the league — signing with Washington, being launched three days later, and finally touchdown with the Buffalo Bills. Punterville or no Punterville, one should journey to be a punter.
The good picks stored coming with the 49ers now getting the steal of the category: linebacker Dre Greenlaw.
Greenlaw paired with Fred Warner to kind among the best linebacker duos the franchise has seen because the Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman days. His most well-known second got here in the course of the 2019 season when he stopped Seattle inches in need of the purpose line in Week 17 to safe the NFC’s prime seed.
Unfortunately, because the 49ers drafted effectively, they couldn’t pay everybody, so Greenlaw went to the Denver Broncos in 2025. The 49ers have been within the combine to retain him, however Denver simply had additional cash.
In hindsight, it may need been disappointing for the 49ers to have prolonged him after which have the 2026 that Denver did with Greenlaw. He missed the primary six weeks of the 2026 season, and a spat with a referee in his first game back got him suspended for the next. He completed the 12 months with 43 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 quarterback hits, and 1 interception throughout 8 video games.
And…that’s just about it for gamers that made affect. There have been nonetheless some picks left. Picks like tight finish Kaden Smith, who didn’t make it by way of his rookie season earlier than being waived. Or Justin Skule, who managed to make it previous a single season, however simply being on the roster may be the one factor we keep in mind.
Things for this draft ended with cornerback Tim Harris. Harris by no means appeared in a sport for the 49ers and was waived in 2020. He bounced round briefly earlier than spending time within the XFL in 2023.
You can’t nail all of them, however this draft was what made the 49ers a juggernaut for future years. It’s so unusual to be scripting this and solely seeing one participant from it nonetheless on the workforce.
Round 1 – Pick 2 – Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State
Round 2 – Pick 36 – Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina
Round 3 – Pick 67 – Jalen Hurd, WR, Baylor
Round 4 – Pick 110- Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah
Round 5 – Pick 148 – Dre Greenlaw- LB, Arkansas
Round 6 – Pick 176 – Kaden Smith, TE Stanford
Round 6 – Pick 183 – Justin Skule, OT, Vanderbilt
Round 6 – Pick 198 – Tim Harris, CB, Virginia
