Former Ole Miss wide receiver Jordan Watkins was the sixth Rebel taken off the board in April's NFL Draft. The San Francisco 49ers selected Watkins in the fourth round with the No. 138 overall pick.
Watkins wasn't initially thought to go that high, but a blazing performance at the NFL Combine — where he ran an official 4.37 40-yard dash — paired with a 900-yard and nine-touchdown senior season significantly helped.
Shakeups in the 49ers receiving room also made the match for Watkins make even more sense.
So far Watkins has made a solid first impression in Santa Clara during OTA practices, says his starting quarterback.
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(Photo: Jordan Watkins )
"He's balling, man. Jordan Watkins has been balling from day one really. He's come in and he's done everything pretty right and he's been on point," 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy told reporters this month, according to The Athletic. "He's had a lot of explosive plays down the field. Obviously, the short game, the intermediate, he's making plays all around. I'm excited for him.
"We know it's a process throughout this whole thing, from OTAs, to the 40 days away, to camp and I know (Watkins) knows that. I'm really excited to keep working with him and for him to keep learning our offense and how we do things. But definitely a rookie that has popped out in front of everybody."
Per local reports, Watkins has already been receiving first-team reps at times while catching touchdowns. Should the 5-foot-11, 200-pound pass catcher continue to make the most of his opportunities, Watkins could see the field sooner rather than later for the 49ers.
"Love his speed," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan previously said of Watkins. "It's the first thing you notice. When you see a guy for the first time, you look at his 40-time, then you watch his routes at the Combine. I thought he was one of the better route runners at the Combine, just with natural receiver skills and everything. You watch his hands, he was our best graded-out guy going through the gauntlet and stuff with just true natural hands. I watched his one-on-ones at the Senior Bowl, and then, to how he played at Ole Miss, talking to Lane (Kiffin) --- the whole package.
Watkins signed a four-year, $4.8 million deal, including a $665,816 signing bonus in early May and has been a full participant during the 49ers offseason programs.
Watkins also saw a familiar face he's seen in the Manning Center plenty of times before. Pro Football Hall of Famer Patrick Willis has been a resource for both Rebels and 49ers in recent years.
(Photo: Jordan Watkins)
During his time with the Rebels, Watkins started at multiple wide receiver positions and was Ole Miss' primary punt returner when healthy. Watkins transferred from Louisville to Ole Miss, totaling 142 receptions for 2,096 receiving yards (14.7 YPC) and 15 touchdowns (14 receiving).