Over the past six seasons under head coach Kyle Shanahan, the San Francisco 49ers have either been Super Bowl contenders or dealt with roster-wide injury issues.
The franchise was at a crossroads this offseason on the heels of their six-win campaign in 2024 as they had 20 players set to test the open market. Among these players were several key cogs in the team's recent success, but the 49ers only retained three of them, letting 17 walk in free agency.
To fill the void left by players like Charvarius Ward, Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga, general manager John Lynch attacked the 2025 NFL Draft. He left the three-day event with 11 new players, four of which were drafted in the top 100.
49ers reliance on rookie talent is a major gamble for 2025 NFL season
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On Monday, CBS Sports' [Cody Benjamin released a list](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/building-an-all-bargain-team-from-priscos-top-100-nfl-players-of-2025-lions-rams-vikings-offer-big-steals/) of the biggest bargain players in the NFL, and the 49ers had zero representatives among the 22 players mentioned. To make matters worse, both the Rams and Seahawks landed players on the list, and 16 of the 22 came from the NFC.
This paints an interesting picture for San Francisco. They now enter a 2025 NFL season in which they need to prove that they made the right decision by investing in this rookie class and letting several difference-makers leave this offseason.
The 49ers are expected to start their first two picks, Mykel Williams and Alfred Collins, on the defensive line this year. Several others like Upton Stout, Jordan Watkins, C.J. West and Nick Martin are all thought to be key rotational pieces at their respective positions as well.
**RELATED:** [**Which departed 49ers player will fare the best with their new team in 2025?**](https://ninernoise.com/which-departed-49ers-player-will-fare-the-best-with-their-new-team-in-2025-01jw2409ghg7)
If Lynch miscalculated with his evaluations of these young players, it could be another long season for the 49ers. While it is certainly acceptable for first-year guys to endure a bit of a learning curve, San Francisco already feels behind the 8-Ball based on Benjamin's list.
Getting and staying healthy will obviously be priority No. 1 for the 49ers, but developing this 11-man rookie class is not too far down the list. Hopefully, the team can get significant contributions from the group, and this time next year, the 49ers are flush with cap space, draft picks and young talent.
Lynch has certainly hit and missed on entire draft classes during his near-decade as the 49ers' general manager. After a disappointing campaign in 2024 and a bit of a roster rebuild this offseason, however, it is paramount that the rookies perform at a high level in San Francisco in 2025.
Otherwise, the team will find itself even more behind in both their division and an increasingly brutal NFC landscape.
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