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The San Francisco 49ers had a rough season last year mostly due to injuries. Offensive weapons, Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk, only played in a handful of games, and the defense regressed. They hope to be contenders in the NFC again this year. Free agency was rough as they lost players due to the number of large contracts on the roster. The draft was a great time to get young talent back on the roster. How did they do? Here are the NFL Draft grades for the San Francisco 49ers.
San Francisco 49ers NFL Draft Grades
Round 1, No. 11: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
Grade: C+
I don’t think this is a terrible pick by any means. However, it is a huge gamble for the San Francisco 49ers, which is not what you want at pick 11. In three seasons at Georgia, Williams only racked up 14 total sacks. That lack of production is concerning. The raw tools are there, which is why this pick isn’t a complete disaster. However, the 49ers are banking on being able to develop him into a quality edge rusher. With Robert Saleh piloting the defense again, it is a fair bet, but this pick is a massive risk.
Round 2, No. 43: Alfred Collins, DT, Texas
Grade: A
The San Francisco 49ers were clearly prioritizing the defensive side of the ball in the first few rounds. Collins is a great pick for a team that struggled on the defensive line last year. San Francisco’s defense has been dominant because of the play of the defensive line led by Nick Bosa. Last season, the 49ers bled yards on the ground. Addressing this need with the first two picks is a great move for the team.
Round 3, No. 75: Nick Martin, LB, Oklahoma State
Grade: B+
The San Francisco 49ers continue to address the defense. Martin fell to the third round because of an MCL injury that caused him to miss seven games. The injury did not require surgery, and he performed well at the NFL Combine. Outside of Fred Warner, the team is thin at linebacker. In the past, the defenses have been dominant because Warner and Dre Greenlaw took care of the second level. The hope is that Martin can return to form and play off Warner.
Round 3, No. 100: Upton Stout, CB, Western Kentucky
Grade: A
This might be my favorite pick from the San Francisco 49ers. Their secondary was decimated in free agency as they lost Charvarius Ward, Rock Ya-Sin, and Isaac Yiadom. Stout is a sticky corner with some excellent stats to his name. In the past two seasons, he has not allowed a touchdown when he is the closest defender. Last year, he was only targeted eight times. He should have plenty of opportunities to carve out a role in the secondary and shut down some of the best receivers in the league.
Round 4, No. 113: CJ West, DT, Indiana
Grade: A-
Do you think the San Francisco 49ers want to stop the run in 2025? West is another run-stopping defensive lineman who shows great burst off the line. Since 2021, he has 52 stops at or behind the line, which is the most among defensive tackles during that span. He’s a great rotational piece for the defensive line and will get plenty of reps next year.
Round 4, No. 138: Jordan Watkins, WR, Ole Miss
Grade: B-
The San Francisco 49ers traded away Deebo Samuel this offseason, and Aiyuk is coming off an ACL injury. Watkins stepped up this past year after Tre Harris went down with an injury. However, his tape leaves me wanting more. At the Combine, he showed off his speed, but you rarely see it on the field. He has some value on special teams and could be a gadget play guy for Kyle Shanahan. He did have a nose for the endzone, and Shanahan can find a use for any weapon.
Round 5, No. 147: Jordan James, RB, Oregon
Grade: B-
It wasn’t surprising to see the San Francisco 49ers address the backfield. However, I didn’t think they got the best prospect in the draft. This was a deep running back class, and the team could have gotten a better back earlier. However, I can’t fault them for committing to the defense, and Kyle Shanahan has proven he can get the most out of any running back. This pick is fine.
Round 5, No. 160: Marques Sigle, S, Kansas State
Grade: B
Sigle is an interesting player to watch for next season. The San Francisco 49ers aren’t loaded at the safety position, and the Kansas State product has some tantalizing traits. He ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at the Combine, making him one of the fastest players in the draft. This means he could recover well and contribute on special teams. Don’t be surprised if this pick becomes one of the steals in the draft.
Round 7, No. 227: Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana
Grade: A
I’ll give any quarterback pick in the seventh round an A. My philosophy is that every team should take a quarterback in the draft. The San Francisco 49ers are proof of why this philosophy works. Rourke suffered an ACL injury, another one on a long list of injuries; otherwise, he may have gone higher. He has a great build and is a solid thrower, as we saw last year. You never know when you might need a quality quarterback, and the 49ers got a solid one.
Round 7, No. 249: Connor Colby, OL, Iowa
Grade: B
The San Francisco 49ers waited until late in the draft to take an offensive lineman. While they have a need at tackle, it will have to wait another year. Colby was a solid starter for a Big Ten team and adds good depth. However, he doesn’t fix any problems immediately, and the 49ers have a timeline to compete.
Round 7, No. 252: Junior Bergen, WR, Montana
Grade: C-
The only shot Bergen has is on special teams as a returner. Obviously, players can surprise you at any point, but his likely path for a roster spot is at returner. Considering the San Francisco 49ers took a similar player, albeit one with more upside, earlier in the draft, this pick confuses me.
Overall Draft Grade: B-
It’s an above-average draft for the San Francisco 49ers. However, there are too many picks here that have massive question marks for my liking. I love what they did on day two, but the other days had some duds. The rest of the NFC West got better, and there will be pressure to get back on top of the division. Did they do enough in the draft?
More must-reads:
- Saints' QB picture remains unclear with end of preseason nearing
- Packers HC bothered by rookie's 'unacceptable' behavior during preseason game
- The 'Season rushing TD leaders by NFL team' quiz
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Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's biggest find is ready to take a huge step forward, and it could be huge for Brian Flores' defense
After joint practice on Wednesday between the Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots, I was asked by some members of the Patriots beat about just one player. "Who's 61? He's a dude." That player is Jalen Redmond, who has quite the story heading into his second season with the Vikings. He was playing in the UFL in the spring of 2024 with the Arlington Renegades. He was a signing the Vikings made on June 18th, 2024, which came after mandatory minicamp. Redmond was the 90th player on the roster and excelled throughout training camp to earn a roster spot. That ability is showing up once again. Jalen Redmond is taking another step forward The signing of Redmond was a massive win for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and his scouting staff, especially Ryan Grigson, who was given a lot of credit for finding him. "I remember he [Grigson] called me and said, 'I like this guy.' I think it was late May," Adofo-Mensah explained. "You have to ask yourself, what's your standard for bringing people in, because a lot of good players are on teams already, so there's going to be something there that's not perfect, not clean, and earlier he had injuries, so you've got to understand why he's available, but ultimately here's why he might be a good bet. "And you saw the flashes for an interior guy with burst, his run defense kind of jumped out to me. That's the other thing, when you've been together for two or three years, and my history with Grigson before, he knows how to communicate with me, makes a cut-up, knows exactly what we look for." You can see the power and explosiveness in Redmond's game. He rarely gets washed out by the offensive line, and often penetrates the backfield with his ability. Where things have gotten really interesting with Redmons is seeing how good he can be from a short and long-term perspective. Last season, Redmond played in 13 games and flashed in a major way. While he went undrafted out of Oklahoma, it wasn't so much due to talent, but a health issue that kept him from being selected. He certainly looks like a player who should have been selected. Over the course of the season, Redmond got one sack and 6.0 tackles for loss to pair with 18 tackles. His ability to be a penetrating force on the line earned him a starting role at the end of the season, with two starts in his first year with the Vikings. Going into year two, Redmond shouldn't be overlooked. He won't be a starter with the additions of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, but it shouldn't be much of a surprise if he approaches 500 snaps as a rotational player. His teammates believe he's a stud, something that Jonathan Greenard emphasized last week. "Redmond is a dog," said Greenard after Redmond's great practice on Thursday. "Jalen's been a dog since last year in training camp. I knew he was a dog when he got thrown out of practices last year. So I was like, listen, from that day forward, he got thrown out, he came back in just completely, just dominating. And at that point even to see it during the season and see him continuously build. Now I'm like, man, everybody knows, but when you see, obviously, you bring in two guys like JA [Jonathan Allen] and Grave [Javon Hargrave], you kind of think that he gets put in the wayside, making the same place he was last year, if not more. And that just helps us out to know that it's not gonna drop off whenever those guys get a breather or something like that. If I'm coaching, I'm putting him in." Don't sleep on Redmond going into this season, as he's only getting better.
Milwaukee Brewers: Craig Counsell Blasts Former Team’s 14-Game Winning Streak, Gets Caught Lying
Winners And Losers From Eagles Surprise Trade For John Metchie
It feels like there’s another shoe to drop after the Eagles acquired another receiver in a trade for John Metchie III with the Houston Texans. They dipped into their tight end depth and dealt Harrison Bryant in the deal, but did they really need another receiver? Well, they do if they trade what is now a surplus of them for something else – say another cornerback or maybe some defensive edge depth. And they certainly do if there is more to the injury that has followed A.J. Brown throughout most of training camp. It was general manager Howie Roseman’s second trade of summer. Last week, he on-boarded cornerback Jakorian Bennett in a deal that sent defensive tackle Thomas Booker to the Las Vegas Raiders. As of now, here are winners and loser from the somewhat surprise trade for a receiver: WINNERS John Metchie. The receiver leaves a crowded receiver room where playing time could have been scarce. Plus, he’s another product of the University of Alabama. He becomes the ninth player from the Crimson Tide program on the Eagles’ current 91-man roster, including Jalen Hurts, who spent three seasons at Alabama before transferring to Oklahoma for his final collegiate season. Of course, Metchie could be a loser on this list, too, because he is leaving one deep receiver room and stepping into another – unless the Eagles trade one away. Kylen Granson and E.J. Jenkins. The two tight ends are in good position to stick around with Bryant gone. Granson probably will be the third tight end on the 53-man roster. Jenkins is likely ticketed for the practice squad, though the converted receiver has taken big steps this season in his transition to being a tight end and he is up to 255 pounds. Run game. Metchie is considered an above average blocker in the run game as a receiver. It was one of his strengths at Alabama and has only gotten better during his time in the league. Who Are Some Of The Losers From The Deal To Acquire John Metchie? LOSERS (pick a receiver, any receiver) Darius Cooper. After a breakout game in the preseason opener and a solid camp, Cooper was targeted only once against the Browns on Saturday. Of course, he played with a pair of quarterbacks who struggled in Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Kyle McCord. Perhaps the Eagles’ plan was to slow-play Cooper in the second preseason game and hope to stash him on the practice squad. Terrace Marshall. The receiver started camp strong but suffered an injury that cost him some time. He returned recently and played against the Browns, catching two passes for 15 yards on four targets. He will likely be cut now. Or traded. Jahan Dotson. The receiver has had a strong camp and has looked extremely confident in his first full season with the Eagles. Perhaps good enough to trade for something Roseman believes is a bigger need after three weeks of camp. Has his job as the No. 3 receiver been compromised? Bubble players. If the Eagles don’t trade another receiver, they will probably end up keeping six, which means a job for one less player on the roster bubble. Perhaps an offensive lineman, for instance, such as Trevor Keegan or Cam Williams or a linebacker like Lance Dixon. Last year’s draft picks, Johnny Wilson and Ainias Smith, have done enough to make the roster. Wilson didn’t play on Saturday, which is a sure indication he has a spot sewn up. Smith has a pair of touchdown catches in the preseason, both on third-and-goal throws. Maybe one of them will be dangled in a deal.
Kevin O'Connell's comments on Justin Jefferson's return from injury praise Jordan Addison while raising more questions than answers
One of the bigger storylines of Minnesota Vikings training camp has been the absence of wide receiver Justin Jefferson. He left practice on the second day of training camp with tightness in his leg. That ended up being a mild hamstring strain, and he's yet to return to practice. It's been frustrating on many levels, including the 12 practices open to the public, which Jefferson missed. However, he still made his presence felt. Jefferson was messing around during the downtime of practice. Justin Jefferson's return from injury remains unclear In the above video, it's clear that Jefferson is moving very well. However, soft tissue injuries are far from certain when it comes to recovery time. Jefferson missed seven games in 2023 with his hamstring injury, and it's not a surprise that a conservative training staff is holding him back. When head coach Kevin O'Connell spoke about Jefferson's potential return, it wasn't exactly clear about when he will start practicing again. "He's definitely going to hopefully start doing more and more. I can't say what that looks like from a practice standpoint yet, but I've been really proud of Justin, both his engagement in the meeting rooms and you guys see him every day on the practice field, and what he's doing that people aren't seeing him working to get back. I think he's also making himself stronger and ready to sustain what very few players do in this league, which is essentially play every single snap for the better part of the whole season. So, I think he's in a good spot. Hope to get him, you know, back, getting reps with that first unit as soon as possible. And that's kind of the plan right now." Not exactly the most insightful words from O'Connell. He kept a lot open ended when it comes to the potential return of Jefferson, which isn't much of a surprise. O'Connell loves to give the political answer, especially with a situation as fluid as a soft tissue injury. There is a positive sign when it comes to Jefferson's absence from practice: it's given Jordan Addison a chance to really step up. "But I will say, and I know you guys are doing a great job highlighting it, but the camp Jordan Addison has had has been spectacular. And he had two great days against some pretty good cover players, one of which Carlton Davis, we know well, and that was competitive. And JA is taking the next step on the grass for sure, and it's been great to see." Jefferson is still likely on track to return in week one, but as the days continue to stack, it's starting to get concerning that it hasn't happened yet.
Brewers achieve new franchise record after improbable win
The 2025 Milwaukee Brewers can now claim to own an impressive franchise record that's indicative of the success of the season so far. Now a new franchise record, the Brewers' 6-5 extra-inning win over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday marked the team's 14th consecutive victory. Just when it looked like Milwaukee was about to fall for the first time in the month, the Brewers scored one in the ninth to tie the game and then had to wait until the 11th inning to hold on for the win. And the way the Brewers avoided defeat required plenty of luck as well. With one out and two runners on base, the Reds were in the process of turning a double play that would've won the game. However, the throw to first for the third and final out had too much on it and got by Cincinnati first baseman Spencer Steer. This allowed a run to cross home plate, tying the game 2-2. Then, in the 10th, Milwaukee took the lead thanks to the ball getting away from Jake Fraley in left field. While Fraley's error wasn't enough to secure the record-setting win, the game would end soon enough when the Brewers sent Andruw Monasterio to the plate at the top of the 11th. Entering the game with only one home run all season and just four in his career, Monasterio crushed a pitch to the fair side of the foul pole in left field. Monasterio's three-run shot became the game-winning blast despite Cincinnati almost mounting a comeback of their own by scoring a pair of runs themselves in the bottom of the inning. Milwaukee, still amid its amazing streak, is now 78-44 as the best team in baseball and holds a nine-game lead in front of the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central. Next up is one more at the Great American Ballpark on Sunday afternoon. And if the Brewers achieve another series sweep, they will look to increase their advantage in the division at Wrigley Field. But no matter when the streak comes to an end, this Brewers team is shooting for the most wins in a season. Ninety-seven wins is the goal to become the winningest regular-season Brewers team ever, surpassing the 2018 club. Just seven years ago, that 2018 Brewers team set a new standard for the franchise in terms of a top single-season win total, going 96-67 in the regular season before falling in the National League Championship Series. Before that, the only Brewers team to ever win a league championship was the 1982 squad, which won 95 games and the AL pennant before losing the World Series in seven games.
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