A look at 49ers’ 2024 draft class:
First round, No. 31 overall: Ricky Pearsall Jr. , wide receiver, Florida, 6-1, 189
Credentials: Experienced with five seasons at Arizona State and Florida with 159 receptions for 2,240 yards, 14 touchdowns and 21 carries for 253 yards and five scores. With Arizona State, the former youth league quarterback completed all three passes for 111 yards.
How he fits: Joins Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, and presumably Jauan Jennings as one of the top four receivers, with the likelihood of moving up the depth chart in 2025 when the salary cap crunch hits after Brock Purdy signs an extension. The hope is he can contribute as a punt return specialist immediately.
Pearsall says: This is a legendary program. I just appreciate the organization taking a chance on me, and I’m going to prove them right. I’m looking forward to getting the work in and showing everybody.
Quotable: “There’s not one play where you see him turn something down. He’s going over the middle and do everything he can to catch that ball and not worry about anything else. If he’s on the sidelines, he’s not taking the easy way out, he makes guys tackle him, he’s not looking for a place to fall.” — 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.
Second round, No. 64 overall: Renardo Green, cornerback, Florida State, 6-0, 186
Credentials: Physical corner who plays bigger than his size with 148 career tackles, seven tackles for losses, and half a sack in his college career. A 13-game starter as a senior who led the Atlantic Coast Conference with 13 pass breakups. Had 14 PBUs overall, good for 14th in the nation.
How he fits: Physicality suggests Green compete to be the slot corner, with Deommodore Lenoir zeroing in as an outside corner opposite Charvarius Ward.
Green says: “I can personally play all three positions in the secondary, no matter if that’s at corner, nickel, or back at safety. I can do it all. Wherever the team needs me, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Quotable: We saw him go against two of those players at LSU, (wide receiver Malik) Nabers and wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. go in the first round. And it’s awesome when see guys go against the best college football has to offer. And you can tell he welcomes that type of challenge.” — 49ers general manager John Lynch
Renardo Green of Florida State will compete to play at cornerback for the 49ers in 2024.
Third round, No. 86 overall: Dominick Puni, guard, Kansas, 6-5, 313
Credentials: A lot of college experience with 38 starts in 42 games for Central Missouri (2018-21) and Kansas (2022-23). Good athlete who played volleyball and competed in track and field in high school. He allowed zero sacks in 25 starts at left tackle for Kansas and showed he can play center and tackle.
How he fits: Puni will be used inside at guard initially, but the 49ers are open to him playing anywhere he can contribute. He could compete with Spencer Burford at right guard and be a candidate at left guard in 2025 when Aaron Banks hits free agency.
Puni says: “My thing is versatility. Wherever I can play, where I can help the team, that’s my ambition. I think the 49ers have a really fun offense to play in, so I’m really excited.”
Quotable: “His coaches rave about how he knows all five positions, but we think he’s got our best chance inside.” — Shanahan.
Fourth round, No. 124 overall: Malik Mustapha, safety, Wake Forest, 5-11, 206
Credentials: Richmond transfer was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference pick for the Demon Deacons in 2023. Compact build, ability to hit and make tackles for losses suggests an in-the-box safety. Has modeled his game after Arizona safety Budda Baker. Selected with the pick 49ers received from Dallas for Trey Lance.
How he fits: Projected starters are Ji’Ayir Brown, a third-round pick a year ago, and Talanoa Hufanga, who is coming off ACL surgery. Depending on how Hufanga recovers, Mustapha could compete for playing time at strong safety. Regardless, Mustapha should be an instant special teams contributor..
Mustapha says: “I’m a downhill speed-tenacity ball player that just plays with a lot of fire. I’m able to line up pretty much anywhere and able to impact the game on all levels.”
Quotable: “I just love the way he plays the game. He plays our style. We talk a lot about running to the football and getting there with bad intentions and Malik embodies that.” — Lynch.
Fourth round, No. 129 overall: Isaac Guerendo, running back, Louisville, 6-0, 221 pounds
Credentials: Despite starting just once in 41 games at Wisconsin and his final season at Louisville, Guerendo averaged 6.0 yards per carry (231 carries, 1,392 yards, 17 touchdowns, 42 receptions for 385 yards). At Louisville, Guerendo had 810 yards on 132 carries and 11 touchdowns as a senior. He averaged 23.9 yards per kickoff return in his last season at Wisconsin and 19.2 at Louisville.
How he fits: He has an intriguing power/speed combo on kickoff returns and projects well as a one-cut runner in the 49ers’ outside zone run scheme. The 49ers have whiffed before on running backs such as Joe Williams (fourth round 2017), Trey Sermon (third round, 2021), and Ty Davis-Price (third round, 2022).
Guerendo says: “I was just telling my family (Christian McCaffrey) is probably going to get annoyed with me and all the questions I ask him because of the amount of production he has and how consistent he is. Being able to pick a great back’s brain is really important.”
Quotable: I like his speed. All our backs can run, but it’s nice to have one that can run a little bit faster. HIs running style is similar to Elijah’s (Mitchell).” — Shanahan
Jacob Cowing of Arizona strains to reach a pass against Cal at Memorial Stadium in a 2022 game.
Fourth round, No. 135 overall: Jacob Cowing, wide receiver, Arizona, 5-8, 168
Credentials: Speedy wideout was productive at both UTEP and Arizona with 316 receptions for 4,477 yards and 33 touchdowns in 58 games with 52 starts. The last two seasons at Arizona had 175 catches for 1,882 yards and 20 touchdowns. Slight of build but didn’t miss a game due to injury in five years.
How he fits: Can assume the Ray-Ray McCloud role as a receiver and return specialist, particularly punts, if the 49ers want to keep first-round pick Pearsall out of harm’s way. Another explosive weapon that fits into Shanahan’s system which creates mismatches. Along with Pearsall, Cowing makes for a precarious existence for Danny Gray, who remained on 49ers fringe for two seasons.
Cowing says: “I can contribute on special teams, punt return game, kick return game. I have ability to make big plays down the field, score touchdowns, put points on that board. That’s something I can definitely bring to the team.”
Quotable: “We had a corner in here on (a draft) visit, he had played against Jacob Cowing. This corner said Jacob was the toughest guy he played against this year. Those things stick with you,” general manager John Lynch.
Sixth round, No. 215 overall: Jarrett Kingston, guard, Southern California, 6-4, 306
Credentials: All-State defensive lineman from Anderson High in Northern California spent five seasons at Washington State, starting under Mike Leach, before playing his senior year of eligibility at USC. Played six games at right guard and five at right tackle but projects as a guard.
How he fits: Kingston joins the crowd on the 49ers’ interior line, which includes starters Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford, swing reserve Jon Feliciano, Nick Zakelj, and Ben Bartch.
Kingston says: “I love the outside zone. I live running off the ball and using my athleticism and getting to the perimeter, and getting out in space. I didn’t do much earlier in my career, but this last year did a lot of outside zone.”
Quotable: “With a guy like Kingston, played really good football. You get enticed to transfer so I don’t blame him. SC probably paid him some good money to come down there. That used to be illegal but it’s not anymore. SC used to be really good at it. There is some value to it, you see them in different schemes, different positions.” — Lynch
Seventh round, No. 251 overall: Tatum Bethune, Florida State, linebacker, 5-11, 227
Credentials: Played three seasons at Central Florida and two at Florida State. Had 28 tackles for loss in 61 games with 33 starts in his career. Team captain who led the Seminoles in tackles. Had 14 career passes defensed with four interceptions.
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How he fits: Bethune is built like last year’s draft picks Jalen Graham and Dee Winters and injured incumbent starter Dre Greenlaw — a smallish linebacker who can run, make plays, and contribute on special teams.
Bethune says: “The guy who I actually watched this past season was (Dre) Greenlaw, the way he shows his passion on the field. The way he plays with passion and his physicality reminded me of myself.
Quotable: “It think it was Bethune who cracked up when we started talking to him. I think when he talked to Kyle ie just lost it. It’s a lot of waiting, it’s brutal. But it’s really cool to share this experience with their families all around,” general manager John Lynch.