In the past two years, the 49ers have turned to 14 of the team’s 19 draft picks to start games during their rookie seasons.
Reuben Foster, George Kittle, Mike McGlinchey and Fred Warner worked their ways into the starting lineup for the first regular-season games of their careers. Foster has moved on, but other players from those draft classes – such as Solomon Thomas, Dante Pettis, Trent Taylor, D.J. Jones, Marcell Harris, Adrian Colbert, Ahkello Witherspoon and Tarvarius Moore – are in the mix for more-significant roles in 2019.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said he heads into every draft trying to determine where the club needs help and what level of immediate contribution is realistic to expect from the rookie class.