Five 49ers Who Surprised in 2019
The San Francisco 49ers’ 2019-2020 season was quite the surprise. After finishing with the second worst record in the NFL the year prior, not many figured the 49ers had a Super Bowl caliber roster. Yet, thanks to a collection of breakouts, the roster elevated its play from good to great.
Here are five players who surprised in 2019:
Deebo Samuel
Outside of First-Team All-Pro tight end George Kittle, rookie wide receiver Deebo Samuel was probably San Francisco’s most important weapon. At South Carolina, Samuel was named First-Team All-SEC as an all-purpose player. His team is at its best when he has the ball, and Shanahan took advantage of that. Samuel finished his rookie season just 39 yards shy of 1,000 all-purpose yards. He also was second on the team in targets, receptions and receiving yards per game. Those are all pretty good signs that you’re being used often and well in an offense.
Despite running a 4.48 40-yard dash at the combine, his game-changing speed is not what makes him unique. It’s his physicality. Samuel led NFL receivers in broken tackles and rookies in yards after the catch. Drops did slightly hinder his effective season, but he remained a vital part of the offense throughout.
Yes, he was picked fairly high (36th overall). But given the 49ers’ lack of success in drafting impact wide receivers, Samuel’s success came as a welcomed surprise.
Raheem Mostert
Simultaneously to the 49ers starting the toughest part of their season, they received shockingly elite production from backup running back Raheem Mostert. Beginning with the week 12 win over Green Bay, Mostert rushed for 715 yards and scored 13 touchdowns over nine games.
Mostert amazed the world with a 220 yard, four touchdown performance in the NFC Championship. That moment will be immortalized in Bay Area lore. If that was your first time watching the 49ers or the NFL, you would think Mostert was a highly-coveted star.
Prior to week 12, Mostert’s NFL career was mostly as a special teamer. He was a great gunner on punt teams and would get occasional carries when the game had already been decided. In those few opportunities, Mostert began to turn heads. While starting running backs Matt Brieda and Tevin Coleman battled injuries throughout the season, Mostert remained healthy and made the most of his chances.
The former roster afterthought became an essential part of the 49ers’ Super Bowl run. He entered his last five seasons as a potential training camp cut. That won’t be the case in 2020.
Arik Armstead
A lot of preseason hype surrounded the newly-acquired Nick Bosa and Dee Ford. They were going to battle it out with star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner for every sack. Fellow former first round defensive lineman Arik Armstead became an afterthought.
Over his first four seasons, Armstead totaled just nine sacks and 13 tackles-for-loss. Yet, in the final year of his rookie contract, Armstead completely shattered any notions of being a bust. He led the 49ers with 10 sacks and was second in both TFLs (11) and QB hits (18).
Armstead teamed with Ford, Bosa and Buckner to create one of the best rushes in the NFL. Their ability to get after the quarterback was a key reason the 49ers had the best pass defense this season. Elite play from Ford, Bosa and Buckner was expected, but Armstead is what really set the 49ers apart.
Dre Greenlaw
If there was any perceived weak link on the 49ers’ defense, it was the lack of depth at linebacker. Fred Warner and Kwon Alexander had formed quite the tandem in pass defense. That all changed week nine when Alexander tore his pec. Fifth-round rookie linebacker Dre Greenlaw was tasked with filling the void left by a vocal leader of the 49ers’ defense.
While many expected an immense drop-off, Greenlaw didn’t miss a beat. He finished second on the team in tackles (87) and missed only 2.2% of his attempts.
He also made the play of the 49ers’ season when he won the NFC West by stopping Seattle tight end Jacob Hollister centimeters short of a game-winning touchdown.
Like most rookies, there were growing pains. Greenlaw’s completion percentage against was 85.7% according to Pro Football Reference and he had a 63.9 Pro Football Focus grade. Yet, the good far outweighed the bad and his play and production was a pleasant surprise.
Jimmie Ward
Another late-blooming first round pick that broke out in 2019 was safety Jimmie Ward. Injuries and position changes have delayed the development of Ward, but after missing the first three games this season, he finally put it all together.
Ward provided both stable coverage and tackling to a wounded 49er secondary. He was fifth on the team in tackles (60) and missed just 4.8% of his attempted tackles this season.
Given the 49ers’ dependence on zone coverage, Ward was often partnered with the youthful tandem of Emmanuel Moseley and Ahkello Witherspoon. Although the pair rotated in and out of the starting lineup, Ward’s play remained steady.
Just as important as the veteran’s quality play was his leadership and versatility. When fellow safety Jaquiski Tartt missed four games with a rib injury, Ward moved to strong safety to make things easier on backup Marcell Harris.
Just like Armstead, Ward’s breakout season came at the perfect time. He’s a free agent and a lot of teams covet his production (84.2 PFF grade).
