49ers Rookie Power Rankings Heading Into Week 1

At least three of these players will fill major roles early in the season.

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The 49ers' veteran corps isn't good enough to win a Super Bowl. They established that in 2019 and 2023 when they lost. Now, their veterans are even older. So if the 49ers are going to make a serious Super Bowl run this season, a few rookies will need to step up and play like quality veterans.

With that in mind, let's rank the 49ers' nine rookies as we enter Week 1.

1. Wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling

He looks poised to gain 1,000 yards as a rookie, considering he's the most explosive and the most durable receiver on the team. The 49ers can't expect Mike Evans or George Kittle to carry the offense at their age. They need Stribling to produce every week just as he did in the preseason. And so far, he looks ready to start, even if he technically will begin the season as the No. 3 receiver behind Demarcus Robinson or Deebo Samuel. It shouldn't take Stribling long to pass them.

2. Running back Kaelon Black

For the first time since the 49ers traded for Christian McCaffrey, they seem capable of winning without him, and that's largely because of Black. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry in the preseason and showed he can block at a high level for a rookie, which means he's a three-down running back even if he isn't a particularly dangerous receiver. Black should carry the ball at least 150 times this season.

3. Cornerback Ephesians Prysock

In three preseason games, Prysock gave up just 3 catches on 8 targets, broke up two passes, including one in the end zone, and gave up a passer rating of just 48.4 before injuring the AC joint in his shoulder. It's unclear when he will be ready to return, but Week 1 seems unlikely. Prysock might not play much in his rookie season simply because the 49ers are deep at cornerback, but he absolutely flashed the potential to start and play at a high level. He's bigger and faster than just about every cornerback on the team.

4. Defensive tackle Gracen Halton

He played in just one preseason game, but he recorded one pressure and four run stops in 30 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Which means he flashed the ability to be a three-down defensive tackle, someone who's a threat against the run and pass. In 10 years with the 49ers, John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan haven't drafted a legitimate three-down defensive tackle. Halton might be the first one. He currently has an ankle injury, but when he returns, he could replace Alfred Collins in the starting lineup.

5. Defensive tackle James Thompson Jr.

Thompson Jr. didn't fill up the stat sheet during the preseason, but his tape was terrific. He showed that he's extremely difficult to move as a run defender, and he can push the pocket as a pass rusher. Meaning he's what they would like Alfred Collins to be, and Thompson is an undrafted rookie, as opposed to Collins, who was the 49ers' second-round pick last year.

6. Linebacker Jaden Dugger

For a fifth-round pick, Dugger already has exceeded expectations. He currently is in the running to start at strongside linebacker, and he might just replace Dre Greenlaw at weakside linebacker in the sub packages. Clearly, the 49ers view Dugger as a future starter, if not a Day 1 starter. And he certainly seems to have a ton of potential. In the preseason, he played 110 snaps and made lots of plays, but he also botched his fair share as well. He missed two tackles and gave up 9 catches on 10 targets. If he starts Week 1, the Rams will challenge him relentlessly until he makes the pay. We'll see if the 49ers throw him in the fire right away.

7. Guard Carver Willis

Of all the rookies on the team, Willis is the one most likely to start in the season opener, but that's not necessarily because he's good. He simply won a position battle by default, because he was competing against Robert Jones, who didn't make the team, and Connor Colby, who was a seventh-round pick last year and isn't good. Willis seems decent for a rookie who never played guard before this offseason, which means he could be a starter in the NFL. He doesn't look like a future Pro Bowler, at least not yet.

8. Defensive end Romello Height

The 49ers drafted Height in Round 3 to replace Bryce Huff as a designated edge rusher on third down. Height is 25-years-old and supposedly ready to contribute right away. He took most of his reps during training camp with the starters. But in two preseason games, Height played 22 pass-rush snaps and recorded a whopping zero pressures. And now he's out with an ankle injury. The beginning of his career couldn't have gotten off to much worse of a start.

9. Offensive tackle Enrique Cruz Jr.

He shouldn't be on the team. He's worse than every player on the practice squad. He's worse than Isaac Alarcon, who's part of the international pathway program. Had the 49ers waived Cruz, he almost certainly would have cleared waivers, and the 49ers could have stashed him on their practice squad. But they kept him just so they could say that all of their draft picks made the team. As a result, they waived fourth-year cornerback Darrell Luter Jr., who's better than Cruz. Five teams put a waiver claim in for Luter Jr., who went to the team with the highest waiver priority, the Raiders. I doubt Cruz ever will start a game for the 49ers.