49ers Draft Ole Miss WR Jordan Watkins in Round 4

The 49ers select an offensive player for the first time in the 2025 NFL draft.

Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Jordan Watkins (11) outpaces Duke Blue Devils cornerback Diassa Diakite (23) and safety Jaylen Stinson (2) en route to a touchdown during the fourth quarter of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Ole Miss defeated Duke 52-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Finally, the 49ers let Kyle Shanahan make a draft selection.

For the first time in the NFL draft, the 49ers are going with an offensive player. They are taking Ole Miss wide receiver Jordan Watkins in Round 4 at No. 138 overall.

Watkins is a five-year college player. He spent his first two seasons at Louisville before transferring to Ole Miss. He tallied 49 catches for 906 yards and nine touchdowns last year, his best college season.

His total college numbers are 185 catches for 2,689 yards and 18 touchdowns with only six drops. So, he's pretty sure-handed.

Watkins doesn't have crazy numbers that make him stand out, but his solid year in his final college season shows that he improves year over year.

The 49ers will always love to see that, especially from their wide receivers. That is how Brandon Aiyuk started for them. He got better every year, so maybe Watkins can follow that pattern.

Watkins is also an interchangeable player. He can play in the slot or on the outside. That surely had to have stuck out to Shanahan.

He needs a wide receiver who can play inside and out. It makes calling plays much more fluid. Watkins isn't a great contested catch receiver. He only reeled in 45 percent of those.

Watkins did, however, have an average depth of target of 15.8 yards. So, the 49ers are getting a versatile receiver who is trending upward and who can move the chains.

At least Shanahan got to finally make a draft pick for once.