49ers Rookie WR Jordan Watkins Looks Ready to Contribute

He looks a lot like a young Aiyuk only faster and with much shorter arms.

Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Mississippi wideout Jordan Watkins (WO43) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Wide receiver Jordan Watkins was considered the 49ers' biggest reach of the draft this year.

He was projected to get picked in Round 6 or 7, and yet the 49ers took him at the end of Round 4. He was the first offensive player they drafted after taking five straight defensive players.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein downgraded Watkins for having "below-average separation burst and long speed." But at the Combine, Watkins ran a blazing 4.37 40, which calls Zierlein's evaluation into question.

Last season at Ole Miss, Watkins averaged a whopping 18.5 yards per reception and caught 9 touchdown passes. Compare him to Brandon Aiyuk, who averaged 18.3 yards per reception and caught 8 touchdown passes during his final season at Arizona State.

Aiyuk was a first-round pick and he started 11 games as a rookie. I'm not saying Watkins will be a starter this year, but he looks ready to contribute, and the 49ers might need him to.

At the rookie minicamp this past week, Watkins didn't participate in 7-on-7 team drills -- none of the draft picks did. But he went through position drills with the other wide receivers and it's clear that he has the body of a two- or three-year pro. He doesn't look like a rookie. He has strong, developed legs and a wide chest. He looks like he has the strength and quickness to beat the press at the line of scrimmage.

In fact, he looks a lot like a young Aiyuk only faster and with much shorter arms. Don't be surprised if Watkins is the 49ers' X-receiver in three-wide-receiver sets while Brandon Aiyuk recovers from knee surgery.