Which Rookie is the Likeliest to Look Like a Steal for the 49ers?

There almost always ends up being one rookie that ends up looking like a steal for a team. Most recently it was Brock Purdy, so which one is the likeliest to end up being that for the 49ers?

May 10, 2024; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Tay Martin (86) runs drills during the 49ers rookie minicamp at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. Mandatory Credit: Robert Kupbens-USA TODAY Sports | Robert Kupbens-USA TODAY Sports

One of the key approaches to the NFL draft is finding value.

That is how draft picks end up becoming steals in hindsight. For the San Francisco 49ers, they have had quite a few steals of their own. Brock Purdy is the most obvious one, but players like Dre Greenlaw, George Kittle, and Fred Warner have become them.

It is mainly because they were third-round picks or later. The chances are that it can happen again for the 49ers with their 2024 draft class. They do have a couple of intriguing rookies, like offensive lineman Dominick Puni, that generate excitement going into 2024.

So, which rookie is the likeliest to look like a steal for the 49ers?

I have to go with wide receiver Jacob Cowing. It is going to be tough to see that immediately given how there are multiple players to feed in the offense. But I think Cowing will get to show just how sweet of a player he is over time where people look back wondering how the 49ers got him in the fourth-round.

"What stood out on him is his toughness, his speed, his mentality to run after the catch," said wide receivers coach Leonard Hankerson. "He's going to be a change-of-pace guy for us as well. We can throw it to him down the field or we can throw it to him underneath and he can do whatever, any different aspect to catching the ball, handing it to him, screens -- he's just a good tool for us to have."

Cowing is a sharp route-runner, which is everything for a receiver in the 49ers offense. He operates heavily out of the slot and can potentially do damage in open space with the ball in his hands. Once he gets some adjustment and development in the NFL, he can be one of Brock Purdy's favorite weapons.

There really is no other player from the 2024 draft class that I can envision looking like a steal. Puni could potentially be one, but he plays as a guard and guards in the mid-rounds of the draft aren't hard to find. Isaac Guerendo is a running back, which really just leaves safety Malik Mustapha as someone who can be a steal.

But he's really going to need to spruce up how he is in coverage. A safety having his greatest trait being close to the line of scrimmage isn't gonna cut it. Cowing has the best path to look like a steal and can end up being a solid receiver for the 49ers for years to come.