With 19 starters returning from an NFC Championship team and without a draft pick in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, finding a standout or impact rookie in this year’s San Francisco 49ers’ draft class can be quite challenging. Perennial Pro-Bowlers such as Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Trent Williams, Nick Bosa and Fred Warner litter the lineup, so there’s just not ample opportunities for third-day picks to crack this two-deep. For example, quarterback Brock Purdy, the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is just one of two Mr. Irrelevants that NFL fans have ever even heard of (K Ryan Succop).
San Francisco 49ers Rookie Preview
This year’s rookie crop in San Francisco, while not ready to challenge for starter minutes, should find training camp opportunities to unseat veteran backups. While the 49ers plan to bring in 18 to 20 rookies to training camp, only a few will make the 53-man roster. Of the rookies, here are the most likely to make an impact in 2023:
Kicker Jake Moody
Former Michigan K Jake Moody (13) – Jose Juarez/AP Images
The most obvious answer is Michigan rookie Jake Moody, who replaces 40-year-old veteran Robbie Gould. Gould was nearly automatic for head coach Kyle Shanahan, especially inside of 50 yards. Some might argue that Shanahan relied on Gould too much to take points, but it is hard to overlook Gould’s production as the former kicker made an amazing 92% of field goals from within 50 yards during his six-year 49ers career.
While Gould seemingly perfected his game around the green, his ability to hit the long ball had certainly diminished over his career. His last career make over 53 yards came back in 2015.
With Gould at the helm, the 49ers were just one of five NFL teams to force touchbacks on less than half of its kickoffs over the past two seasons. Forcing opponents to travel 75 yards every drive is certainly a statistical advantage for defenses.
Enter Jake Moody, Michigan’s all-time leading scorer. Over his junior and senior seasons, Moody mirrored Gould’s accuracy, converting 48 of 52 field goals inside of 50 yards. In addition to providing stellar consistency for the Wolverines, Moody demonstrated an ability to smash the ball, nailing a Michigan-record 59-yard field goal in the national semifinal vs. TCU. The kick would have been good from 65. Although former 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh didn’t need to call on Moody from long-distance too often, Moody demonstrated his strength off the kicking tee, finishing among the nation’s leaders the past two years in both touchback percentages and hang time.
Safety Ji’Ayir Brown
Former Penn State DB Ji’Ayir Brown (16) – Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Brown, the 49ers’ first selection at 87th overall in the 2023 Draft, looks like an amazing Swiss Army knife in Steve Wilks’s new defense. His versatility at 5-foot-11, 208 pounds allowed Penn State to play him all over the field, lining up at multiple defensive positions. This upcoming season, in addition to starting on special teams, Brown will at least spell both starting safeties, Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson and maybe even the eventual starter at nickel corner.
Expect the rookie to make a splash or two in the sack and interception department throughout the season and with the 32-year-old Gipson entering the final year of his current contract, general manager John Lynch hopes he found a gem to start for years to come.
Others
Former Georgia DE Robert Beal Jr. (33) – Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Outside of Moody and Brown, few players seem to make a large impact on this veteran-laded squad. One area where the new faces have a chance is on special teams. Athletic defensive players like defensive end Robert Beal Jr. or linebackers Jalen Graham and Dee Winters can turn some heads this August. Beal, whose athleticism is off the charts, could find a role as a situational pass rusher, while Graham and Winters might be able to crack the linebacker rotation behind starters, Dre Greenlaw and Warner.
Also see: Can Penn State Make 2023 College Football Playoffs?
