As the 49ers idle at mid-season without a win, one has to wonder about their draft class. The team kept all their draft picks and added five rookie free agents, with some of those spots coming at the expense of veteran options. With that, we begin our mid-way point rookie review:
Solomon Thomas DE, Stanford, 1st Round
Grade: C+
Thomas’ performance has been the most mercurial of the entire class. Sometimes he looks lost, and at other times, he looks unbeatable. The 49ers are playing him more than they would like because of injuries, nevertheless, as the third overall selection in the draft, expectations are that Thomas should be better. Also, Thomas hasn’t taken full advantage of playing along side DeForest Buckner, who has drawn double teams with his breakout play this season.
Reuben Foster LB, Alabama, 1st Round
Grade: Incomplete
The team dealt the disgruntled NaVoro Bowman, believing Foster could replace his dynamic play of a few years ago. That hasn’t happened mainly because of injuries. Ankle, rib and back injuries have all sidelined the former Alabama linebacker. When he did play a full game against the Cowboys, he looked lost at times, admitting he made some mistakes setting the defense.
C.J. Beathard QB, Iowa, 3rd Round
Grade: C
Forced into action because of Brian Hoyer’s mediocre play, Beathard has been merely adequate. He has proven to be more mobile, however, in his first two starts he missed easy throws, particularly in the first half of the Eagles’ loss. However, Beathard was also pressured on 60 percent of his throws in that game, which was the most of any quarterback this season. Any evaluation of Beathard is sketchy at best, because of the pressure he’s endured and the lack of talent around him.
Ahkello Witherspoon CB, Colorado, 3rd Round
Grade: B-
He started off looking like an all-out bust. Now he’s gone from an healthy inactive on game day to a starter. It looks like he’s gained muscle throughout the season, and his fine play against the Eagles made Rashard Robinson expendable. Right now, he’s looking like the best pick of the class.
Joe Williams RB, Utah, 4th Round
Grade: Incomplete
He was placed on season-ending injured reserve at the final cut down in August. There’s no questioning his speed, however there are questions about his readiness for the NFL game.
TE George Kittle, Iowa, 5th Round
Grade: B-
He started off hot, but has since cooled off by way of dropping too many passes. Nevertheless, Kittle can get open and he’s an above-average blocker even as a rookie. He shows promise and could get some of his playing time back while he continues to learn the offense and, hopefully, becomes more sure-handed.
Trent Taylor WR, Louisiana Tech, 5th Round
Grade: C+
Copy and paste from above. Taylor won one-on-one matchups versus slot cornerbacks fairly easily in the first part of the season. However, he seemed to hit the rookie wall right before mid-season. He will likely see his opportunities increase now that Pierre Garçon is out with a neck injury.
D.J. Jones DL, Ole Miss, 6th Round
Grade: B-
He’s been excellent as a sixth-round pick. As a regular in the second-team defense, Jones has more than held his own. He could also benefit from climbing over the rookie wall.
Pia Taumoepenu, DL, Utah, 6th Round
Grade: Incomplete
He might get more of an opportunity in the future, but Taumoepenu has been a healthy scratch on Sundays up to this point.
Adrian Colbert, DB, Miami, 7th Round
Grade: B
He began as a cornerback, but was moved to safety because of injuries. He’s mainly made his mark on special teams but his scrimmage play has been good. He has natural instincts, and he’s certainly a player to watch for the rest of the season.
