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It’s hard to pin down one thing that went wrong for the 49ers when their run in the early 2010s was derailed after three consecutive trips to the NFC championship game. There was friction between the coach and the front office, injuries and retirements, but their abysmal 2012 draft played a key role as well.
Now San Francisco is in the midst of a similar kind of run and the 2022 draft will have a real impact on their future even if there isn’t a ton of room on the roster for rookies to contribute. They whiffed badly on the 2012 draft and it left them bereft of talent in the couple years after it. They can’t whiff the same way in 2022 if they want to extend their Super Bowl window.
The good news for the 49ers is it’s hard to miss on a draft as badly as they did that year. They picked seven times that year.
First-round pick WR AJ Jenkins caught zero balls in three games during his only season with the team. Second-round pick RB LaMichael James didn’t make it out of his rookie contract and was done after 15 games in red and gold. Fourth-round pick Joe Looney carved out a nice career, but he started just four of the 19 games he played for the 49ers. Their four picks in Rounds 5-7 played a combined five games in San Francisco with zero starts. The class was an abomination.
San Francisco doesn’t necessarily need to find a star, but they need to find at least a couple players in 2022 who can start in 2023 and beyond. They’re set for now, but after 2022 things get a little murky as far as their future goes. Emmanuel Moseley and Jimmie Ward are both free agents after 2022. Center Alex Mack could be entering his final season if he decides to play, and the 49ers may not be able to afford a handful of other players. Going into the draft they’ll still be looking for starters at the two guard spots on the offensive line, but starters at a handful of other positions will be a must beyond this season.
The 2022 draft may not be a home run right away for the 49ers. They may not even lean on any of their rookies for significant contributions. That doesn’t mean this class isn’t vital to their long-term success though, so they have to avoid a catastrophe like the one they came up with in 2012.
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