Ranking 49ers draft picks based on potential impact as rookies

The 49ers’ rookie class has a chance to be extremely effective right away.

1. WR Brandon Aiyuk

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

It’ll take a few weeks for Aiyuk to be fully up to speed in the offense, but head coach Kyle Shanahan clearly has a plan for him. It’s why the team mortgaged the middle of their draft to trade up to take him with the 25th overall pick. Aiyuk is an after-the-catch savant who led college football at 9.9 yards after the catch a season ago. He can take slants, screens and jet sweeps and turn them into big plays the same way we saw Deebo Samuel do in the early going next season. As Aiyuk gets more familiar with the offense, his role will expand and it could have a similar impact to Emmanuel Sanders’ arrival in the middle of last season.