The 49ers were never going to need a ton of production out of their 2023 draft class if everything went well. They entered the draft with a loaded roster and didn’t have a pick until late in the third round. Couple their roster needs with their lack of top-end draft capital and it’s not a surprise San Francisco’s most recent draft class was one of the NFL’s least productive this season.
NFL analytics guru Aaron Schatz laid out the production of all 32 draft classes in a piece for ESPN. The 49ers ranked 30th, ahead of only the Broncos and Cowboys.
Part of the problem with the productivity of this year’s class wasn’t asked to do much. Of their nine picks, only two contributed as starters – kicker Jake Moody and safety Ji’Ayir Brown who took over the starting role in Week 11 after Talanoa Hufanga tore his ACL.
Seventh-round wide receiver Ronnie Bell had at least a special teams role all year while sprinkling in a couple of touchdown catches. Fifth-round picks like cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. and defensive end Robert Beal Jr. both spent most of the season on injured lists before joining primarily as special teams contributors.
San Francisco will now lean heavily on Brown and Moody in the postseason where their production will ultimately matter far more than anything they did in the playoffs.
As long as the 49ers are able to restock their talent cupboard with a couple players from this year’s draft while also getting key contributions from the Brown-Moody duo in this year’s playoffs, the lack of overall productivity from the rookies in 2023 won’t matter much.
