It’s time to reflect on the San Francisco 49ers’ previous drafts again. Thanks to YouTube poster and 49ers fan Marvin49, we have videos of each draft. We’ll look at every year during the Kyle Shanahan era up to 2025. Today, it’s 2023.
Three years later, the 2023 draft class feels incomplete at best and a contributor to the 49ers’ contract woes in 2025 at worst.
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So how did we get here? The 49ers went into this draft without a first or second rounder, burning those picks on Trey Lance and Christian McCaffrey, respectively. Nine picks, all in the third round or later. Just moderate expectations, what could go wrong?
A class defined by a kicker. And Ronnie Bell. At least, that’s what would be said until Dee Winters had his terrific 2025 — we’ll get to that.
No first-rounder. No second-rounder. Three third-rounders and a handful of late picks. Here we go.
Penn State safety Ji’Ayir Brown came in as the first pick of the class after the 49ers acquired his pick from the Vikings. He flashed early, stepping into the starting role when Talanoa Hufanga tore his ACL late in 2023 and held up through the Super Bowl run. Year two was messier — Hufanga came back, the rotation got crowded, and Brown was in and out. Entering 2025, the 49ers drafted fifth-round rookie Marques Sigle, who beat Brown out for the starting job before the season even started.
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To be fair, he did carve out a big nickel role. He worked his way back into the starting lineup and was improving. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury in the Wild Card round against the Philadelphia Eagles ended his postseason. Brown finished the regular season with 76 tackles, two interceptions, and six pass deflections — respectable numbers for a guy who started the year with question marks. Whether he’s the long-term answer at safety is still genuinely unclear.
Up next is the star of the draft and, for very painful reasons, Jake Moody. He looked the part: a kicker with a big leg who…
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