Jordan Watkins is far from a household name, but the rookie wideout has been quick to make an impression for the San Francisco 49ers. So much, in fact, that ESPN singled out Watkins as the biggest surprise on the roster this offseason.
“It’s difficult to get on the field and produce in Kyle Shanahan’s offense as a rookie receiver, but Watkins looked smooth running the immediate routes that are a staple of Shanahan’s scheme,” ESPN’s Nick Wagoner wrote. “He consistently made plays in practice.”
A fourth-round pick out of Mississippi, Watkins was afforded ample opportunities during OTAs because of injuries to fellow receivers Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall. His playmaking abilities caught the attention of quarterback Brock Purdy, who told ESPN, “Jordan Watkins has been balling from day one, really. He’s come in and he’s done everything pretty right and he’s been on point.
“He’s had a lot of explosive plays down the field. … Definitely a rookie that has popped out in front of everybody.”
Jordan Watkins Starred in College at Ole Miss
Watkins found the end zone consistently at Ole Miss. His nine touchdown receptions in 2024 were the most by a Rebel since AJ Brown’s school-record 11 in 2017 and ranked fourth all-time. Watkins also had 906 receiving yards and was second on the team with 950 all-purpose yards.
He was particularly dominant in the Gator Bowl, hauling in seven passes for 180 yards and two scores in a 52-20 rout of Duke.
Leading up to the NFL Draft, most projections had Watkins as a likely sixth- or seventh-round pick.
“Watkins was schemed into favorable downfield opportunities at Ole Miss but is better suited for work as a possession slot receiver in the pros,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote at the time. “He lacks speed but does a good job of playing through contact and competing for space.
“He’s a body-catcher with a poor catch radius but grabs what’s on target and carries the ball like a running back after the catch. Watkins lacks length and explosiveness but his toughness and ability to return punts could give him a puncher’s chance.”
Despite those limitations, Watkins wound up going much earlier than expected at No. 138 overall, the final pick of the fourth round.
49ers Receiving Room is in Flux
As training camp approaches, the 49ers’ receiving room is in flux. The biggest question mark is Aiyuk, who is recovering from ACL and MCL tears and may not be ready for the start of the season.
On top of that, All-Pro Deebo Samuel was traded in the offseason to the Washington Commanders.
Fortunately for San Francisco, few NFL coaches are as resourceful as Shanahan.
That could wind up working out well for the 5-foot-11 Watkins, who has a path to valuable reps if he can continue to impress Purdy and Co.
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