Two rookies walking into golden opportunities to climb the depth chart took major steps toward that goal on Saturday.
The San Francisco 49ers enter training camp with a bus full of hungry rookies looking to take advantage of their preseason opportunities. With 11 draft picks in 2025, there is a crowded bunch hoping to make the roster, with the 49ers’ debut at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday against the Denver Broncos being their first chance to show they have what it takes.
Denver would ultimately coast to a 30-9 win, but it wasn’t all bad news for a few of these San Francisco youngsters.
Fourth-round wide receiver Jordan Watkins produced the highlight of the night for the home team with a fabulous over-the-shoulder catch in traffic. Backup quarterback Mac Jones got the start and dropped this one into the basket for a gain of 50 yards.
The good came with it’s share of some bad, as well. Watkins committed a false start on a drive that ended in a punt and ran the wrong route that led to miscommunication and an interception from Jones.
“I thought he did some good things, especially that 50-yard catch,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game. “Also had some plays where he struggled, too. Getting that pick, he had a busted route on that. That was a big one.
“Typical rookie game; there was some positive in it, but a lot stuff we can challenge him with when we watch the tape Monday.”
Watkins hopes to continue to improve in a wide receiver room that expects to provide ample opportunities with Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings out (for now) with injury.
Defensively, fifth-round rookie safety Marques Sigle made his impact felt in another position where San Francisco shakes things up from last season. Starter Talanoa Hufanga joined the Broncos in free agency, opening a youth movement of sorts for the Niners’ defensive backfield.
Sigle was all over the ball, finishing with seven tackles (five of them solo) in his one half of action to start the game. He sat the rest of the night after suffering a knee bruise, but Shanahan confirmed that it isn’t too serious. Nonetheless, the Kansas State product earned his postgame praise.
“I thought he was one of the guys who flashed a lot tonight,” Shanahan said. “He got a little bit of a late start being injured in the off season. It was a few days into camp when he really got going, but he’s has a hell of a week here and finished it off good today.”
