Underlining an Impressive Performance from a 49ers Rookie in OTAs
The 49ers offseason program began in late May and continued through the beginning of this week. Many veteran players like Christian McCaffrey performed well while looking healthy, and others surpassed expectations. One of those players was the team’s fourth-round rookie wide receiver Jordan Watkins. With Brandon Aiyuk being sidelined from practices as he recovers from his knee injury and second-year receiver Ricky Pearsall injuring his hamstring early into OTAs, Watkins was placed in live reps with the offensive and defensive starters. The Ole Miss standout displayed his explosiveness and juice, looking more than promising during his chances in action.
An important aspect of Watkins’ performance in OTAs is how he builds a connection and trust with quarterback Brock Purdy, who just signed a massive contract a few weeks ago . As Watkins has run more routes with the starters, he’s developed a connection with Purdy by creating separation to allow for easy windows that Purdy can anticipate. Watkins is putting in the work and his teammates are beginning to notice. He is working the middle of the field on mid-to-deep posts. Shanahan is utilizing his speed on end-around action. On Thursday, he even beat top cornerback Deommodore Lenoir on a curl route, per Grant Cohn.
It is impressive for a rookie receiver to come along this quickly and earn praise from his teammates. This isn’t a normal occurrence for young 49ers receivers either. An All-Pro receiver like Deebo Samuel didn’t have this type of impact in his first year of OTAs. Even with other glaring offensive needs, Watkins was the first offensive prospect the 49ers took in the 2025 NFL Draft. Many thought the team reached for him with the 138th pick. However, San Francisco seems to have found an intriguing option to develop into a high-level contributor.
He is transforming into one of those rare rookies who looks prepared to quickly take the next step and earn the trust of head coach Kyle Shanahan. Young receivers on the roster like Pearsall andJacob Cowing missed the jump Watkins is already taking. When compared to past rookie receivers for the 49ers, Aiyuk was truly the only one who took the same step Watkins is in the process of making now. It is a great sign for San Francisco’s wide receiver room, which needs a player to take a stride behind Jauan Jennings and Demarcus Robinson until Aiyuk ultimately returns.
