After seeing a lot of guys leave in free agency, the pressure was on the San Francisco 49ers’ brass to put together a good draft class in April.
Thankfully, the 49ers did just that, as it was clear that they had a plan. With their first five picks, San Francisco used them exclusively to address all three levels of the defense. Then, with their six remaining selections, the 49ers added a couple of more pieces to the defense, but also two wide receivers in Jordan Watkins and Junior Bergen.
Watkins has reportedly garnered a lot of attention during OTAs and minicamp to the point where starting quarterback Brock Purdy has spoken about him. There’s a lot to like about Watkins, who is 5-foot-11 and 196 pounds and ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Despite his size, he does a good job tracking the ball, which could give the 49ers’ offense a new element to work with. In college, Watkins averaged 18.9 yards per reception, which is nothing to look past.
At the same time, 49ers fans should also not overlook Bergen, who was drafted in the seventh round.
49ers Fans Should Also Watch Out for Junior Bergen
The 5-foot-9 wide receiver is a game breaker on special teams, which is another aspect that San Francisco can improve on heading into this season. With Bergen being a seventh-round pick, the odds are stacked against him.
As a Day 3 pick, let alone a seventh-round selection, you've got to have something special that makes you stand out from the crowd. For Bergen, he can flip the field on special teams, which made him one of the most feared players in the FCS.
At Montana, the rookie wide receiver had eight career punt return touchdowns (tied for an FCS record), while also averaging 16.71 yards per punt return.
While Bergen gets a lot of attention for special teams skills, he also made plays on offense with the Grizzlies. He had 1,777 receiving yards, 577 rushing yards, and 18 total touchdowns in 48 career games.
When the 49ers drafted Bergen, head coach Kyle Shanahan said that they took him to be a returner and to try to make the squad that way, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Most 49ers fans will likely be paying attention to Watkins and UDFA Isaiah Neyor, who has also made some noise, in training camp. However, don’t sleep on Bergen as having a dynamic return specialist could give the 49ers that extra advantage.