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San Francisco 49ers: 5 Best, 5 Worst Draft Picks in the Trent Baalke Era

By Bryan Knowles

Feb 24, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 24, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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October 5, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver A.J. Jenkins (15) runs a route during the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
October 5, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver A.J. Jenkins (15) runs a route during the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Worst: A.J. Jenkins, WR, Illinois

2012 first-round selection, No. 30 overall

A.J. Jenkins was terrible.

The thirtieth overall selection failed to record even a single catch for San Francisco.  He was targeted with a grand total of one pass, which he dropped.  The 49ers gave up on him after only one season, trading him to Kansas City for their bust of a first-round receiver, Jonathan Baldwin.

Even in two years in Kansas City, Jenkins couldn’t put it together.  He ended his NFL career with 17 receptions for 223 yards, never once finding the end zone.  He couldn’t crack a thin Dallas Cowboys receiving corps last year, and hasn’t gotten a sniff from the NFL since then.

Jenkins was considered a reach at the time—most big boards had him somewhere between the low 50s and upper 70s, not the thirtieth-best player in the draft.  He even underperformed those standards, however—even if the 49ers had taken him in the second round, he still would be the worst pick of the Baalke era; he was just that bad.  A real reach, and a lesson never to draft someone just because you have a need at the position—you have to make sure the player is talented, too.

What could have been: Alshon Jeffery was taken 15 picks later, and has 3,728 yards to Jenkins’ 223.  Doug Martin was taken with the pick after Jenkins, and has 3,800 rushing yards in his career.  Derek Wolfe, Janoris Jenkins, Cordy Glenn and Bobby Wagner all went off the board before the 49ers could make their next pick.  In fact, you could make an argument that the next nineteen players off the board would have been better picks, including players who are already out of the league like David Wilson and Jonathan Martin.  You have to go down to Isaiah Pead and the 50th overall pick before Jenkins comes out better in a head-to-head comparison.  The pick was awful.

Next: A True Defensive Leader