Niner Noise
FanSided

Where Are They Now? Each San Francisco 49ers Draft Pick Since 2011

By Peter Panacy

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May 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive back Jimmie Ward (25) during organized team activities at the SAP Performance Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
May 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive back Jimmie Ward (25) during organized team activities at the SAP Performance Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

2014 NFL Draft

The 49ers landed some good, and not-so-good picks in the 2014 NFL Draft. Some of those players took a while to contribute, while others have yet to make a significant impact at the pro level.

The majority of general manager Trent Baalke’s 12 selections from this class are still with the organization though.

The Picks

  1. Defensive Back Jimmie Ward, Northern Illinois
  2. Running Back Carlos Hyde, Ohio State
  3. Offensive Lineman Marcus Martin, USC
  4. Linebacker Chris Borland, Wisconsin
  5. Offensive Lineman Brandon Thomas, Clemson
  6. Wide Receiver Bruce Ellington, South Carolina
  7. Cornerback Dontae Johnson, North Carolina State
  8. Linebacker Aaron Lynch, South Florida
  9. Cornerback Keith Reaser, Florida Atlantic
  10. Cornerback Kenneth Acker, SMU
  11. Defensive End Kaleb Ramsey, Boston College
  12. Fullback Trey Millard, Oklahoma

Defensive back Jimmie Ward‘s rookie season was pretty rough, and injuries limited his 2014 campaign. But Ward came on strong last season and ended up as one of the better NFL defensive backs in the league last season, per Jeff Deeney of Pro Football Focus.

Running back Carlos Hyde didn’t see much action behind former No. 1 back Frank Gore, and Hyde’s second pro season was cut short by a foot injury. Slimmed down in 2016, Hyde could easily emerge as the new bell cow of San Francisco’s offense under head coach Chip Kelly.

On the other hand, former USC center Marcus Martin has been a major disappointment. Filling in for Daniel Kilgore over a lengthy injury, Martin was ranked as one of the worst qualifying centers in the league last year, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Former Clemson guard Brandon Thomas was also highly touted coming out of college, but he was redshirted his rookie season and has yet to be activated for an NFL game.

Linebacker Chris Borland could have been a mainstay of the 49ers defense after one of the better rookie seasons seen in 2014. But Borland abruptly retired after one year, citing concerns over head injuries as a primary reason.

Nov 16, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland (50) signals a first down after an interception against the New York Giants during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 16, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland (50) signals a first down after an interception against the New York Giants during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Injuries have plagued wide receiver Bruce Ellington, although he’s made some contributions on special teams. Could 2016 be the year in which he breaks out under Kelly?

Cornerbacks Dontae Johnson, Keith Reaser and Kenneth Acker were also added to the mix. Each are still vying for roster spots on the Niners depth chart this year, although Johnson and Acker appear to be the favorites based on how many snaps they saw last season.

Linebacker Aaron Lynch also remains the 49ers’ best pass-rusher and was tied for the team lead last year with 6.5.

Defensive end Kaleb Ramsey is also with the 49ers but has yet to see any NFL action. He has been a member of the team’s practice squad. Fullback Trey Millard, who couldn’t surpass incumbent fullback Bruce Miller, has since signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Next: 2015 NFL Draft