San Francisco 49ers: 20 worst NFL Draft picks in franchise history
By Peter Panacy
No. 16: Wide Receiver J.J. Stokes
Drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round (10th overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft
Granted, it isn’t entirely fair to list former 49ers first-round selection J.J. Stokes as a complete bust given the Niners hoped he would be the heir apparent to legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice.
But that’s what the 49ers were hoping for when they traded up in Round 1 of the 1995 NFL Draft to select Stokes with the 10th pick overall.
And he never turned into the type of receiver San Francisco needed.
If there is a bit of a positive, Stokes had a decent, if not stellar, pro career with the 49ers which came to an end in 2002. But he never managed more than 770 receiving yards or 63 catches in a season, and Stokes averaged less than four touchdowns per year and only 12.7 yards per catch.
Quite a disappointment.
On top of that, Stokes had problematic hands, yet frequently complained about not getting the ball enough.