5 bold predictions for 49ers 2020 NFL Draft class

Let’s dish out some bold predictions for the 49ers’ 2020 rookie class from the NFL Draft, shall we?

The San Francisco 49ers have a lot of high expectations for their 2020 rookie class, particularly considering some of the team’s offseason losses following Super Bowl LIV.

Two of the biggest personnel losses, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, prompted the Niners into using two first-round NFL Draft selections on South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. And while there’s always the hope both those rookies pick up where both Buckner and Sanders left off, it’s also premature to assume the first-year players wind up being exceptional right out of the gate.

At the same time, though, there are possibilities for first-year breakouts. San Francisco received three such examples last season: EDGE Nick Bosa, wide receiver Deebo Samuel and linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who all either met or exceeded expectations over the course of 2019.

Who would have predicted those three being immediate-impact players?

As far as predictions go, it’s getting to that time when we should look at the Niners’ 2020 rookie class, including undrafted free agents, and speculate what could be the kind of impact those players have this upcoming season.

But let’s go a bit more and look into the bolder side of would-be predictions; reaching the potential ceiling for some of the first-year players donning the red and gold.

With their Super Bowl window now open, the 49ers will look to a number of these draft picks and undrafted players to provide some serious impact, so let’s break down what some of these bigger predictions could be over the course of 2020.