San Francisco 49ers: Top 5 rookie seasons in the Kyle Shanahan era

The 49ers have had some electric rookie performances since Kyle Shanahan took over as head coach.

The San Francisco 49ers are home to some of the greatest players of all time, with multiple ex-players walking into the Pro Football Hall of Fame without much debate.

The last decade, on the other hand, has had its ups and downs, starting off strong before going through a frustrating middle portion of the decade before finishing on a high note under the team’s new regime. Head coach Kyle Shanahan had somewhat of a rocky start with the franchise with back-to-back losing seasons in 2017 and 2018. Most don’t blame the young offensive guru as the team he inherited wasn’t spectacular in any sense of the word, ultimately forcing a turnover of roughly 70 percent of the roster in 2017 alone. That led to an influx of first-year talent, some of which underdelivered while others shined and then some.

Of course, with time, the team grew in overall talent. And while there are a number of players who underwhelmed in the early stages of their respective careers so far, there have been quite a bit who have shown they can be among the best at their positions.

Entering his fourth season with the team, it’s fun to look back on the offensive guru’s track record in the draft and outline the five best rookie seasons we have witnessed under the guidance of Kyle Shanahan.

Let’s dive in by looking at San Francisco’s best overall player by far, tight end George Kittle.