SF 49ers: 9 young players who should shine in 2021

Niner Noise looks at young SF 49ers in a position to be impactful next year.

With the 2020 season for the SF 49ers all but over following their Week 15 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and subsequent elimination from playoff contention, focus now turns to the 2021 season where a roster stacked with talent hopefully is able to stay healthy and shore up a few specific areas of weakness.

Part of that look to the future is a look at which young players on the current roster might be able to make an impact in that future. The SF 49ers, under general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, have drafted in the top half of the draft every year, either because of a disappointing season or, in the case of last year, a trade. They’ve been slowly building a talent base with the draft that should be able to pay dividends for 2021.

After all, the 2019 season progressed the way it did in large part because of recent draft picks. EDGE Nick Bosa elevated the defense to a championship-caliber level, wide receiver Deebo Samuel provided a consistent threat for the offense, even fifth-round linebacker Dre Greenlaw became a consistent starter and made the play of the 2019 season to clinch the NFC West.

Previous draft picks, such as tight end George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner, were also quite important in 2019.

So, yes. There are many, many young players who should be impactful for the SF 49ers in 2021. A large portion of the roster is comprised of these players.

However, just listing players who have already made the Pro Bowl or are consistently dominant starters is not only bland, it’s not particularly insightful. So while I’ll initially talk about some players whose star performance in 2021 shouldn’t come as a surprise, I’ll also talk about some players who might be a bit more eye-popping.

Let’s begin by looking at a position group with enough talent that age is forgotten.