SF 49ers: Grading 2020 rookie NFL Draft class after one season

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Jauan Jennings #17 versus Jamar Taylor #32 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /

Round 7: SF 49ers Wide Receiver Jauan Jennings

If former Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings had only a modestly better 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine last year, he could have easily gone from a seventh-round faller into day-two consideration.

Especially considering his massive and bullying 6-food-3, 215-pound frame.

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But Jennings was awfully slow and slipped into Round 7, allowing San Francisco to pick him up in what looked like a total steal at the time.

Except it didn’t shake out that way.

Jennings struggled in training camp, failed to attack the ball and had far too many drops for Kyle Shanahan’s comfort. While the SF 49ers were dealing with shortages at wide receiver anyway in camp, Jennings failed to seize the opportunity and didn’t carve himself out a role, eventually landing on the practice squad instead before suffering a season-ending injury during practices.

In fairness, little is expected out of seventh-round picks anyway, so it’s not quite accurate to grade this as a full fail.

Plus, Jennings’ injury makes it difficult, as does the fact he’s a player who clearly suffered because of the lack of offseason workouts amid the pandemic.

For now, the grade is marked as incomplete.

I. . Wide Receiver. San Francisco 49ers. JAUAN JENNINGS

Perhaps that’ll change during his second season, especially when evaluating the depth needs the Niners will have behind receivers like Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.

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If Jennings carves out a role that way, his 2021 grade could shoot up considerably, suggesting that late-round steal is still in play for San Francisco.