49ers' 5 best fifth-round NFL Draft picks under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch

Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have had many late-round draft steals, especially in the fifth round. Here we take a look for at their best fifth-round draft picks.

The San Francisco 49ers have enjoyed many a steal in Round 5 of the NFL Draft ever since the current era of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch began in 2017.

With the 2025 draft now the primary focus, and with the Niners looking to make up for a tumultuous offseason, banking on more day-three success is unquestionably going to be a focal point for Lynch and Shanahan again. Perhaps San Francisco prepared itself for this, hoping its two fifth-round picks in this year's draft turn into the next incarnation of high-profile talent.

Given past success, there's good enough reason to believe the 49ers can keep adding to the list of best Round 5 players drafted under Shanahan and Lynch.

Here we take a look at the Niners' five best fifth-round picks in this era.

No. 5: Defensive back D.J. Reed

In the 2018 NFL Draft, the 49ers selected a cornerback named D.J. Reed from Kansas State in the fifth round (142nd overall).

Reed would only start in two games for San Francisco over his first two seasons, primarily serving in a variety of backup and reserve roles before the team waived him with an injury ahead of the 2020 season. The 49ers hoped he'd clear waivers and revert to an injury list, but the Seattle Seahawks subsequently signed him.

Reed would spend 2020 and 2021 with the Hawks, eventually becoming the full-time starter at the right cornerback spot.

Reed was a free agent ahead of the 2022 season, and the New York Jets signed him to a three-year deal, reuniting him with his former 49ers' defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, the head coach of the Jets at the time.

Reed would be a starter at cornerback for the Jets, starting in all but five games over the next three seasons where he'd cement a reputation for being one of the best corners in the league.

As an unrestricted free agent in 2025, Reed then signed with Detroit Lions on a three-year deal.

No. 4: Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir

In the fifth round (172nd overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft, the 49ers selected Deommodore Lenoir, a cornerback out of Oregon.

He would play sparingly in his rookie season, but in 2022, Lenoir would start in 13 of San Francisco's 17 games.

In 2023, Lenoir started in all 17 games, getting three interceptions along with 10 passes defended on the season. He'd follow that up with a 15-game season in 2024, and midway through the season, the 49ers realized Lenoir would be their future at cornerback.

That November, he signed a five-year extension for $92 million, to be with the 49ers long term.

No. 3: Linebacker Dre Greenlaw

In the 2019 NFL Draft, the Niners drafted Dre Greenlaw, a linebacker out of Arkansas with their fifth-round pick (148th overall).

Greenlaw became a fan-favorite early on in his tenure with the team, and he also worked his way into a starting role in his rookie season. His defining moment in his rookie year came on the final game of the regular season against the Seahawks:

In a game that would determine the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs, Greenlaw made a fourth-down stop at the goal line in the waning seconds of the game to seal the victory for the 49ers, which not only clinched them the division but also the top seed in the conference.

Greenlaw appeared in two Super Bowls during his time with San Francisco. Unfortunately, fans will remember his devastating injury in Super Bowl LVIII when he was running back onto the field and suffered a torn Achilles, which would keep him out for almost all of the 2024 season.

After six great seasons with the 49ers, in which he was named to two NFL Top-100 lists in 2023 and 2024, he tested free agency and subsequently signed a three-year deal with the Denver Broncos.

No. 2 Safety Talanoa Hufanga

In the same draft in which the 49ers selected Lenoir, they had another great pick eight spots later.

With the 180th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Niners selected Talanoa Hufanga, a safety from USC who played sparingly in his rookie season on defense and special teams. Yet few will soon forget his epic special teams touchdown in the playoffs that season on the road against the Green Bay Packers that ultimately tilted the game in San Francisco's favor:

However, with the departure of Jaquiski Tartt, Hufanga became a full-time starter at safety in 2022.

He did not disappoint in his first year as a starter. In 2022, the playmaking defensive back had four interceptions, nine passes defended, two sacks and two forced fumbles. He also took one of those interceptions back for a touchdown.

For his performance in 2022, Hufanga earned both Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections.

In 2023, he tore his ACL in the 10th game of the season and would miss the final seven games and playoffs.

Unfortunately, Hufanga would only be able to appear in seven games in the following season due to a wrist injury.

He also tested free agency to begin the 2025 NFL year and joined Greenlaw on the Broncos in 2025.

No. 1: Tight end George Kittle

The No. 1 player on this list should come as no surprise.

In Shanahan and Lynch's first draft in 2017, they selected tight end George Kittle from Iowa in the fifth round (146th overall).

Kittle played relatively sparingly in his rookie season but showed incredible potential, logging 570 yards. Then in 2018, he had his breakout season with 88 receptions for 1,377 yards receiving and five touchdowns, which set a then-record for single-season receiving yards for a tight end.

For that season, he would earn a Pro Bowl and a second-team All-Pro selection.

In 2019, he came back strong, and while he didn't break his yardage record, Kittle followed-up with a Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selection in that season.

To date, Kittle has earned six Pro Bowl honors and two first-team All-Pro selections. He is also third on the 49ers' all-time receiving yards list, trailing only Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens.

Kittle has fast become a fan-favorite, not just for the 49ers, but around the league as a whole.

He is a living testament that future Hall of Famers can be found in the fifth round.

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