Progress report: 49ers rookie grades after 5 games

The 49ers went into the 2021 season needing some help from the back end of their draft class after putting their first-round pick in a backup quarterback role. It’s only been five games, but early returns on this year’s group of rookies hasn’t been great.

One thing that makes the 49ers’ 2021 draft class interesting is No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance, who’s future success will ultimately decide the long-term view of this group. If Lance thrives, any other misses can be forgiven. If Lance struggles, any hits after him become less important.

Ultimately San Francisco’s ability to build Super Bowl rosters will depend on their ability to find starting-caliber players via the NFL draft.

Here is our five-game progress report on the 49ers’ group of rookies: