When the San Francisco 49ers open training camp next week, they'll welcome the largest rookie class of the Kyle Shanahan–John Lynch era. Eleven draft picks, plus six undrafted free agents, a total of 17 rookies. Not since 2016 has the organization brought in such a big influx of first-year talent, a reality that has challenged the locker room's leaders to raise the bar when it comes to mentorship.
Fullback Kyle Juszczyk, entering his ninth season with San Francisco, says the veterans recognized early on that this offseason would require a different approach.
"It's always an emphasis that you want to bring the guys along, but this year more than any," Juszczyk told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. "That was kind of a fun, unique challenge."
The 49ers leaned into that challenge even before OTAs began. Juszczyk shared that he and running back Christian McCaffrey were already discussing the importance of guiding the rookies back in February and March.
"I remember Christian and I texting... We were like, we need to take this to another level of bringing these guys along because we're going to need them," Juszczyk said. "And I think we got some of the right guys for the job."
For veterans like Juszczyk, this offseason also provided something rare: extra time to recover before ramping up training. That reset allowed the team to fully recharge and enter camp with renewed energy.
"This offseason we had more rest than usual, so I was able to really take that time to heal from last season and then get into some really hard training," he said. "Years prior, that was kind of sped up a little bit… But it feels like it's been so long since last offseason that I'm so ready to play. I was so excited once we did get to the hard training to do that. So it's been a great offseason, honestly."
That readiness has extended into his evaluation of the rookies. Juszczyk pointed to fourth-round wide receiver Jordan Watkins and the 49ers rookie defensive linemen as examples of first-year players making early impressions.
"I've seen a lot of good things in OTAs," Juszczyk said. "I loved what Jordan Watkins was doing, man. I'm really excited about what he can do for the offense, and that's a position where we're going to need some help early on with Brandon Aiyuk being injured. I think he's one of the guys that can step in and make an impact. I mean, there's a lot of them, all those guys on the defensive line, we're going to need them."
With veterans stepping up as leaders and a large rookie class expected to contribute early, the 49ers are focused on making sure their newest players are ready to play meaningful roles when camp begins.
