While recent 49ers drafts have unearthed plenty of promising talents, as yet no player from their three classes prior to the 2026 crop has established themselves as a clear foundational building block.
Most of the 2023 class is no longer on the roster, and there’s a decent chance the 2026 season could be Ji’Ayir Brown’s last with the team. It’s too early to make judgments on the 2025 class, but in terms of the coming season, there is great pressure on the 2024 draft picks to vindicate why they were selected.
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San Francisco got impressive initial returns from the 2024 class, with several picks shining in a losing season. However, going into 2026, there are question marks around each of the seven players from that draft who remain on the roster.
At least five of those players are potentially in line for major roles in 2026. Simply put, it is a group that collectively needs to impress to help shore up several different areas on the roster and, in turn, make decisions over second contracts for the 2024 class much easier for San Francisco.
For first-round pick Ricky Pearsall, the issue of a potential second contract with the Niners is not an immediate concern. Despite his injury issues, Pearsall’s play when healthy indicates they will pick up his fifth-year option for 2028 when the time comes to make that decision.
But the man the 49ers took in the subsequent round has more pressure on his shoulders for the forthcoming campaign.
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Cornerback Renardo Green enjoyed an impressive first season after being taken in the second round, displaying impressively sticky coverage and strong ball skills as he recorded 13 pass breakups and an interception.
Green’s 2025 numbers were actually superior to those from his rookie year. He allowed a completion percentage of 55.1 last season, compared to 60 in his rookie year, and surrendered 6.5 yards per target after giving up 6.7 in 2024. In addition, he was credited with allowing just one touchdown after giving up three as a rookie.
His 10 pass breakups represented another decent season in terms of on-ball production, but after a very public benching in the Divisional Round loss to Seattle, there has been some doubt around Green’s long-term future with the 49ers, with GM John Lynch forced to shut down trade talk around the former Florida State corner.
But with Green set for free agency after the 2027 season, the 49ers will soon need to start thinking about whether they want to get out in front of that and attempt to sign him to an extension.
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For the 49ers to be motivated to do so, Green will need to produce a strong 2026 season, and a change in defensive coordinator may help.
“Raheem is extremely excited to work with Renardo,” Lynch said of defensive coordinator Raheem Morris at the NFL’s annual meetings in March. “He sees a lot of tools that are kind of untapped, and some of that’s on Renardo. We do need him to play better. I think he can be a big-time player; we did when we drafted him. He hadn’t been bad by any account, but we think there’s a lot more in there.”
Morris’ aggressiveness as a coordinator should help Green, whose passer rating when targeted in man coverage was 60.6 — 16th among corners with at least 200 coverage snaps, per PFF — compared to 92.4 in zone.
While Morris is well-versed in the foundations of the zone-heavy defense the 49ers have traditionally played in the Kyle Shanahan era, he is likely to play more man coverage than predecessor Robert Saleh, making him a better fit for Green’s skill set.
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The challenge for Green is to make the most of a marriage that should help him take the next step towards meeting the expectations Lynch laid out.
Should he do so, the 49ers will likely look to tie him down to a long-term deal. Fail, and the 49ers could be considering another revamp at a position that has historically provided challenges for them. Green may only have two NFL seasons under his belt, but, as far as his 49ers future is concerned, 2026 is shaping up to be a make-or-break year.
