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49ers rookie report: The long-term upside is there for this class

The San Francisco 49ers’ 2024 rookie class is showing early promise despite the inevitable growing pains of first-year players. On the defensive side, Gracen Halton has quickly become a standout run defender, generating chaos with his awareness and recording as many tackles for loss as established stars DeForest Buckner and Zach Allen—despite playing far fewer snaps.

His one sack and 13 impact plays, though modest in volume, underscore his disruptive potential, even if his box-score numbers don’t fully capture his influence. Meanwhile, Romello Height, the team’s designated pass rusher, has already won 13.3% of his pass-rushing attempts, a strong early sign of his ability to generate pressure.

Though he’s primarily lined up on the edge (88% of his snaps), his 62% pass-rush rate and frequent involvement in stunts suggest he could become a more versatile force as the season progresses.

Offensively, the class has faced more mixed results. Kaelon Black, the rookie running back, has struggled to maintain consistency, seeing his snap share drop to just 11% after a slow start.

While he’s shown flashes of explosiveness—averaging 3.9 yards per carry outside the red zone—his decision-making has been inconsistent, with a tendency to overcommit on runs and fail to capitalize on missed tackles. His pass-blocking role, a key selling point in the draft, has barely been utilized (1.3% of snaps), leaving questions about his long-term fit in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

De’Zhaun Stribling, the wide receiver, remains on the sideline for now, with no expected return before at least midseason, but his eventual integration could provide a much-needed boost to a 49ers offense that has leaned heavily on rookie contributions this year.

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