Rookie class shines with 49ers win over Seahawks

Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Thursday night's game against the Seattle Seahawks was a case of “next man up” for the San Francisco 49ers, as a number of key players were unavailable due to injuries.

In this case, the job of being the next man up in this game fell largely to the players from the team's 2024 draft class, who ended up exceeding expectations.

Cornerback and second-round pick Renardo Green was called up while starter Charvarius Ward was inactive with a knee injury, while fourth-round pick Malik Mustapha got a safe start as Talanoa Hufanga was placed on injured reserve with a wrist injury. Green stepped up with a fourth-quarter interception to quarterback Geno Smith that stopped the Seahawks' momentum and led to a touchdown that gave the 49ers a 29-17 lead, while Mustapha provided a pivotal moment early in the game when he intercepted a Smith pass to stop a possible scoring drive. Meanwhile, running back Isaac Guerendo was forced into extended action later in the game after starter Jordan Mason was sidelined with a shoulder injury, and finished the game with a season-best 10 rushes for 90 yards, 76 of them on a run late in the fourth quarter was helpful in sealing a 36-24 win for the 49ers.

Additionally, linebacker and seventh-round pick Tatum Bethune recovered a Seahawks fumble on a kickoff that helped set up a field goal, while third-round pick Dominick Puni, who has quickly become a key part of the offensive line as a starter, blocked as a right defensive lineman , which Guerendo released on his decisive run.

Add to that the fact that Thursday's game was a pivotal one for the 49ers, who came into the night 2-3 and suffered a disappointing home loss to the Arizona Cardinals, and the rookies ended up putting on one of the best performances of the season so far .

“I can't say enough about it. So big, so big,” linebacker Fred Warner said after the game. “We've talked over the course of the week about how it's a must to win and all those things and the seriousness of the game and having young guys, rookies, come in and make those types of plays to help close a game Winning – it’s really a great joy.” They are happy for our team that they found a way to win. And yes, it was great to watch them.

The 2024 draft class has generated positivity around the 49ers since arriving in the Bay Area (“They were a blast in the preseason,” defensive end Nick Bosa said Thursday), and they had their breakthrough together on Thursday . All of their big plays were needed for the 49ers to leave Seattle with a win, and their presence was greatly appreciated by the veterans on both sides of the ball.

“It was great,” quarterback Brock Purdy said. “Just seeing Renardo get his interception, Malik on defense, man, that always gets us going on offense. And then obviously at the end Isaac comes in and pulls away, kind of like a little reminder of when Jordan Mason came in. “He got his break a few years ago, but it's not college for these guys and that's the real deal. And so for these guys to show up at a primetime game like this on Thursday night means a lot to all of us as a team, and they're all there for us and will continue to grow together.”

Guerendo, in particular, was a player who came into Thursday's game waiting for his turn to shine as Mason became the starter following injuries to Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell. His 76-yard run showcased the breakaway ability that was one of the reasons the 49ers liked him enough to select him in Round 4, and it couldn't have come at a more important time in the game with the Seahawks right now scored a touchdown and had three timeouts in the bag with less than two minutes left.

“They know when they're going to really commit to stopping the run and trying to get into that eight-man front,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “We had a good bounce read where we got outside and usually when there aren't two safeties there, which I don't think was the case, you break them and he has the speed to make it.”

As mentioned, this game was compounded by Puni's block, which continued to show that he has the potential to be a starter for the 49ers for years to come. Left tackle Trent Williams praised Puni after the game after finding out the rookie would be moving on to a new position as an NFL player.

“This is amazing,” Williams said. “I didn’t know he didn’t play right guard in college, so I just learned something. This is crazy because he literally has the makings of a Pro Bowl Pro player at this position. But he's a godsend, man. He's a really, really good boy. He won the respect of his teammates just by his demeanor.

In addition to Green, Puni, Mustapha, Guerendo and Bethune, the 49ers have received contributions from fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing as a return specialist this season. Only wide receiver and first-round pick Ricky Pearsall, who is recovering from a gunshot wound, and offensive lineman and sixth-round pick Jarrett Kingston, who didn't make the 53-man roster, stand out as players who didn't make the cut have their grade from the 2024 draft class, and Pearsall should get his chance as soon as he is declared ready to play.

“We have a lot of great people,” Mustapha said Thursday evening. “We have people who really believe in what we can achieve. And we still haven’t really seen anything from Ricky. We’re taking our chance and making the most of it.”

Even though Pearsall has no playing time yet, the 49ers' rookie roster is clearly trending upward after Thursday's game. Perhaps it will prove to be a sign of even better things to come.

“When I look at this rookie class and see the guys we have, these guys care,” Mustapha said. “We represent the mission and common goal of the 49ers that everyone wants to share. This is just a step in the right direction.”