The San Francisco 49ers got the easy part of the way when they made their 11 picks in the 2025 NFL draft. Now comes the hard part of maximizing those players as they make the transition to the pros. Ideally the 49ers would draft 11 starters this year,

The 49ers selected Rourke knowing he's on his way back from an ACL tear he sustained in 2022 and had surgically repaired after the 2024 season when he threw for a career-high 29 touchdowns. That knee surgery is likely to keep Rourke from making any immediate contributions.

The 49ers used their first five selections on defensive players for the first time since their famed 1981 draft that included Ronnie Lott.