Jordan Watkins' summer challenge: Win over 49ers coach who doesn't love rookie WRs

New York Times

3 days ago

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco 49ers rookie Jordan Watkins was a surprise standout this spring, showing his speed on deep balls, his smoothness on crossing routes and drawing raves from quarterback Brock Purdy, who said Watkins 'popped out' to everyone.
Well, not exactly everyone.
Asked his assessment, Kyle Shanahan wasn't nearly as effusive.
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'I think Jordan's doing solid,' he said on June 10. 'He's had some good days, some bad. But normal.'
It was a shoulder shrug of a comment, but one that probably should have been expected. The 49ers head coach, a former college receiver, is famously fussy when it comes to rookie pass catchers, and only a few have met his high standards.
Deebo Samuel, for example, played 709 snaps as a rookie in 2019 and Brandon Aiyuk logged 728 the following season, though neither escaped unscathed. Samuel's weight was an issue early on, resulting in long, pre-practice runs with then-receivers coach Wes Welker. Aiyuk, meanwhile, sidestepped Shanahan's microscope in 2020 in part because the offseason was discombobulated by COVID-19 restrictions. The pandemic, however, merely delayed the tough-love sessions until 2021 when Aiyuk landed in Shanahan's doghouse in the run-up to the season.
Both ultimately survived. Others like Dante Pettis, Jalen Hurd, Danny Gray and Ronnie Bell did not. They were cut well before their rookie deals expired.
Watkins says he got an early — and accurate — heads up on Shanahan's standards from relatives who are 49ers fans in his native Kentucky. Despite his impressive spring, he's gotten plenty of film-room critiques from position coach Leonard Hankerson, who channels Shanahan.
'I've messed up on pass-game stuff, I've messed up on splits, I've messed up on run game,' Watkins said after Friday's practice. 'But that's part of it. It's part of being a rookie. Coach Hank is super, super hard on me. And I wouldn't want it any other way. Because the NFL's a tough, tough business.'
The rookie mistakes haven't curtailed his practice repetitions. Observers often can tell where a 49ers receiver stands in the pecking order by where he lines up in individual drills. For example, veterans Jauan Jennings and Demarcus Robinson — who have been far and away the most consistent targets early in training camp — get to go first in the drills. Because the 49ers are practicing without Aiyuk (ACL), Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) and Jacob Cowing (hamstring), Watkins has been the third man up in those drills and is usually the third receiver who gets worked into team-wide situations.
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That underscores the opportunity in front of the fourth-round pick from Ole Miss. Aiyuk isn't expected to be ready early in the season while Robinson could be serving a suspension related to his DUI. Watkins seems to be very much in the mix to be the team's No. 3 or No. 4 wideout when the season begins in Seattle on Sept. 7. He and fellow rookie Junior Bergen also have been the only punt returners in recent practices.
Who's the 49ers' No. 3 receiver? It's an excellent question heading into the season. As it stands now, rookie Jordan Watkins seems firmly in the mix …
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— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows.bsky.social) July 25, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Of course, Watkins has to satisfy Shanahan first. And through the first three days of training camp, he hasn't been nearly as prolific as he's been in the spring. Practices are more physical, cornerbacks like Renardo Green and Deommodore Lenoir are allowed to use their hands and re-route him and the throwing lanes are tighter. On Friday, for example, Watkins hauled in only one of the six passes in his direction.
His reaction to the tough defense is the same as it is to the hard coaching he's getting from Hankerson: Bring it on.
'Obviously with more physicality, it's going to be tougher to get open and make plays,' he said. 'But that's our job in the NFL as a receiver. The windows are very, very close. Very very close. Whenever I'm lining up against Green and Lenoir, that's the competition I want. Because that's the best of the best right there. '
• The most notable absence Friday: Purdy, who's expecting the birth of his first child. That left the 49ers with two healthy quarterbacks, Mac Jones and second-year player Tanner Mordecai.
Jones took all of the first- and second-team repetitions and finished 12 of 19 in team situations. He hit George Kittle and running back Patrick Taylor Jr. for big gains and also had a nice hot-read throw to Jennings on a blitz from rookie linebacker Nick Martin.
He threw one interception when he followed Watkins across the field, allowing safety Ji'Ayir Brown to read his eyes and step in front of the ball.
Flying around 😤 pic.twitter.com/RE8rHAqbZK
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) July 25, 2025
The big-armed Mordecai was 9 of 13. He also had an interception when linebacker Jalen Graham picked off a short pass intended for tight end Jake Tonges. The team's fourth quarterback, seventh-round pick Kurtis Rourke, is recovering from an ACL injury and has yet to practice.
• Green was perhaps the biggest standout of practice. The second-year cornerback had back-to-back pass breakups on throws to Jennings and Watkins and a third on an underthrown deep ball from Jones to Jennings. However, Green was later seen limping off the field with what seemed like a leg injury. He did not return.
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Meanwhile, two of the feistiest players on the roster — Jennings and Lenoir — got into a brief but fiery dustup after an outside run by Christian McCaffrey. Jennings, who is perhaps the most physical run-blocking receiver in the league, was blocking Lenoir on the play.
• The 49ers seem to be experimenting with three scenarios when three cornerbacks are on the field:
1. Lenoir, Green and Tre Brown (nickel)
2. Lenoir, Green and Upton Stout (nickel)
3. Green, Brown and Lenoir (nickel)
The team mostly has used the first scenario during the spring and early days of training camp, but Stout, the third-round draft pick, has looked sharp when he's on the field.
• The 49ers' kicking competition, which got off to a perfect start Wednesday, hit a snag Friday. Jake Moody was 3 of 4 on his attempts while Greg Joseph was 2 of 4. He pushed one attempt wide right and his final attempt went off the left upright.
'I thought they could have had a better day today, but they're doing a good job so far,' special teams coordinator Brant Boyer said.
Boyer is having the kickers alternate attempts in an effort to ramp up the pressure and the competition. Moody tends to watch Joseph's kicks from near the sideline. Joseph faces away from Moody and practices his kicking motion while Moody is kicking.
'If a guy misses, can the other guy make (the kick) right after?' Boyer said. 'That's all the kind of stuff you look for, the competition element. That's what I want to see.'
Boyer and others have linked Moody's rough 2024 season to the kicker coming back too quickly from a midseason high ankle sprain.
'I see a guy who lost his confidence a little, but also a guy who was injured half the year,' Boyer said. 'He's a super talented kid and has to get his stinger back, so to speak. Greg is putting on all the pressure he can. And like I said, that's going to heat up. That battle is going to be fun to watch as we get into the preseason games, that's for sure.'
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• Friday's practice was the third before a players' day off Saturday, which meant it was longer than Wednesday's opener but not quite as intense as Thursday's. Pearsall is expected back Sunday, though fellow second-year wideout Cowing likely will be out a little longer. Left guard Ben Bartch (quadriceps) also seems close to returning.
• Ji'Ayir Brown's interception came when he was lined up with the second-team defense. The first-team repetitions at safety went to Jason Pinnock and Richie Grant.
'It's a wide-open competition at safety — at both spots,' defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said Thursday.
• Most of the 49ers' rookies worked with the second- and third-team units. The exceptions so far have been defensive end Mykel Williams and Stout, who gets occasional repetitions with the first-string defense.
• Brayden Willis, who is competing for the No. 3 tight end spot behind Kittle and Luke Farrell, had four catches Friday. Tonges, Ross Dwelley and Mason Pline also are vying for that role.