Breaking Down Each Rookie's Jersey Number
Javon Kinlaw (1st Round, Pick 14) #99
Javon Kinlaw became the 4th consecutive first-round draft pick to wear number 99. The others are: Manny Lawson (2006), Aldon Smith (2011), and Deforest Buckner (2016).
The #99 has been very good to 49er rookies, as both Aldon Smith and Deforest Buckner were named to the Pro Football Writers Association (PFWA) “All Rookie Team” their rookie seasons.
Kinlaw has a lot of pressure on him this season. Not only does he have the pressure of replicating Buckner’s interior pass rushing production, but the pressure of being the 3rd consecutive 49er rookie to don the number 99.
Brandon Aiyuk (1st Round, Pick 25) #11
Alex Smith is the most noticeable 49er to wear number 11. Going back nearly 40 years before Smith, famous college coach Steve Spurrier also wore 11 during his playing days with the 49ers.
Aiyuk is the fourth wide receiver in 49er history to wear the number. The others: Quinton Patton (2013-2016), Trindon Holiday (2014), and Marquise Goodwin (2017-2019).
The odds are in Aiyuk’s favor to be the best 49er receiver to ever wear number 11.
Colton McKivitz (5th Round, Pick 153) #68
John Ayers, a two-time Super Bowl champion, wore number 68 for the 49ers for ten years from 1977-1986.
Adam Snyder, a 3rd round pick back in 2005, wore the number each of his eight seasons with the 49ers.
Most recently, Zane Beadles and Mike Persons both wore number 68 during their brief 2 seasons with the time.
McKivitz hopes to be a mainstay in the number 68 jersey, just like Ayers and Snyder.
Charlie Woerner (6th Round, Pick 190) #89
Woerner joins Kaden Smith, Cole Wick, and Vance McDonald as the most recent tight ends to wear number 89.
Like Woerner, Smith was also drafted by the 49ers in the sixth round (2019). However, Smith was cut by the 49ers and went on to sign with Giants where he had a solid rookie season.
With Garret Celek’s retirement and Levine Toilolo signing with the Giants, Woerner has a much better chance of making the team than Smith had last year.
Earl Cooper, two-time Super Bowl champion, also wore number 89 from 1983-1985, after wearing number 49 the previous three seasons.
JaJuan Jennings (Round 7, Pick 217) #81
The most famous 49er to wear number 81 is without a doubt Terrell Owens. Since Owens left the 49ers in 2003, ten different receivers have worn the number.
Of those ten receivers, only Anquan Boldin had a successful stint with the team.
The others:
- Rashaun Woods (2004)
- Antonio Bryant (2006)
- Brandon Williams (2007)
- Bryan Gilmore (2007)
- Brandon Jones (2009)
- Ryan Whalen (2016)
- Rod Streater (2016)
- Trent Taylor (2017-2018)
- Jordan Matthews (2019)
Jennings joins Richie James Jr., Jullian Taylor, and Adrian Colbert as seventh round picks made by John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan. Each of them has made an impact on the 49ers or another roster. Expect Jennings to make a similar impact.
Fun to note: Terrell Owens went to college at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Jajuan Jennings went to school at University of Tennessee. Maybe the combination of the Tennessee background and the number 81 will lead Jennings to have a long career with the 49ers, like Owens.
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