Over the years, the San Francisco 49ers have shown off a penchant for finding high-level talent with their first-round picks in the NFL Draft. Here’s a look at the 49ers’ full track record in Round 1. What are some of their most impressive selections to date, and how has their performance aged heading into the modern era?

San Francisco 49ers First-Round Draft Picks Throughout History

To date, the 49ers have selected eight Hall of Fame players with first-round picks. That list doesn’t even include Joe Montana or Steve Young. Montana was a third-round pick by San Francisco, while Young was acquired through a trade after being selected in Round 1 of the 1984 Supplemental Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Nevertheless, the 49ers’ pool of first-round Hall of Famers is still an impressive one. They boast Jerry Rice, the greatest WR of all time, along with Lance Alworth and Ronnie Lott, among others. The 49ers have been less consistent in the modern era, but Patrick Willis is a Hall of Fame candidate even after a shorter-than-average career. And early in his career, Nick Bosa is on a Hall of Fame trajectory.

2023

The 49ers traded their pick to the Miami Dolphins.

2022

The 49ers traded their pick to the Miami Dolphins.

2021

• Trey Lance | Pick 3
  QB, North Dakota State

2020

• Javon Kinlaw | Pick 14
  DT, South Carolina
• Brandon Aiyuk | Pick 25
  WR, Arizona State

2019

• Nick Bosa | Pick 2
  DE, Ohio State

2018

• Mike McGlinchey | Pick 9
  OT, Notre Dame

2017

• Solomon Thomas | Pick 3
  DE, Stanford
• Reuben Foster | Pick 31
  LB, Alabama

2016

• DeForest Buckner | Pick 7
  DE, Oregon
• Joshua Garnett | Pick 28
  G, Stanford

2015

• Arik Armstead | Pick 17
  DT, Oregon

2014

• Jimmie Ward | Pick 30
  DB, Northern Illinois

2013

• Eric Reid | Pick 18
  DB, LSU

2012

• A.J. Jenkins | Pick 30
  WR, Illinois

2011

• Aldon Smith | Pick 7
  DE, Missouri

2010

• Anthony Davis | Pick 11
  OT, Rutgers
• Mike Iupati | Pick 17
  G, Idaho

2009

• Michael Crabtree | Pick 10
  WR, Texas Tech

2008

• Kentwan Balmer | Pick 29
  DT, North Carolina

2007

• Patrick Willis | Pick 11
  LB, Mississippi
• Joe Staley | Pick 28
  OT, Central Michigan

2006

• Vernon Davis | Pick 6
  TE, Maryland
• Manny Lawson | Pick 22
  DE, North Carolina State

2005

• Alex Smith | Pick 1
  QB, Utah

2004

• Rashaun Woods | Pick 31
  WR, Oklahoma State

2003

• Kwame Harris | Pick 26
  OT, Stanford

2002

• Mike Rumph | Pick 27
  DB, Miami (FL)

2001

• Andre Carter | Pick 7
  DE, California

2000

• Julian Peterson | Pick 16
  LB, Michigan State
• Ahmed Plummer | Pick 24
  DB, Ohio State

1999

• Reggie McGrew | Pick 24
  DT, Florida

1998

• R.W. McQuarters | Pick 28
  DB, Oklahoma State

1997

• Jim Druckenmiller | Pick 26
  QB, Virginia Tech

1996

The 49ers traded their pick to the Baltimore Ravens.

1995

• J.J. Stokes | Pick 10
  WR, UCLA

1994

• Bryant Young* | Pick 7
  DT, Notre Dame
• William Floyd | Pick 28
  FB, Florida State

1993

• Dana Stubblefield | Pick 26
  DT, Kansas
• Todd Kelly | Pick 27
  LB, Tennessee

1992

• Dana Hall | Pick 18
  DB, Washington

1991

• Ted Washington | Pick 25
  NT, Louisville

1990

• Dexter Carter | Pick 25
  RB, Florida State

1989

• Keith DeLong | Pick 28
  LB, Tennessee

1988

The 49ers traded their pick to the Dallas Cowboys.

1987

• Harris Barton | Pick 22
  OT, North Carolina
• Terrence Flagler | Pick 25
  RB, Clemson

1986

1985

• Jerry Rice* | Pick 16
  WR, Mississippi Valley St.

1984

• Todd Shell | Pick 24
  LB, BYU

1983

The 49ers traded their pick to the San Diego Chargers.

1982

The 49ers traded their pick to the New England Patriots.

1981

• Ronnie Lott* | Pick 8
  DB, USC

1980

• Earl Cooper | Pick 13
  RB, Rice
• Jim Stuckey | Pick 20
  DE, Clemson

1979

The 49ers traded their pick to the Buffalo Bills.

1978

• Ken MacAfee | Pick 7
  TE, Notre Dame
• Dan Bunz | Pick 24
  LB, Long Beach State

1977

The 49ers traded their pick to the New England Patriots.

1976

The 49ers traded their pick to the New England Patriots.

1975

• Jimmy Webb | Pick 10
  DT, Mississippi State

1974

• Wilbur Jackson | Pick 9
  RB, Alabama
• Bill Sandifer | Pick 10
  DT, UCLA

1973

• Mike Holmes | Pick 18
  DB, Texas Southern

1972

• Terry Beasley | Pick 19
  WR, Auburn

1971

• William Anderson | Pick 23
  DB, Ohio State

1970

• Cedrick Hardman | Pick 9
  DE, North Texas
• Bruce Taylor | Pick 17
  DB, Boston University

1969

• Ted Kwalick | Pick 7
  TE, Penn State
• Gene Washington | Pick 16
  WR, Stanford

1968

• Forrest Blue | Pick 15
  C, Auburn

1967

• Steve Spurrier | Pick 3
  QB, Florida
• Cas Banaszek | Pick 11
  OT, Northwestern

1966

• Stan Hindman | Pick 11
  DE, Mississippi

1965

• Ken Willard | Pick 2
  RB, North Carolina
• George Donnelly | Pick 13
  DB, Illinois

1964

• Dave Parks | Pick 1
  WR, Texas Tech

1963

• Kermit Alexander | Pick 8
  DB, UCLA

1962

• Lance Alworth* | Pick 8
  WR, Arkansas

1961

• Jimmy Johnson* | Pick 6
  DB, UCLA
• Bernie Casey | Pick 9
  HB, Bowling Green
• Billy Kilmer | Pick 11
  QB, UCLA

1960

• Monty Stickles | Pick 11
  TE, Notre Dame

1959

• Dave Baker | Pick 5
  DB, Oklahoma
• Dan James | Pick 8
  OT, Ohio State

1958

• James Pace | Pick 8
  HB, Michigan
• Charlie Krueger | Pick 9
  DT, Texas A&M

1957

• John Brodie | Pick 3
  QB, Stanford

1956

• Earl Morrall | Pick 2
  QB, Michigan State

1955

• Dicky Moegle | Pick 10
  DB, Rice

1954

• Bernie Faloney | Pick 11
  QB, Maryland

1953

• Harry Babcock | Pick 1
  DE, Georgia
• Tom Stolhandske | Pick 10
  LB, Texas

1952

• Hugh McElhenny* | Pick 9
  HB, Washington

1951

• Y.A. Tittle* | Pick 3
  QB, LSU

1950

• Leo Nomellini* | Pick 11
  DT, Minnesota

*Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame