Why history shows 49ers owning No. 11 draft pick is good omen originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The 49ers officially will select No. 11 overall in the 2025 Draft, a good omen given the history of blue-chip difference makers who historically have been taken at that spot.

San Francisco already has struck gold with the No. 11 spot, drafting Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Patrick Willis with that selection in 2007.

The 49ers also landed a key contributor from the No. 11 spot in the 2011 NFL Draft, selecting Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis who served as San Francisco’s starting right tackle during a renaissance period that saw the franchise reach at least the NFC Championship Game for three consecutive seasons from 2011 to 2013.

However, the 49ers aren’t the only team who has found good fortunes with the No. 11 overall pick, as three players selected in that spot since 2002 have gone on to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

That doesn’t include two more likely first-ballot inductees in former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and perennial All-Pro defensive lineman J.J. Watt, who are sure to be immortalized in Canton when they’re eligible.

Nearly half of the players selected No. 11 overall since 2001 have gone on to become Pro Bowlers, with five of them earning multiple First-Team All-Pro selections during their NFL careers.

Here are some notable players taken with the No. 11 overall pick since 2000:

Freeney spent 16 years in the NFL, earning seven Pro Bowl selections and three First-Team All-Pro selections while serving as a key cog of the Indianapolis Colts’ Super Bowl XLI win.

Roethlisberger spent his entire 18-year NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning two Super bowls and earning six Pro Bowl selections while throwing for 64,088 yards — the fifth-most in NFL history.

Ware widely is regarded as one of the best pass rushers in NFL history, earning four First-Team All-Pro selections and nine Pro Bowl nods during his 12-year career. Ware helped lead the Denver Broncos to a win in Super Bowl 50 and was inducted in the Hall of Fame in the class of 2023.

A polarizing figure, Cutler was a gunslinging quarterback who carved out a nice 12-year career, starting over 153 games combnined for the Broncos, Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins. He also earned Pro Bowl honors in 2008.

A player that needs no introduction, Willis spent his entire eight-year career with the 49ers, where he was one of the NFL’s best defensive players year in and year out. Willis earned five First-Team All-Pro selections and seven Pro Bowl nods, rightfully taking his place among the game’s immortals after being enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2024.

In a draft loaded with superstars, Watt’s arguably shined the brightest. Bursting on the scene early in his career, Watt earned three NFL Defensive Player of the Year Awards to go along with five First-Team All-Pro selections and five Pro Bowl nods. Simply put, one of the most dominant players the NFL has ever seen at his peak.

Lattimore made an immediate impact upon entering the league, earning Pro Bowl and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors while starring for the Saints’ secondary. Lattimore has earned four Pro Bowl selections in his eight-year career and spent a considerable amount of time being viewed as one of the NFL’s top defensive backs.

Originally drafted by the Dolphins, Fitzpatrick truly hit his stride after being traded to the Steelers in his second season. Since then, the talented defensive back has gone on to earn three First-Team All-Pro selections and four Pro Bowl nods and still is viewed among the league’s best safeties in his seventh season.

While every draft class is different, the historical success of the No. 11 spot offers some optimism for the 49ers as they attempt to restock their roster for a bounce-back season in 2025.

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