The ͏San Francisco 49ers boast a talented roster of young players, many of whom bring strong collegiate résumés and recent draft pedigrees.
These 10 players illustrate the 49ers’ commitment ͏to infusing youth ͏across all positions. From recent draftees like Jacob Cowing ͏and Renardo Green, to emerging contributors like Drake Jackson and Spencer Burford, San Francisco continues to build a roster that balances proven veterans with developing young talent.
Here are the 10 ͏youngest active players on the 49ers’ ͏roster.
Top 10 Youngest Active Players on the San Francisco 49ers Roster
1) Israel Abanikanda, running back | age 22
Originally ͏͏drafter by the New ͏York͏ Jets in ͏the fifth round ͏of the 2023 NFL Draft, Israel Aban͏ik͏anda is the youngest ͏player on͏ ͏the 49ers’ roster. A͏ ͏University of Pittsburgh standout,͏ he totaled 2,͏161 rushing yards and ͏28 touchdowns in 30 collegiate games͏. He earned First-Team All-ACC honors in 2022. Abanikanda appeared in only six games during his NFL career and was inactive for 12 games with the Jets in 2024.
2) Malik Mustapha, safety | age 22
Mali͏͏k Mustapha, another 22-year͏-old, played for ͏Richmond and ͏Wake Forest, where he made 192 tackles and 15 tackles for loss over four seasons. As a 2023 team captain ͏at Wake Forest, he started all 12 games, notching 80 tackles and one interception.
3) Evan Anderson, defensive line | age 23
Evan Anderson played at Florida Atlantic, earning multiple all-conference honors across four years. He recorded 145 tackles and seven sacks in 39 games. His standout 2023 season included 57 ͏tackles and 3.5 sacks.
4) Tatum Bethune, linebacker | age 24
Tatum Bethune had a long college career at Central Florida and Florida State, playing in ͏61 games and accumulating 339 tackles. His 2023 season at FSU included a team-high 70 tackles. He ͏brings depth and experience to the linebacker room.
5) Spencer Burford, offensive line | age 24
During his tenure, Spencer Burford, a four-year starter at UTSA, helped his school set multiple offensive records. Burford anchors the offensive line ͏among the team’s youngest starters.
6) Jacob Cowing, wide receiver | age 24
Jac͏o͏b Co͏wing joined the 49ers͏ as a fourth-round pick from Arizona. He previously played at UTEP ͏and compiled 316 receptions for 4,477 yards and 33 touchdowns across five seasons. ͏In 2023, Cowing recorded 848 yards and 13 TDs and was named the Valero Alamo Bowl Offensive MVP.
7) Renardo Green, cornerback | age 24
Selected in the second round ͏of the 2025 NFL ͏Draft, Renardo Green was a ͏five-year contributor at Florida State. His 2023 ͏campaign included 43 tackles and an ACC-leading 13 pass deflections.
8) Isaac Guerendo, running back | age 24
Isaac Guerendo was ͏drafted 129th overall in 2025 after playing at Louisville and Wisconsin. He tallied 1,392 rushing yards and ͏17 touchdowns in 40 games, averaging six yards per carry. In his final season at Louisville, he scored 11 touchdowns.
9) Drake Jackson, defensive line | age 24
A standout at U͏S͏C, ͏Drake Jackson earned͏ Second-Team ͏All͏-Pac-12 honors twice. He recorded 103 tackles, 25 tackles for ͏loss, ͏and ͏8.5 sacks across three college seasons. He remains a͏ key piece of the ͏͏49ers defensive front.
10) Jaylen Mahoney, safety | age 24
Jaylen Mahon͏ey played five seasons at Vanderbilt ͏and started 45 of 54 games. He accumulated 247 tackles, 22 pass deflections, and ͏four interceptions. As a team captain in 2023, he led the team with six passes defended.