SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Days before the San Francisco 49ers played the New York Giants in Week 9, rookie defensive linemen Mykel Williams and CJ West were in mid-conversation when the reality of how long and difficult the NFL season is dawned on them.

"I was like, 'Man, we still got a whole college football season left on the schedule,'" West said. "And it was like, 'Yeah, there's a lot of games left and it's a lot of room for improvement as well.'"

The marathon of this season is not lost on the Niners' 11-player rookie class, eight of whom are on the active roster. Through 10 games, there's no group that better embodies the ups and downs of this San Francisco season.

Every member of the Niners' rookie class has faced the harsh reality of playing for a team that expected them to

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