San Francisco 49ers a Fit for Stanford Wide Receiver?

With the NFL Draft approaching quickly, there are bound to be rumors that start circulating about where certain players will end up. The San Francisco 49ers are in an odd spot heading into the 2025 Draft, with the team still holding onto some key pieces, like Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey, but also trading Deebo Samuel and seeing Dre Greenlaw sign with the Denver Broncos.

The draft will be a way for them to re-tool the roster while awaiting better days ahead.

Stanford wide receiver Elic Ayomanor appears to be on board with what the 49ers are doing. He was recently at the team's local pro day, and was asked about how he fits with San Francisco.

"I know that they ask their receivers to block a lot, and that's something that I'm very willing to do, and very eager to do. I think they run a lot of great things off of that, that help the team in the passing game, so I think I would fit well here."

He's not wrong.

The 49ers have enough talent on offense that he wouldn't have to hit the ground running in Week 1, and wouldn't have to be the team's WR1. While he's certainly capable of becoming that for any team that selects him, it will likely take some time for him to get there.

The 49ers would be a team that could afford him that time to develop. What that timeframe ends up being is the big question, too. It could be a season or two, or it could be a handful of games. He did go to Stanford, and was a terrific student in the classroom, so it could end up being on the shorter end of that timeframe.

Where Ayomanor ends up being drafted is also going to be a hot topic to keep an eye on. After the season ended, he was slotted as a late second round selection, but after his combine performance he's been slotted anywhere from the third through the fifth rounds.

In a recent mock on NFL.com, they had he Carolina Panthers selecting him with the No. 114 pick in the draft (round four), just one pick after the 49ers at pick No. 113.

Given the connection that 49ers GM John Lynch has with Stanford, the school he attended from 1989-1992, if he wants Ayomanor, he's going to snag him where he sees fit. Lynch still has a reserved seat in the press box at Stanford Stadium, just in case he shows up, so that connection is strong.

It would appear as though there is mutual interest between Ayomanor and the 49ers, so there is a chance that he lands not too far from where he played ball in college when his name is called in just a few weeks.