49ers Draft WR Jauan Jennings in Round 7
The 49ers took their second wide receiver of the draft on Saturday.
In Round 7, the 49ers drafted Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings with pick 217. The 49ers previously had drafted wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk with pick 25.
Jennings, 22, caught 59 passes for 969 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior in 2019. It was by far his best season in college. He has a history of wrist and knee injuries, and missed all but one game of the 2017 season. But he appeared in all 13 of Tennessee's games in 2019, and seems healthy now. He attended the Senior Bowl in January and performed well.
Jennings is big (6'3", 215 lbs.,) but not particularly fast. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he ran a 4.72 40-yard dash -- a tight end's time. Which might reveal how the 49ers plan to use him.
Jennings isn't big enough to be a tight end, but the 49ers could use him as one during passing plays. Meaning he would line up in the slot and run routes over the middle of the field. He could have a specific role in the passing attack.
The 49ers planned to use Jalen Hurd that way in 2019. The 49ers drafted Hurd in the third round, and used him as a big slot receiver during training camp. He mostly lined up near the formation, like a tight end or an H-back.
But Hurd fractured his back and never played during his rookie season. Back fractures are serious injuries. The 49ers don't know how Hurd's injury will respond when he returns to football, if he returns.
Jennings might be Hurd insurance.
