Why the 49ers Should Avoid a Wide Receiver at Pick No. 13
There is no debate, the San Francisco 49ers have a glaring need at wide receiver.
Where there is a debate, is what kind of draft capital the 49ers should invest in a wide receiver. The 49ers currently have 10 receivers under contract going into the 2020 season. Deebo Samuel, Kendrick Bourne, Dante Pettis, Richie James Jr, Marquise Goodwin, Trent Taylor, Jalen Hurd, Travis Benjamin, Chris Thompson, and Shawn Poindexter. A lot of bodies at the position, but very minimal reliability and consistency.
The 49ers hit big with selecting Deebo Samuel in the second round last year. Kendrick Bourne has exceeded all expectations as an undrafted free agent, improving more and more in each of his first three seasons. Outside of Samuel and Bourne, who can the 49ers count on?
Marquise Goodwin was close to being a 1,000-yard receiver three seasons ago, but has regressed in each of the last two seasons. As a rookie in 2018, Dante Pettis flashed why John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan traded up for him in the 2nd round. However, Pettis spent the majority of last season in Shanahan’s doghouse. Goodwin and Pettis have both been involved in trade rumors this offseason, and may not be around next year.
Richie James Jr primarily serves as a returner, though has shown big play ability. Trent Taylor has struggled to stay healthy, but when on the field he is a reliable slot-target. Jalen Hurd showed tons of potential last preseason before being placed on injured reserve with a back injury. Newly acquired Travis Benjamin doesn’t offer more than Goodwin, though he comes with a cheaper price tag. Thompson and Poindexter are both training camp/preseason bodies who don’t bring much to the table.
Wide receiver is clearly a need. Many Niner fans want to see the team spend their 13th overall pick on a receiver like Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, or CeeDee Lamb. Jeudy, Ruggs, and Lamb all project to be stars of this absolutely loaded receiver class. Adding Jeudy, Ruggs, or Lamb could certainly take the 49ers offense to new heights. That itself generates tons of excitement.
However, the same argument could be made for about a dozen other receivers in this draft.
The 49ers offense was a huge success last season and they have the stats to show it. They ranked second in scoring and rushing yards, but only 13th in passing offense. Despite that, they won 13 regular-season games and made the Super Bowl by dominating on the ground, controlling the clock, and playing stellar defense.
The Niners do not need to invest a top-15 pick on a wide receiver to repeat that success.
They could invest their 13th pick at another position, or look to trade down to acquire more day two and day three draft capital. If the 49ers retain pick No. 13 and avoid drafting a receiver, some possibilities are addressing cornerback, defensive tackle, or offensive tackle.
With the departure of Deforest Buckner, the 49ers may choose to immediately find his replacement at No 13. A potential Buckner replacement is South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw, who wreaked havoc in the SEC. Richard Sherman is still playing at a high level, but there is no denying he is getting up there in age. Emmanuel Mosley had a solid 2019 season and is projected to be the number two outside corner opposite of Sherman.
Ahkello Witherspoon has had a very rocky beginning to his young career, and doesn’t provide a ton of comfort as the backup outside corner. CJ Henderson from Florida has all the tools to be a potential shutdown corner, and could be in play for the 49ers at No. 13. Joe Staley, similar to Sherman, is still playing at a high-level but getting up there in age. The 49ers may look for Staley’s future replacement with this pick, though I think it is unlikely with the depth the 49ers currently have on their offensive line.
If the 49ers chose not to address the receiver position with the 13th pick, there is still a plethora of wide receivers who could make the 49ers offense more explosive and dynamic. San Francisco lost Emmanuel Sanders to free agency, which was a given entering the offseason. While it will be tough to replace his leadership, it won’t be as hard to replace his production.
In 13 games with the 49ers (including the playoffs), Sanders caught 41 passes for 573 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers will not be as difficult to replace. From pick No. 31 downward, there are a ton of wide receiver prospects the 49ers could target. Wide receivers who will be available after the 13th pick include:
- LSU’s Justin Jefferson (Mid 1st-Late 1st Projection)
- Clemson’s Tee Higgins (Late 1st- Early 2nd)
- Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk (Late 1st-Mid 2nd)
- TCU’s Jalen Reagor (Late 1st-Mid 2nd)
- Colorado’s Laviska Shenault (Late 1st-Mid 2nd)
- Penn State’s KJ Hamler (Early 2nd-Early 3rd)
- Notre Dame’s Chase Claypool *Convert to TE* (Mid 2nd-Late 3rd)
- USC’s Michael Pittman Jr (Mid 2nd-Late 3rd)
- Boise State’s John Hightower (Early 3rd-Mid 4th)
- Liberty’s Antonio Gandy-Golden (Late 3rd-Mid 4th)
- Rhode Island’s Isiah Coulter (Early 4th-Mid 5th)
- Kentucky’s Lynn Bowden (Early 4th-Mid 5th)
- South Carolina’s Bryan Edwards (Early 4th-Mid 5th)
While the names above don’t receive as much praise as Jeudy, Ruggs, or Lamb, they are all ready to produce at a high level in the NFL.
Would it be nice for the 49ers to add a true No. 1 receiver? Absolutely.
Do the 49ers need Jeudy, Ruggs, or Lamb to win a Super Bowl? No.
Look at the best Wide Receivers in football, none of them have won or even been in a Super Bowl. In fact, since 2010, Nelson Ahgolor is the only first-round wide receiver to win a Super Bowl with the team they were drafted by, on their rookie contract.
Two things are certain: the 49ers have a glaring need at wide receiver and with Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers have the best offensive mind in football.
Regardless of whether or not the 49ers pick a receiver at 13th overall or later on in the draft, the 49ers will still have an explosive offense. This is the perfect draft to find an impact player at another position of need (cornerback or defensive Tackle) at No. 13 and still end up with a dynamite receiver later on. Regardless of what Lynch and Shanahan decide to do, they 100% deserve the backing of fans given their solid track record.
