NFL Mock Draft: 49ers Pick Wide Receiver in Round 1 yet Again

At this point, nothing the 49ers could do in Round 1 of the upcoming NFL Draft would surprise me.

Jan 28, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; Washington Commanders general manger Adam Peters reunites with former boss John Lynch during Senior Bowl practice for the American team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Lynch is the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

At this point, nothing the 49ers could do in Round 1 of the upcoming NFL Draft would surprise me.

They could do whatever everyone expects and draft a defensive lineman or an offensive lineman because teams win games in the trenches, as everybody knows. Or, the 49ers could do what no one expects and draft a wide receiver because teams win games by scoring touchdowns, as everybody knows.

Apparently, CBS Draft analyst Jeff Kerr comes from the second school of thought, so he projects the 49ers to take Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the 11th pick in Round 1.

"The 49ers find their Deebo Samuel replacement in McMillan, the best wideout in this draft class," writes Kerr. "McMillan can play wide or in the slot, and his deep-ball ability gives the 49ers another explosive pass catcher in a revamped offense."

With all due respect to Kerr, McMillan and Samuel don't have much in common other than the fact that they're both wide receivers.

Samuel is built like a running back. He's terrible at getting open or making contested catches. He's a YAC specialist who needs to go in motion pre-snap to get a free release at the line of scrimmage. Otherwise, he'll get jammed. Which means he's a Z.

McMillan is an X. He's built like a skinny tight end. He doesn't need a buffer to beat press coverage -- he can beat it on his own. Which means he would be a terrific replacement for Brandon Aiyuk if the 49ers ever find a team that wants to trade for him.

The 49ers certainly have bigger needs than wide receiver, but that doesn't mean they won't take one in Round 1 for the second year in a row. In fact, they just might.