San Francisco 49ers: 10 Pros Who Could Lose Jobs to 2016 NFL Draft Prospects

Wide Receiver Bruce Ellington

Here’s some not-so-shocking news for you: head coach Chip Kelly values size in his wide receivers.

Eric Branch of SFGate.com put together an excellent piece chronicling the head coach’s desire to have big-bodied receivers. He wrote:

"During his three seasons with the Eagles, Kelly sought size at the wide receiver position, which could bode well for Smelter, a 2015 fourth-round pick who was sidelined last year with a torn ACL he sustained in college. It’s not just Smelter. If the 49ers think pending free agent Anquan Boldin, 35, has enough in the tank, re-signing him could be more of a priority given Kelly’s presence. Boldin (6-1, 220), of course, has often played the position like a power forward en route to ranking 12th in NFL history in receptions. In the draft? A possible target with the No. 7 overall pick — Ole Miss wideout Laquon Treadwell (6-2, 210) — could be quite attractive to Kelly."

“The most important thing for a receiver — and I know I talked about big people beat up little people — that’s more of a defensive philosophy for us,” Kelly said, per Branch, in 2014. “But at the receiver position, it’s your ability to beat one‑on‑one coverage. We see it so much. Honestly, I don’t think people really beat it. You’re going to have to catch a lot of contested footballs.”

This doesn’t exactly bode well for 49ers receiver Bruce Ellington, who stands at 5’9″ and 197 pounds.

Not long ago, Kelly actually praised the Niners’ shortest wideout, via Branch.

“What really is Bruce Ellington?” Kelly said. “When you look at just the short time I’ve seen film of him you’re like ‘Wow.’ That kid can do some interesting things. Then it’s our job to figure out how we can use that to benefit us to help us win games.”

Of course this could be nothing more than pumping up the team’s players — not unlike what former head coach Jim Harbaugh used to do.

Yet if the 49ers elect to go with a bigger wideout in the draft, as Branch suggested with Ole Miss’ Laquon Treadwell, Ellington may wind up being on the fringe.

San Francisco may also be targeting Rutgers wideout Leonte Carroo, TCU’s Josh Doctson or Ohio State’s Braxton Miller in the draft — bigger receivers, who may offset Ellington’s use.

Next: Anthony Davis