San Francisco 49ers: 10 Biggest X-Factors for 2016 Season
By Peter Panacy
No. 10: Wide Receiver DeAndre Smelter
Wide receiver DeAndre Smelter is one of those players generating a good amount of buzz this upcoming season.
He was redshirted his rookie season a year ago while recovering from a collegiate ACL injury and, with his actual NFL debut set to take place in 2016, there are a lot of hopes Smelter can substantially impact the 49ers offense.
Smelter has a pretty wide spectrum where he can fit in with the team this season. With veteran wideout Anquan Boldin not likely to be re-signed this offseason, the No. 2 spot alongside probable No. 1 target Torrey Smith is wide open.
Why He’ll Improve
Smelter’s talents alone could have made him a Round 1 or 2 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Only his knee injury forced his stock to fall into Round 4.
His hands are great, his route-running is solid and his physical attributes are enough to inspire plenty of confidence. Niner Noise’s Sequoia Sims detailed what Smelter’s upside is entering this season, so the hopes are Smelter can blossom within head coach Chip Kelly’s offense.
Why He’ll Disappoint
None of general manager Trent Baalke’s ACL-injury risks have panned out at the pro level. At least not to the lofty expectations for which one might have hoped.
Who knows how well Smelter’s knee will hold up under the rigors of NFL activity. And the year-plus off from actual on-field activities means Smelter’s development is a full year behind other players at, or around, his age and tenure length.
He’ll have to fully understand a pro-style playbook and make a lot of adjustments in short order. Will the learning curve be quick enough?
Next: No. 9: WR Bruce Ellington