Niner Noise
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5 Hidden Gems in the NFL Draft the 49ers Should Consider

By Akash Anavarathan

Feb 9, 2017; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch during a press conference at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 9, 2017; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch during a press conference at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 3, 2016; Bowling Green, KY, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Taywan Taylor (2) reaches for a pass against Louisiana Tech Bulldogs cornerback Prince Sam (23) during the first half of the CUSA championship game at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Bowling Green, KY, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Taywan Taylor (2) reaches for a pass against Louisiana Tech Bulldogs cornerback Prince Sam (23) during the first half of the CUSA championship game at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 1: Wide Receiver Taywan Taylor

The senior wide receiver from Western Kentucky has certainly turned heads this past season with his gaudy numbers. Standing at 5-foot-11 and weighing 198 pounds, Taylor has the perfect size to be a slot receiver for the 49ers.

Evaluating Taylor’s Numbers

Taken from Sports-Reference.com, Taylor put up eye-popping statistics during his last two seasons at Western Kentucky. Although his competition might not be NFL-level each week, let’s see why he’s worth a day three draft pick.

Receiving Rushing Scrimmage
Year School Conf Class Pos G Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD Plays Yds Avg TD
2013 Western Kentucky Sun Belt WR 10 24 270 11.3 0 0 0 0 24 270 11.3 0
*2014 Western Kentucky CUSA SO WR 12 45 767 17.0 7 1 11 11.0 0 46 778 16.9 7
*2015 Western Kentucky CUSA JR WR 14 86 1467 17.1 17 7 2 0.3 0 93 1469 15.8 17
2016 Western Kentucky CUSA SR WR 14 98 1730 17.7 17 6 36 6.0 0 104 1766 17.0 17
Career Western Kentucky 253 4234 16.7 41 14 49 3.5 0 267 4283 16.0 41

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 2/23/2017.

With the third most receiving yards in the FBS this past season, Taylor posted a ridiculous 1,730 receiving yard total. With an average of 17.7 yards per catch, he’s clearly a home-run threat that the 49ers could use on offense.

Evaluating Taylor’s Tape

Taken from the full video, which can be found at DraftBreakdown.com, Taylor shows off his speed by blowing past the Lousiana Tech cornerback:

In the next highlight, Taylor runs a beautiful route in the red zone to free himself up for the touchdown:

Against the best competition he’s played all season, Alabama, he came up big with a nine catch, 121 yard performance.

In this clip below, taken from DraftBreakdown.com, Taylor beats DB Eddie Jackson for a huge grab:

He doesn’t always beat press coverage with his hands, he typically uses stutter steps to separate from DBs.

Scouts’ take on Taylor

According to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, Taylor possesses the athleticism and separation quickness to be a slot receiver in the NFL. He also goes to add that the Western Kentucky WR has a high potential to be an above-average slot receiver.

From the games against Alabama, Middle Tennessee and LA Tech, I noticed that he is a north-and-south runner and doesn’t dance around after the catch. He benefits from a lot of bubble screens and jet sweeps.

Final Thoughts

Taylor has the natural ability to be a great talent in the NFL. Zierlien compared him to Vikings WR Stefon Diggs, who doesn’t have the size, but the speed to terrorize defenses. Kyle Shanahan could use a home-run threat on an offense that currently lacks any playmakers.