2017 NFL Draft: 49ers Should Draft Zay Jones
Heading into the 2017 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers own 10 picks. At Nos. 2 and 34 in the first two rounds of the draft, those selections will be crucial. Let’s look at why the 49ers should draft Eastern Carolina University wide receiver Zay Jones in Round 2.
With most of the free-agent signings already made by the San Francisco 49ers front office, the rest of the roster will be mostly be constructed through the draft.
That, as well as this being the new regime’s first draft as a collective unit, highlights the importance of the upcoming April.
One of the most notable signings San Francisco made in the free agency period was wide receiver Pierre Garçon.
San Francisco 49ers
It’s an addition received warmly, as the current 49ers’ unit was deplorable. Free-agent Marquise Goodwin joined Garçon as San Francisco’s other top wide receiver signing, making those two the projected starters.
While certainly not the most abominable choices, it’s clear Garçon and Goodwin are not the long-term answer to the wide receiver position. Garçon is 30-years-old and Goodwin has yet to prove himself as an established receiver.
This is why the Niners are still going to want to target at least one wide receiver in the draft.
We know head coach Kyle Shanahan is going to want to throw the ball and obviously emphasizes the passing game when he’s at the helm of the offense. Just last year, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan led the No. 3 passing attack while earning NFL MVP.
Last year the Falcons had the No. 6 passing attack. And Shanahan is known for getting the most of out his wide receivers.
When in Washington with Shanahan, Pierre Garçon had the best season of his career, tallying a 113/1,346/5 stat line. With Shanahan in 2015, the Falcons’ Julio Jones led the league in catches (136) and yards (1,871), both career highs.
As well as Garçon and Jones, Shanahan has seen the likes of Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, Jabar Gaffney, Andrew Hawkins and Taylor Gabriel all post career-best seasons with him leading the offense from the sideline, as reported by the Niner Wire’s Kyle Madson.
Shanahan gets his wide receivers to perform, period.
Eastern Carolina wide receiver Zay Jones is the next Shanahan receiving disciple. Who exactly is Zay Jones? His 2016 season was one for the ages:
- 158 receptions (NCAA record)
- 1,746 yards
- 8 TDs
The 21 year old was one of the emerging players from the Senior Bowl, notching three highlight plays, two that were ultimately negated. Jones finished the Senior Bowl with six receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown.
Standing at 6-feet-2, the ECU product would be a big bodied receiver the 49ers could use opposite of Garçon. And Jones can certainly use that big frame to his advantage.
Here’s one of those negated plays (via Jared Tokarz of the NFL Draft Insider):
To go along with his height, Jones also brings speed to the field — he ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.
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Jones also owns an exceptional pair of hands, one of the strengths noted by NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein, who wrote, “Hands catcher outside the hashes and snatches it away from his frame. Swallows ball into his frame to protect it when working over the middle.”
Jones isn’t just impressive on the field. The scouting reports say, off the field, he’s been revered for his character, work ethic and football intelligence. Those are tangibles the new 49ers regime is seeking.
This all makes Jones at No. 34 a safe pick; the value is there considering the stock of Jones. And Shanahan will have time to develop the promising receiver.
Next: The Kyle Shanahan Hiring Is Already Paying Dividends for 49ers
Even with the Garçon and Goodwin signed, the 49ers should still be searching for an answer or depth at the wide receiver position. The draft is the place to do it.