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5 Needs the San Francisco 49ers Failed to Address in the 2017 NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

Apr 28, 2017; Santa Clara, CA, USA; (l to r) San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch , linebacker Reuben Foster , defensive lineman Soloman Thomas , and head coach Kyle Shanahan pose for photos during the press conference at Levi's Stadium Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2017; Santa Clara, CA, USA; (l to r) San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch , linebacker Reuben Foster , defensive lineman Soloman Thomas , and head coach Kyle Shanahan pose for photos during the press conference at Levi's Stadium Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 24, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garcon (88) acknowledges the crowd as he leaves the field after the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Redskins won 41-21. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 24, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garcon (88) acknowledges the crowd as he leaves the field after the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Redskins won 41-21. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 5: Wide Receiver

Yes, the 49ers brought in a bevvy of free-agent wide receivers this offseason.

Chief among the pickups were receivers Pierre Garcon, Marquise Goodwin and Aldrick Robinson. And the re-signing of Jeremy Kerley was a good move too.

Garcon enters 2017 as the Niners’ No. 1 receiving target, which isn’t bad in of itself. He did manage to post over 1,000 receiving yards a year ago.

But Garcon will turn 31 years old this August. And at best, he’s a No. 2 receiver on a good team. San Francisco still lacks a true No. 1 threat, and this need was all but abandoned throughout the draft.

Good wide receivers, at least the most noteworthy ones, typically fall between Rounds 1 and 2. The 49ers haven’t taken a wideout this early since the failed A.J. Jenkins experiment back in 2012.

It’s hurt the offense as well.

Yes, San Francisco brought in former Louisiana Tech product Trent Taylor in Round 5. But at 5-foot-8 and 181 pounds, he’s likely little more than a slot option and a special teams ace.

The Niners’ first three NFL Draft pickups focused on defense, which meant the team missed out on promising draftees like Clemson’s Mike Williams, Washington’s John Ross, USC’s JuJu Smith-Schuster or Western Michigan’s Corey Davis.

Unless this put-together crop of Niners wideouts manages to overachieve in 2017, a true No. 1 receiving threat will remain a priority into 2018.