Niner Noise
FanSided

Predicting the 10 players who wind up on the 49ers practice squad

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 06: A San Francisco 49ers helmet on the field at Levi's Stadium on October 6, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 06: A San Francisco 49ers helmet on the field at Levi's Stadium on October 6, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – NOVEMBER 07: Wide receiver Tim Patrick #9 of the Utah Utes warms up prior to the game against the Washington Huskies on November 7, 2015 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – NOVEMBER 07: Wide receiver Tim Patrick #9 of the Utah Utes warms up prior to the game against the Washington Huskies on November 7, 2015 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /

No. 7: Wide Receiver Tim Patrick

Rookie wide receiver Tim Patrick, another UDFA, has one thing the majority of 49ers wideouts don’t possess — size.

At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Patrick is the tallest of Niners receivers. As such, Patrick immediately becomes a solid red-zone option.

Patrick had a fairly solid senior year at Utah in 2016, logging 45 receptions for 711 yards and five touchdowns. And his size isn’t exactly an issue against his speed either. Patrick ran a 4.47 40-yard time at his pro day.

These physical attributes are great, although Patrick isn’t exactly the best route-runner, according to Pro Football Focus.

This works against him, especially considering head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense is one of the most complex in the NFL.

And that’s why Patrick is an ideal practice squad candidate. The extra time can be used to develop Patrick’s understanding of the system, while making good use of his size and matchup-nightmare potential.