San Francisco 49ers: Final 4-round mock ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft
By Peter Panacy
player. 42. . Wide Receiver. LSU. D.J. Chark. 59
The 49ers may not be putting a high priority on the wide receiver position this offseason, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a glaring need.
San Francisco has a physical possession receiver in the veteran, Pierre Garçon. Marquise Goodwin serves as the deep threat, while Trent Taylor is emerging as a solid slot option. What’s needed is a “go up and get it” guy.
At 6-foot-3 and 199 pounds, LSU wide receiver D.J. Chark checks off all the boxes for head coach Kyle Shanahan. His height would already make him one of the tallest receivers on San Francisco’s roster — immediately aiding one of the Niners’ biggest offensive needs, which is a red-zone threat.
Keep in mind, the 49ers finished 27th in red-zone touchdown efficiency last year.
What Shanahan wants more, though, is speed. And Chark is no stranger to this either, as his 4.34 40-yard dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine indicates.
Chark gives Shanahan and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo another worthwhile weapon and a long-term replacement for the aging Garçon.