Dante Pettis: Why 49ers’ WR will be a player to watch in training camp

During the 2018 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Washington wide receiver Dante Pettis in the second round. Niner Noise discusses why the rookie will be a player to watch in training camp this year.

The San Francisco 49ers traded up in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft to select wide receiver Dante Pettis 44th overall.

General manager John Lynch’s move to acquire Pettis early may have initially come as a surprise. However, there are plenty of reasons why the Washington standout was worth the draft pick.

Pettis had his best collegiate year in 2016 when he recorded 822 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. His numbers dropped, however, to 761 receiving yards and seven touchdowns during his senior year.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 195-pounds, Pettis is a versatile player who can contribute to the team in various ways. With his skill set, Pettis seems to fit under head coach Kyle Shanahan’s system just smoothly.

In addition, Pettis adds a sudden boost to the 49ers’ special teams with his abilities to return kicks.

With training camp arriving in mid-July, Pettis will undoubtedly be one of the top rookies to watch and here’s why.

Route Running

Shanahan likes having excellent route-runners in his complex offense, and Pettis clearly meets this criterion.

Pettis possesses the speed and quickness that would make him thrive under Shanahan’s system. Throughout college, Pettis has also made numerous defenders miss with his agility and explosiveness.

Along with his top-notch route-running talents, Pettis has great field awareness, body control and ball adjustment. If he continues to improve in these areas heading into the pros, Pettis should be fun to watch come training camp.

With his superb acceleration, Pettis has shown flashes as a deep threat as well. Combine that with his route-running, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will easily have another formidable receiver to throw to in 2018 and beyond.

Playmaking

One of San Francisco’s most glaring needs is a red-zone threat on offense. In 2017, the 49ers only ranked 27th best in red-zone scoring percentage with 47.1 percent.

By drafting Pettis this year, the Niners may have solved one of their biggest issues from the previous season.

Pettis possesses outstanding hands that allows him to catch the ball from any angle. This trait should be beneficial especially during critical red-zone situations.

Even though he does not have the height and length to catch 50-50 balls, Pettis at least has the playmaking talents that will drastically help the 49ers score points. Especially with Garoppolo’s quick releases, Pettis should be able to snag the football with ease.

Punt and Kick Return Abilities

Pettis holds the record for the most punt return touchdowns in NCAA history. In four years, the Washington product scored nine punt return TDs, beating out Antonio Perkins and Wes Welker’s record of eight.

Along with his talents as a receiver, Pettis’ punt and kick-return skills may have contributed to Lynch’s decision to trade up and draft him earlier in the second round.

Pettis’ ability to dodge defenders with his acceleration and quickness easily makes him a threat as a return man. His versatility to play in both offense and special teams makes him a valuable asset to San Francisco for many years to come.

Not only does he provide an extra boost within the receiving corps, Pettis should also help the 49ers get better field position with his kick- and punt-return abilities.

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Considering he does wonderfully in training camp, Pettis may even end up taking over as a starter in Week 1. A Garoppolo-Pettis connection should definitely be exciting to see, hopefully for many years to come.