49ers: Will rookie WR Dante Pettis make an immediate impact?

Will the San Francisco 49ers rookie, wide receiver Dante Pettis, make an immediate impact in the offense? Will he make an impact on special teams? Niner Noise dives in and takes a shot at predicting his 2018 stats.

Former Washington wide receiver, and San Francisco 49ers second-round NFL Draft selection Dante Pettis, is looking to make an impact in 2018.

But just how big of an impact can he make?

Pettis was one of the most prolific return specialists in college football history. Returning a staggering nine times for touchdowns in his four-year career, he currently holds the college football record.

But Pettis is no slouch when it comes to his primary position either — hauling in 24 touchdowns on 163 receptions during his time in Washington.

Pettis is a home-run hitter, but will it translate to the pro game?

I think it will.

The one big thing Pettis has on his side is 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will put him in a position to succeed, making Pettis’ transition easier. His stats will show because of it.

In what used to be a barren wasteland, the 49ers receiving corps is now crowded with talent. But ultimately, I think Pettis will be a bright spot within the crowd.

Now I don’t think he comes in and becomes the No. 1 wide receiver right away (or at all in his rookie season). But based on where he was selected in the draft and his skill set, it seems that’s what the Niners are hoping for in the future.

They see Pettis as their top guy, and I have to say I can see why they think that. With the way Shanahan can put receivers in a position to constantly make plays, someone like Pettis can make a big impact fairly quickly.

Pettis has a lot of plays, like the one above — a severely underthrown ball, but he shows good ball-tracking skills and is able to high point the ball and win the 50-50 catch.

Traits like those directly translate into the pro game and are what can separate a good player from a great player.

He also isn’t afraid to run across the middle.

Pettis has a base skill set that Shanahan covets, and I think that it will show in 2018 and beyond.

When it comes to special teams, I think it’s an obvious choice to put Pettis back there returning both punts and kickoffs.

He was one of the best in college football history, the 49ers would be wise to get him on the field as much as humanly possible. Put the ball in Pettis’ hands and give hime the chance to make a play.

Because when you do, he does things like this:

Now I could honestly write an entire article on nothing but his returning skills and fill it with every touchdown, but that’s maybe for another day. It’s clearly evident what this man can do with the ball in his hand and space in front of him.

San Francisco 49ers: Will rookie WR Dante Pettis make an immediate impact?

By Bobby Horne | Jul 9, 2018

Will the San Francisco 49ers rookie, wide receiver Dante Pettis, make an immediate impact in the offense? Will he make an impact on special teams? Niner Noise dives in and takes a shot at predicting his 2018 stats.