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San Francisco 49ers: Ranking 5 biggest offseason targets in 2019

By Peter Panacy

SEATTLE, WA - DECEMBER 14: Free safety Earl Thomas #29 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates a defensive stand in the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field on December 14, 2014 in Seattle, Washington. The Seahawks defeated the 49ers 17-7. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - DECEMBER 14: Free safety Earl Thomas #29 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates a defensive stand in the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field on December 14, 2014 in Seattle, Washington. The Seahawks defeated the 49ers 17-7. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /
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AMES, IA – SEPTEMBER 9: Wide receiver Hakeem Butler #18 of the Iowa State Cyclones runs into the end zone uncontested to score a touchdown in the second half of play against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jack Trice Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Ames, Iowa. The Iowa Hawkeyes won 44-41 over the Iowa State Cyclones. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images)
AMES, IA – SEPTEMBER 9: Wide receiver Hakeem Butler #18 of the Iowa State Cyclones runs into the end zone uncontested to score a touchdown in the second half of play against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jack Trice Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Ames, Iowa. The Iowa Hawkeyes won 44-41 over the Iowa State Cyclones. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /

If you haven’t heard of him yet, Iowa State wide receiver Hakeem Butler is a new NFL Draft crush.

Butler’s numbers over three-plus years at the collegiate level don’t exactly jump off the table:

Hakeem Butler College Receiving Table
Rece Rece Rece Rece
Year School Conf Class Pos G Rec Yds Avg TD
2015 Iowa State Big 12 FR WR
2016 Iowa State Big 12 FR WR 8 9 134 14.9 2
*2017 Iowa State Big 12 SO WR 13 41 697 17.0 7
2018 Iowa State Big 12 JR WR 10 42 915 21.8 8
Career Iowa State 92 1746 19.0 17

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 11/22/2018.

But that’s not the point. Butler stands at 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, making him an ideal target for Kyle Shanahan in the red zone.

Considering the 49ers’ 46.9-percent red-zone touchdown efficiency (ranked 28th in the NFL right now), Butler’s presence would be a very good thing.

Related Story. 49ers 3-round 2019 NFL Draft mock, Thanksgiving version. light

San Francisco hasn’t received anything close to adequate playmaking abilities from its wide receiver corps this season. And what’s needed is a go-to wideout, capable of fighting for the ball and creating mismatches against opponents’ secondaries.

Butler checks those boxes off with long limbs, aggressive hands and overwhelming strength. While he’s a little slower than what Shanahan prefers in a receiver, there shouldn’t be much concern of him getting outworked.

Projected to go as early as Round 2 in the 2019 NFL Draft, using the team’s second selection on day two of the draft on Butler would be a smart move.