2019 NFL Draft: 5 players 49ers can cross off their Round 1 big board
By Peter Panacy
It’s very possible Oklahoma wide receiver Marquise Brown slips into Round 2 of the NFL Draft, where the 49ers are slated to pick at No. 36 overall.
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That said, the Niners shouldn’t be enticed to use either of their first two picks on Brown. Like the case with Deandre Baker, Brown isn’t on this list because he’s a bad prospect. If anything, one might think of Brown as an enticing route-running weapon in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense. He’s fast and can run complex routes.
But Brown’s hands aren’t the best. And when one considers the 5-foot-10, 168-pound prospect’s abilities in contested spaces, that’s where San Francisco could wind up in some trouble.
Shanahan’s offense finished dead last in red-zone touchdown efficiency a year ago. What’s needed here is a big-bodied, “go up and get it” receiver capable of winning the one-on-one matchups in tight spaces.
Brown isn’t that kind of receiver, per se. Plus, this year’s NFL Draft haul provides more than a few big-bodied options at wide receiver.
The Niners would be wise to explore other options to address this key need.