Niner Noise
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49ers 2019 NFL Draft needs: Power ranking top 5 wide receivers

By Peter Panacy

OXFORD, MS - SEPTEMBER 8: A.J. Brown #1 of the Mississippi Rebels points to the sky after scoring a touchdown against the Southern Illinois Salukis during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS - SEPTEMBER 8: A.J. Brown #1 of the Mississippi Rebels points to the sky after scoring a touchdown against the Southern Illinois Salukis during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 02: Wide receiver A.J. Brown of Ole Miss works out during day three of the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 2, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 02: Wide receiver A.J. Brown of Ole Miss works out during day three of the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 2, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

That’s right. You’re not going to see some of the top-heralded wide receiver prospects on this list — names like Oklahoma’s Marquise Brown or Ole Miss’ D.K. Metcalf.

Metcalf nearly tore up every NFL Scouting Combine drill, aside from those for agility, which probably puts him out of range between the 49ers’ top pick, No. 2 overall, and their second-round selection.

But Metcalf’s collegiate teammate, A.J. Brown, could feasibly be in play early in Round 2 depending on how teams view other receiving prospects and their own roster needs. If that wasn’t the case, the Niners wouldn’t have wasted one of their interviews on Brown.

Brown’s collegiate production is there, too, of course:

A.J. Brown Receiving Table
Rece Rece Rece Rece
Year School Conf Class Pos G Rec Yds Avg TD
2016 Ole Miss SEC FR WR 11 29 412 14.2 2
2017 Ole Miss SEC SO WR 11 75 1252 16.7 11
2018 Ole Miss SEC JR WR 12 85 1320 15.5 6
Career Ole Miss 189 2984 15.8 19

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 3/6/2019.

And his 6-foot-0, 226-pound frame checks off a lot of the boxes the 49ers will look at for a Z-type receiver, who can double in the slot. While his size doesn’t exemplify a solid red-zone target, Brown’s route running and footwork are among the best in this year’s class. That alone should earn him consideration from Kyle Shanahan.

Brown ran a 4.49 40-yard time at the NFL Scouting Combine, and there are a few positional big boards listing Brown as this year’s top wide receiver prospect.

Next. 49ers' full post-NFL Scouting Combine mock draft. dark

It might be a stretch to see Brown slip into Round 2. If it happens, or if the Niners see a reason to trade back into the first round, envisioning the Ole Miss talent in a 49ers uniform this upcoming year wouldn’t be out of reality.

The 2019 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 25 from Nashville, Tennessee.